Entomologist Answers Insect Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

Entomologist Samuel Ramsey answers the internet's burning questions about insects. What are the best insects to eat? Why do crickets hear from their legs? How do bugs breath? Dr. Sammy answers all these questions and much more.
Check out Sammy on Twitter: dr...
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Entomologist Answers Insect Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED

[@jamjamcamjam]

Get this guy and the mortician guy in the same room and they can teach each other about different parts of decomposition

[@Kdschaak]

I really liked the mortician guy.

[@tessiepinkman]

Perfect idea!

[@Lion-O-Richie2040]

Lol I liked the mortician guy.

[@karikling8812]

I think he and the beekeeper would get along pretty well, especially if they're both receptive to the mating process.

[@natesgeeklounge]

Agreed. The mortician was great.

[@NailahRoberts]

This guy needs his own show, he's so interesting and charismatic

[@alainkop4794]

So true he is soo nice

[@Masked_muscle_mommy]

ikr

[@sarajohnson6855]

Like a young bug oriented Lavar Burton

[@aidandsouza2005]

@@crubbythebeagle57 stop commenting that on every comment

[@theawesomest2850]

I love his hair

[@LeeannG]

This channel always finds the legit most charming people to do this segment. So well spoken and charismatic.

[@BadCookWhoJudgesChefs]

I think the mortician was my favorite!

[@ladboii2901]

Hey baby

[@atticwind0w]

@@BadCookWhoJudgesChefs Oh, I loved the mortician, so adorkable and informative.

[@memeju1ce]

@@ladboii2901 pack it up romeo, this isn’t a dating site

[@spooks6464]

@@ladboii2901 down bad

[@danielmaylett1710]

"I am receptive to the mating process" has to be the best pickup line out there

[@nothingshouldbewithouteffort]

Succinct 😂

[@andrea_salvador]

I'd just go with the criket strategy and hit them with a "cree cree cree..."

[@Lion-O-Richie2040]

I shall try using this. Will likely get slapped but you never know until you try....

[@hejolasia6692]

It sounds like something that Dwight shrute would say

[@JT5555]

anyone that comes up to me and says that is in for a wild night.

[@LeBeautiful]

Bugs fear him, but bugs also adore him.

[@AxxLAfriku]

My name: AxxL My job: Superstar I like: Handsome girls I have: 2 handsome girlfriends My dream: Have more subs than my 2 girlfriends Your name: lrb

[@sandocean5647]

@@AbcDef-tl2kq the question is why did you even try eating mosquitos like why? Man literally woke and choose mosquitos. :)

[@dabunnyrabbit2620]

he is king

[@nightmaregamer5940]

@@AbcDef-tl2kq smh,down bad

[@djwolf4651]

@LeBeautiful so hes a god?

[@CrazyPersonForever]

He did a guest lecture for my class and he was amazing. Glad to see he is getting an even bigger platform

[@drsammyramsey]

Oh I did? 😁 That's awesome! What school?

[@CrazyPersonForever]

@@drsammyramsey UMD! For the beekeeping class if I remember correctly =D I remember thanking you for your research and acting awkward because I was so awestruck 🤣

[@boodesultan12]

@@drsammyramsey your youtube channel seems to be lacking, why not use that to post videos about information education or reacting to other insect videos?

[@Chesh89]

That's so neat! I bet it was incredible

[@iAmPimmiCue]

@@boodesultan12 Because not everyone wants to be a content creator.

[@marcuslee1927]

I’m definitely showing my son this video. He wants to be an entomologist when he grows up, and you might become his favorite person.

[@maryrosekent8223]

I bet he’ll be very inspired! How can he not be?

[@foot9004]

I recommend you watch "Bite Me" with Dr. Mike Leahy. I loved it as a child, and still do!

[@mentation1102]

Ants canada KZbin channel is all about a guy who builds habitats for ants

[@jennacline9967]

This is incredibly wholesome!

[@sj-wn3vk]

:)

[@toddellner]

If he's a professor his students are lucky

[@MrEazyE357]

Right? Dude's super likeable.

[@b1njjj95]

I would have loved to have him as a professor! He's passionate about what he does and that's so refreshing!

[@jadaledbetter6773]

He was my TA in undergrad, loved him!!!

