Pollinators Trivia - Bees, Butterflies, and Beetles | Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast #374

Spring is finally here and it’s time for trivia to bloom. This week, I’ve got a trio of science trivia topics. It’s pollinator trivia. I’ve got three groups of insects that keep our flowers blooming: Bees, butterflies, and beetles.

After you’ve buzzed through Pollinators Trivia, check our our other Science Trivia episodes on the site. Or, just subscribe to the podcast and never miss an episode!

Book of the Week

The Sixth Extinction by Elizabeth Kolbert

Over the last half a billion years, there have been five mass extinctions, when the diversity of life on earth suddenly and dramatically contracted. Scientists around the world are currently monitoring the Sixth Extinction, predicted to be the most devastating extinction event since the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs. This time around, the cataclysm is us.

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Episode Intro

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All right. I’m your auto-didactic entomologist and host, Brian Rollins. This is episode 374 of the Dorky Geeky Nerdy trivia podcast. Let’s get buzzing.

The Dorky Round

Bees Trivia

Which bee is responsible for laying all the eggs in a hive?
a. The queen
How many sides does the cell of a honeycomb have?
a. Six
How many eyes do honeybees have?
a. Five. Two large compound eyes and three smaller simple eyes on top of their head.
What’s an apiary?
a. A collection of human managed beehives
What is Propolis?
a. Bee glue. It’s a mixture wax, resins, and saliva that bees use to repair their hives.
What is the main purpose of the “waggle dance”?
a. To communicate the direction and distance to food sources.
How many wings does a bee have?
a. Four.
What’s the name given to the nutrient rich secretion that is fed to larvae and the queens?
a. Royal jelly
Which sense do bees rely on most to find flowers?
a. The sense of smell
What is the largest bee on Earth?
a. Wallace’s giant bee. Females can grow to about 38 mm long.

The Geeky Round

Butterfly Trivia

How many stages are in a butterfly’s life cycle?
a. There are four stages.
What is a group of butterflies called?
a. A kaleidoscope.
What is the hard case around a developing butterfly called?
a. A chrysalis.
How do butterflies taste their food?
a. They have taste receptors on their feet.
What can butterflies see that humans can not?
a. Butterflies can see into the ultraviolet range.
What is the stage of butterfly life between egg and chrysalis?
a. Caterpillar
What long, tubular structure allows butterflies to suck up fluids like nectar and juices?
a. Their proboscis
What is the process called when a caterpillar becomes an adult butterfly?
a. Metamorphosis.
Which butterfly holds the record for the longest migration?
a. The monarch butterfly. They can migrate thousands of miles.
What is the largest butterfly species in the world?
a. Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing. Females can reach a wingspan up to 28 cm.

The Nerdy Round

Beetles Trivia

What ancient culture considered scarab beetles sacred?
a. The ancient Egyptians
Beetles breathe through tiny openings called what?
a. Spiracles
What beetle is famous or infamous for rolling balls of feces around?
a. Dung beetles
Known for their bioluminescence, what group of beetles are called Lampyridae?
a. I’ll accept fireflies, lightning bugs, or glowworms
How many pairs of wings do beetles have?
a. Two pairs. The harden outer shell that opens, called elytra, are one set and the inner wings used for flying are a second.
Ladybugs are predators and incidental pollinators that primarily eat what?
a. Aphid and other planet-dwelling pests.
Beetles are in the order Coleoptera which means what?
a. Sheath wings. Makes sense.
What percentage of all known animal species are beetles?
a. About 25%. There are over 400,000 beetle species out there.
How do bombardier beetles defend themselves?
a. By spraying a hot, noxious chemical explosion from their abdomen. Yes, like those ones in Starship Troopers…just way smaller.
What is the largest beetle in the world by mass?
a. The aptly named Goliath beetle

Episode Conclusion

Back to the hive. How did you do? Are we liking these 3-in-1 episodes? Drop me a line on social media. So far, they’re working out well for me.

Next week, I’ll be back on April Fool’s Day with some movie trivia. Here’s a clue to mull over:

Mike Myers had three consecutive hit movies with what comedy trilogy?

OK, so it’s not a very hard clue. But still, you now know what movies to stream to cram for the episode, right? See you back here on Wednesday. In the meantime, take a minute for yourself. Breathe. Relax your shoulders. You got this.

This was the Dorky Geeky Nerdy Trivia Podcast. If you’d like to help support the show and get extra stuff, consider becoming a patron at Patreon.com/dorkygeekynerdy.

This podcast is written, produced, and hosted by Brian Rollins. If you love audiobooks or are looking to have a book turned into an audiobook, contact me at TheVoicesInMyHead.com.

The theme music is Punchfunk by the band, Punchfunk. Listen to all their music on Spotify.

Thanks for listening.