F2F Class Notes (Cynthia)(R)

Scientists have discovered where bugs most like to live in your house. There is a rich diversity of insects and other creepy-crawlies we share our homes with and they all have particular tastes regarding accommodation. Researchers from universities in the USA and Denmark studied different physical factors in 50 houses to find out what affected where bugs lived. They discovered that the largest number of bugs generally reside in ground-level, carpeted rooms that have many windows. Lead author of the research, Dr Misha Leong, said: “We are just beginning to realize and study how the home we create for ourselves also builds a complex, indoor habitat for bugs and other life.”

The researchers found that every room in a house offered differing ecological environments for bugs. They found that booklice, fruit flies and ladybugs preferred living rooms. Spiders, ants, centipedes and beetles were more likely to live in darker, damper places like basements. The researchers said there were many benefits of sharing our homes with insects and other bugs. They said many were essential for ensuring microbes we need to stay healthy are present in our homes. They also play an essential role in cleaning up microscopic waste we create. Dr Leong said: “We’re hoping to better understand this age-old coexistence, and how it may impact our physical and mental well-being.”

Pronunciation

Creepy-crawlies –/ˌkriː.piˈkrɑː.li/ i

Centipedes -/ˈsent·əˌpid/

Coexistence -/ˌkoʊ·ɪɡˈzɪst/

Vocabulary

Booklice – Any of the small insects who feed on bookbind.

E.g – My bookshelf has been infested by booklice.

Fruit flies –  An insect that feeds on plants and leaves and its eggs on its leaves.

Ladybug – A small beetle red beetle with black spots.

E.g –  I managed to catch 3 ladybugs yesterday.

Centipedes – A small animal like a worm with a long thin body with  many legs.

E.g – I saw several centipedes in my garden.

Beetles – Any various insects with a hard shell back.

E.g – I found a black beetle in my bag this morning.

Microscopic – Something extremely small, that can only be seen by a microscope.

E.g – I used a microscope to view a microscopic algae.

Coexistence –  To live or exist together in peace the same place.

E.g – The two communities coexist peacefully.