[@lorenzoa.2182]

@@jadaledbetter6773where at?

[@NerdEagle90]

I went to college with this guy! Glad to see he’s moving up in the world! 😁

[@raghulmoorthi6230]

🤔🤔🤔 it's tough to believe

[@danielduarte6086]

He is great

[@drsammyramsey]

Yooooo its Enoch! Long time no see bro!

[@NerdEagle90]

@@drsammyramsey Hey Sammy! Been a while! 😁

[@HiHi-ek1dd]

Hi

[@cindinel9049]

He is such a good speaker, it makes me want to learn more about bugs

[@EndritVj]

@@crubbythebeagle57 Shut up!

[@Nietabs]

@@EndritVj what

[@b1njjj95]

Samee!

[@tweekbrews5623]

Please do! They're amazing creatures!

[@hanuta3993]

"So usually the size of about a dinner plate is as big as insects can be." Aight then tell me where those plate sized demons live so I can move to the opposite side of the planet

[@naledimyabi2686]

😭😭😂probably Australia

[@lysal7430]

The giant huntsman spider is about the size of a dinner plate and it lives in Laos (in Asia by Thailand).

[@Assassin-nz3ri]

@@lysal7430 spiders aren’t insects

[@watchstuff5679]

@@Assassin-nz3ri what? Really?

[@watchstuff5679]

@@Assassin-nz3ri ya sure

[@brickhouse4117]

I love this guy! Instead of scoffing at one person's concerns with science/medicine, he broke it down gently and effectively. Good educator!

[@snazzypazzy]

Yeah, that was so important! Might help some people to re-establish their faith in science.

[@ShiningEyeBrigade]

Dang, great educator. Communicates his curiosity and delight so clearly and infectiously. Did not expect to watch the whole video when I first clicked. Great ambassador for the sciences. I’m in the communications business and I save videos of great speakers to regularly watch to try to improve my own communications. He is high in my playlist now.

[@MrEazyE357]

He's excellent!

[@teehlfx5238]

Well said!! ☺️

[@kamvres]

who are other great speakers you’d recommend? thanks in advance :)

[@III-zy5jf]

Dang, his speaking skill is off the charts

[@MrEazyE357]

Really!

[@Nietabs]

@@MrEazyE357 ye in a good way

[@missterious711]

Charisma 100

[@BKrispy1]

I have so much respect for anyone that has this much passion and knowledge about their respective topic. This series does a great job finding legitimate experts in their fields.

[@crubbythebeagle57]

cute beagle kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2bUY6eJas6HhZo kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJ3Eh2uJpdOFetE ,.,

[@sj-wn3vk]

Yep

[@BREAKERisDEAD]

This man is ultra charismatic, give him his own show!

[@crubbythebeagle57]

cute beagle kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2bUY6eJas6HhZo kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJTNhZ1mec-ta7M ,,--.

[@herbslight3596]

He needs a show on PBS teaching kids about bugs ASAP. I would’ve loved it as a kid

[@bobbobbo5278]

Fr he has the perfect personality for it and is very entertaining to listen to

[@andrewburnside7926]

Can we get a part two? This guy was great, I like all of these episodes, but that was very well done and entertaining and educational the entire time

[@TexasNova70]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/p36Ym3qkqpaiitk

[@winglessfairy564]

Agreed!!!!

[@16CharlyV]

Fun Fact: Famous entomologist Stephen Jay Gould used to teach at Harvard. And he used as a bonus question "What movie actually understood why an insect can't grow more than a palm size?" And the answer was Guillermo del Toro's "Mimic". In that movie a mutant breed of insects develop lungs among other biologic traits to became the new dominant species in the planet.

[@cablecar10]

I hadn't heard of Mimic before. Is it worth a watch?

[@16CharlyV]

@@cablecar10 I think it depends on your taste. It clearly is the weakest of all Guillermo movies. And it still manages to have a compelling visual syntax. Sadly it remains butchered by the Weinstein's involvement. Having that it mind, if you're still into cinematography and creature design, you might mike it. But if you want a movie with a more cohesive language you might prefer anything else in his filmography.

[@16CharlyV]

@@cablecar10 Or you can read the original screenplay and then watch the movie so you can imagine how great the final product could have been.

