Tagged: songs

An Entomological Carol

I was cleaning my office last night, and found a newsletter from my graduate department in 1987!   I had to share. Lyrics by Jim Richmond; hopefully he doesn’t mind me sharing them here.

Sung to the tune of the Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire)

Professors resting wherever they are,
Grad students nipping at their knows
Post-docs with their eyes on jobs aglow
And secretaries dressed up like who knows;

Everybody knows some plants and some insects too,
Goes to make the work just right,
Tiny technicians with their eyes half aglow
will find it hard celebrating tonight.

We know the Chairman is on his way,
He has lots of authority in his say,
And every PI is sure to try
To see if the Dean can make their proposal fly.

And so to you I am offering this simple phrase,
For you, whatever age you are,
Though it’s been said many times many days,
Merry Christmas to you.

The Nearctica Waltz (or: Ballad of Lovebugs)

This wasn’t a submission to the Ribald Tales of Entomology Limerick Contest, but it rhymes, it’s funny, and it’s Arthropod related, so I’m making it an Honorable Mention.

If you haven’t lived in the southern US, you may not recognize the insect that this song is about.  ”Lovebugs,” also known as March flies, are best known for hooking up….and staying that way.  They can form thick clouds of flying insects, and sometimes are a driving hazard.  To make things even better, some car finishes are damaged by squashed bug juice.

Enjoy!

A Musical Interlude

I’m sure most of you have heard that the Great Cicada Emergence of 2011 is happening all up and down the east coast this year.  Cicada Mania is keeping tabs on all the latest emergence news, including some startling video of urinating cicadas. You drink sap for 13 years….you’re gonna have to go sometime.

They scooped me by posting this video first, but it made me laugh, so I thought I would share it again.

I don’t agree with the sentiment in this song, but: ”I’m so sick of cicadas…I know they’re not as bad as Al Qaeda…” .
Now THAT is an awesome rhyme.  The cicada photoshopping is also quite amusing.

 

An Entomological Carol

I was cleaning my office last night, and found a newsletter from my graduate department in 1987!   It’s a little late, but this one was so amusing I had to share. Lyrics by Jim Richmond; hopefully he doesn’t mind me sharing them here.

Sung to the tune of the Christmas Song (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire)

Professors resting wherever they are,
Grad students nipping at their knows
Post-docs with their eyes on jobs aglow
And secretaries dressed up like who knows;

Everybody knows some plants and some insects too,
Goes to make the work just right,
Tiny technicians with their eyes half aglow
will find it hard celebrating tonight.

We know the Chairman is on his way,
He has lots of authority in his say,
And every PI is sure to try
To see if the Dean can make their proposal fly.

And so to you I am offering this simple phrase,
For you, whatever age you are,
Though it’s been said many times many days,
Merry Christmas to you.

Bark Beetle Music Video

Some fun for a Friday. And I’m sure the large number of beer bottles in the video are a total coincidence :D

Virginia Tech has a nice publication on Bark Beetles:

“Bark beetles attack trees that are weakened or dying due to stress factors such as drought, disease, smog, mechanical injury, alteration of the water table, or root damage due to nearby construction.”

All sorts of Bark Beetle information is also available at barkbeetles.org, BTW.

Waggle of the antennae to InsectaPodcast for pointing me at this.