Biology Seminar Series - Dr Adrian Smith, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences - Sponsored by the Class of '88

Bugs in Motion: Insect behavior in the lab & on YouTube

Arthropods and insects are some of the most inspiring and incredible creatures that live right outside (and sometimes inside!) our door. But because of their small size and cryptic lifestyles, it can be hard to see and appreciate what they do. As a research scientist and a media maker, I work to visualize, study, and tell the stories of these creatures. Here I present some of my work filming the behaviors of things like trap-jaws ants, beetles, moths, springtails, and more. My goal is to illuminate the lives of animals to both advance research science but also create new ways of appreciating our own local biodiversity.

Dr. Adrian Smith is the Head of the Insect Behavior Research Lab at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences and a faculty member in the Department of Biological Sciences at North Carolina State University. He is also the creator of the popular YouTube channel Ant Lab.