[@theultraatomicgamer]

Go watch it if you're into B movies 😜

[@drsammyramsey]

Crazy movie right!? It's not one of my favorites but I was quite impressed by the fact that they did their research! Sounds like renowned Evo Biologist Dr. Gould was impressed too!

[@nikkivanzanen]

He needs to have a kids/adolescent show talking about instects and teach them all the cool and important things about insects.

[@honestguy7756]

He should not! Have someone actually qualified and not brainwashing children for that.

[@xdoctorblindx]

@@honestguy7756 Who hurt you?

[@sleepyote]

@@honestguy7756 he's literally qualified

[@dynamight_chaos-king]

@@honestguy7756 Your name is the most ironic thing I've ever seen.

[@bugjams]

@@xdoctorblindx He has another comment on this video complaining about "an agenda." Likely talking about the part in the video where the dude said science has been used with racial motivation in the past, which is true. In short, the Honest Guy dude is likely a racist who whines whenever he has to face the facts about our past.

[@lazarj]

I hate bugs but this guy is quite interesting to listen to.

[@Sky-TheYouTubeAccount]

I love bugs and this guy is very interesting to listen to.

[@joyson7]

Same lol

[@hillaryfield1883]

I know I was like well I’ll skip this episode…nope. He’s awesome

[@vmindope]

Me too!? I literally skipped the part when they were showing the cockroaches i'm like nooo 🤢🤢🤢 but (he's interesting so) go on...

[@FoNgThOnG]

I'd rather listen to this guy talk about bugs for hours over Ninja talking about 10 items he couldn't live without.

[@tristan4386]

FORTNITEEEEEE

[@arizonarangershat3831]

I really like him. He’s very articulate and has a really pleasant way of speaking. His speech just flows quite nicely.

[@gauravrg9]

A genuine question:How do you guys ALWAYS find the best suited people for this segment?

[@theravenk1ng570]

Man, seeing this guy do his thing makes me want to find a job where I can exude that much energy and charisma. You can tell he's really passionate about bugs.

[@drdelux7918]

As someone who’s wanting to go into the field of entomology, we need more people like him who are as charismatic and explain things as well as he does! Amazing video, definitely one of the best of this series!

[@ricknineg]

He is sooo good at what he does. So good!

[@YodasMessenger]

This guy is soo cool i want like 50 more of these videos where he just talks about and explains insects.

[@melaniegriffin4068]

This guy is so charming and cute to boot. People passionate about insects make me more open to them as they are just other fellow living creatures and I so appreciate that. The thing that really stuck out for me though is his acknowledgment that scientific institutions have caused harm to certain marginalized groups and that's led to distrust and fear. I really feel like it's important for professionals in medical and scientific fields to acknowledge this so that it's easier for folks to trust their expertise.

[@ANAbiNader]

I really dislike insects, but this was just lovely

[@crubbythebeagle57]

cute beagle kzbin.info/www/bejne/l2bUY6eJas6HhZo kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJ3Eh2uJpdOFetE ,.,

[@ihadcrystallized]

this was exposure therapy for me lol

[@whatchyagonnado]

Being able to hear the crunchiness was actually hugely helpful for removing the ick-factor about eating bugs... i just can't stand the potential squish lol

[@tweekbrews5623]

I promise there's no squish! You can get some flavoured roasted ones and they're delicious!

[@iankbar]

I thought I was going to be super creeped out by this video. The guy is so disarming and fun, now I found part one. Part three please, less creepy each time.

[@tessiepinkman]

Less creepy? More!

[@victoriapulcifer6218]

"If you've been eating fresh produce, you've been eating bugs all your life" Vegans: *combust*

[@valid_sound_and_furious961]

XD Nah. If it's a normal part of their life cycle we don't mind.

[@Myskully14]

Define normal... because today it's a normal part of a cows life cycle to become my cheeseburger.

[@valid_sound_and_furious961]

@@Myskully14 That's fair. When I wrote the comment I was thinking of for e.g. fig wasps, which have been getting incorporated into figs for millennia. The bigger reason we're not super stressed about bugs ending up in our veggies is that there's kind of nothing we can do about it -- but even so, eating plants requires raising fewer plants than it does to raise plants to feed to animals and then eat the animals. Even considering bug suffering and other crop pest death as undesirable, eating plants directly is the more compassionate way. You're correct that we don't generally think of something being normal as making it morally justifiable! At least not in my experience; I can't speak for every vegan.

