Comments on: More symbionts and flight http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/2009/06/22/more-symbionts-and-flight/ Meddling with things mankind is not meant to understand. Also, pictures of my kids Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:04:57 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: george http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/2009/06/22/more-symbionts-and-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-25799 george Tue, 23 Jun 2009 17:45:40 +0000 http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/?p=1193#comment-25799 2 things: 1.) A typo. "why don’t the bacteria want to the spiders to balloon?" has the extraneous "to" before "the." 2.) Does the bacteria have to "want" the spiders to balloon or not to balloon? I understand that the ability of the bacteria to prevent the spider from ballooning would have evolved, but it doesn't necessarily have to be beneficial or harmful to either species, does it? It could just be neutral, couldn't it? It was neither harmful nor helpful, and nothing ever caused it to be bred out of the bacterium, etc. Even if that's true, though, there probably is some beneficial aspect that we just haven't figured out yet. 2 things:

1.) A typo. “why don’t the bacteria want to the spiders to balloon?” has the extraneous “to” before “the.”

2.) Does the bacteria have to “want” the spiders to balloon or not to balloon? I understand that the ability of the bacteria to prevent the spider from ballooning would have evolved, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be beneficial or harmful to either species, does it?

It could just be neutral, couldn’t it? It was neither harmful nor helpful, and nothing ever caused it to be bred out of the bacterium, etc.

Even if that’s true, though, there probably is some beneficial aspect that we just haven’t figured out yet.

]]> By: Gail http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/2009/06/22/more-symbionts-and-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-25731 Gail Mon, 22 Jun 2009 20:58:17 +0000 http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/?p=1193#comment-25731 Aphids generally reproduce asexually (no males!) during most of the growing season. These are born pregnant and lay live babies (=vivipary; look for the little red eyes in the abdomen of a light colored aphid!), the rapidly increasing population overtaking plant growth in some cases. Although winged forms can appear when the aphids (not all species have known males) are ready to mate, this is usually only in the autumn. Most of the time, viviparous winged aphids start to outnumber non-winged adults in response to dwindling host plant resources (a process starting in the grandmother's generation). Whether or not these winged aphids will travel long distances will depend on the species, whether they are physiologically ready to migrate or not, and whether or not the atmospheric motion systems are favorable at the right time. Aphids generally reproduce asexually (no males!) during most of the growing season. These are born pregnant and lay live babies (=vivipary; look for the little red eyes in the abdomen of a light colored aphid!), the rapidly increasing population overtaking plant growth in some cases. Although winged forms can appear when the aphids (not all species have known males) are ready to mate, this is usually only in the autumn. Most of the time, viviparous winged aphids start to outnumber non-winged adults in response to dwindling host plant resources (a process starting in the grandmother’s generation). Whether or not these winged aphids will travel long distances will depend on the species, whether they are physiologically ready to migrate or not, and whether or not the atmospheric motion systems are favorable at the right time.

]]> By: Viruses That Make You Fly, Bacteria That Keep You On the Ground | The Loom | Discover Magazine http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/2009/06/22/more-symbionts-and-flight/comment-page-1/#comment-25728 Viruses That Make You Fly, Bacteria That Keep You On the Ground | The Loom | Discover Magazine Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:32:16 +0000 http://www.iayork.com/MysteryRays/?p=1193#comment-25728 [...] aphids sprout wings. Bacteria keep spiders from making silken balloons to float away from home. All the details are at Mystery Rays From Outer [...] [...] aphids sprout wings. Bacteria keep spiders from making silken balloons to float away from home. All the details are at Mystery Rays From Outer [...]

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