[@Apocalymon]

Also, research shows plants can feel pain. Take that sanctimonious vegans. Your only hope is to achieve photosynthesis 🖕🌞

[@la8920]

@@Apocalymon really? What research are you referring too?

[@SINfromPL]

I wish this guy was my teacher in school days

[@mase65]

I am looking into becoming a zoologist, and didn’t know what animals I would like to focus on. And this is very much pulling me towards insects

[@legzzzzz]

Tbh, I'm intrigued in Marine Biology or Entomology.

[@winglessfairy564]

Eeeeee same!!! This is exciting isn’t it?!?

[@jm0114]

Insects probably have the most jobs so that's a good choice

[@aport2]

He’s sweating passion. I love this!

[@TlhomphoDitedu]

I wanna be him

[@aport2]

@@TlhomphoDitedu you can

[@bellsthesultana]

But also this is fascinating, ive never seen someone talk about their job so eloquently and with so much passion, i could see the spark in this guys eyes while he spoke and that was amazing!! He deserves the world.

[@ericpenrose3649]

This guy has the rare gift of being able to explain biology simply without oversimplifying the underlying concepts.

[@TS-xn1mc]

I gotta hand it to this man. He’s so intelligent and charismatic that I was able to make it almost four minutes in before gagging. I’m terrified of bugs so that’s a huge compliment to him

[@nateoconnor97]

The fact that he described the exoskeleton of the cockroach as "crunchy" disturbs me on a whole new level.

[@Daaaanielle]

This whole video was confusing. I hate everything it’s about but I love this man. 🤣

[@tucatheman]

eat cockroaches

[@Showmaann]

I fkng love this guy, he MUST have a show, good teacher can motivate all kinds of people to get interested in the insect world, that IS SO IMPORTANT!!!

[@MagicalGirlContractor]

Hes so charismatic and his words flow so easily! Give him a show!

[@Chesh89]

I'm terrified of bugs, but his energy and excitement about them is honestly contagious. I may need to watch more of his videos, maybe I won't be so scared after lol

[@stephanieotto2868]

I could listen to him for hours. He's so charismatic and well spoken.

[@MerelvandenHurk]

I always love it when people don't only explain something but link it to something else to make it stick better. For example, pairing how insects breathe with the fact that insects don't get bigger than a certain size. Information is retained so much better when it's linked to other things, when it's connected to other information. He's great at this! If I remember correctly, there was a time in Earth's history when there was much more oxygen in the atmosphere, which increased the efficiency of the spiracles so insects could be larger. At one point there were dragonflies with the wingspan of a jackdaw.

[@paolofranciscopavan6491]

I don't really know how to explain this but he absolutely looks like a bug expert Like if I had to imagine a bug expert someone like him would absolutely come to my mind

[@drsammyramsey]

This comment makes me very happy! I've been told quite directly that I don't look like a bug expert 😕

[@EclecticallyEccentric]

@@drsammyramsey If you get visibly happy or passionate talking and teaching about bugs, I'd say you look like a bug expert.

[@angelagalvez4956]

It’s so fun to see a young doctor! And cool that it’s a bugs/insects specialty!

[@csharpminorflat5]

I came here thinking he's a bug expert as in "debugger", not expecting him to eat literal bugs in the first 3 seconds.

[@HydroDiffusionAMV]

Im in love with the way he explains things. He needs a podcast or something I could listen to him talking abouy bugs for hours.

[@petemartin6270]

this guy is an amazing science communicator! put him on every kid's show.

[@ilovemichaeljackson58]

I know people already said this but this guy and the mortician really need their own shows/segments. I could listen to both of them listing off information and never get bored.

[@morganpiatt2689]

Ya know, I’m upset that I watched him eat that worm, but his knowledge and charisma have superseded my pain. 😂 He is awesome!

[@Nonzeromist67]

This guy seems so young but is insanely good at teaching and seems so incredibly knowledgeable

[@Achieveherglow]

He is soo well spoken.

[@MrEazyE357]

Isn't he though? I'm floored!

[@elisecombs7474]

I really appreciate how thorough he was! He answered every part of every question with concise, straightforward facts that didn't leave me with more questions!

[@rspoofy]

Learning Science in KZbin is genuinely helping me more with learning than school, that should be a red flag already..

[@Rubenlf619]

Love this video! Please bring Dr. Ramsey back!! So knowledgeable and charismatic! I had to look him up and follow on Instagram!

[@dykatran]

At first glance, I thought Wired invited some celebrity to react about edible bugs, I didn't expect a bug expert is this sparkle.

[@ShaudaySmith]

i freaking love this guy. Also, i'm surprised he didn't bring any Honeypot Ants for the taste test. They are all over the planet and are, supposedly, considered living candy because of their nectar stores. I haven't tried them, but would be down.

[@maiamaya6083]

i love bugs only when they're not near me

[@cz--]

this guy is amazing, he knows how to keep a crowd engaged which is really great for these type of shows.

[@eklectiktoni]

Just came here to support Dr. Ramsey. Learned a few interesting facts though - poor cicadas with their weak flight muscles, lol.

[@StorymasterQ]

And their falling asses.

[@eklectiktoni]

@@StorymasterQ Oooh, right I forgot about that. 😬😱

[@misscypher9857]

This guy knows his public speaking skills. Speaks clearly, slowly, explains concepts well.

[@cheonjej766]

If he was a professor. No one would skip his class. He's fun and that's rare!

[@sparkplugz75]

Bring back Dr. Samuel often please! He’s so good and resourceful. He’s also so easy to listen to & watch.

[@newtonthenewt1400]

1:30 Which is why, in the late Carboniferous, insects got to be so huge (some had wingspans of 30 inches/70 centimeters): the oxygen concentration in the atmosphere was much higher than the modern one! (The current atmosphere is 78% nitrogen and 20.98% oxygen. Oxygen levels during the late Carboniferous were between 31-35%!)

[@kirskiell1432]

Planting trees to save the eart ❌ Planting trees to get giant insects ✅

[@LucasCarvalho-kc3lg]

This guy needs his own show like seriously

[@sarahferguson0]

I've seen him do many interviews and whatnot. He's so knowledgeable and makes learning about bugs interesting.

[@yemu-voixchanson1667]

This is arguably one of the best and most informative videos on bugs... There is so much we didn't tell us in school. Thanks Dr Sammy!

[@gladiusexe3870]

Oh my god the way that this man’s excitement towards insects reminds me 200% of my best friend 😭😭😭

[@s_c_u_m3172]

That's sweet but what is the crying emoji for?

[@gladiusexe3870]

@@s_c_u_m3172 Where I live it means the same thing as the laughing emoji 😭=😂

[@s_c_u_m3172]

@@gladiusexe3870 Oh lol

[@asherjoseph7251]

Love this guy, hes not explaining it in a complicated way to look smarter instead hes explaining it like a normal person.

[@dvklaveren]

We love you so much, Sammy!

[@jamesevans6332]

I could listen to this guy talk all day, he's so charismatic and eloquent with his words

[@ilynpayne7491]

This guy looks & wears like a musician, never in a million years would I ever think this guy was a scientist

[@japhyryder66]

Samuel Ramsey, the world needs more people like you! You are brilliant and entertaining. Give this man his own show!

[@EvilSnips]

If there was more oxygen in the atmosphere, it would be possible for bugs to grow MUCH larger, like in the Carboniferous period.

[@adamvallery7964]

he is so eloquent, like i'm mesmerized right now. i wanna be able to talk like that

[@nadiamachina9646]

I am a geek, I love geeks and he is the cutest, coolest geek I've seen in a long time. I've always been into zoology and botany. Nature shows, Ranger Rick, all that. Great segment. Edit: I use the words geek and nerd interchangeably and don't mean anything negative by either term. Geeks and nerds unite! Also, neat leaf bug ya got there.

[@ns.kha29]

Yass

[@sph3re]

I've watched a lot of these videos, and I don't think I've been more engaged during any of them than I was listening to Samuel talk about insect venereal diseases.

[@lovejonas95]

This guy and the mortician are two of my favorite people!

[@robmaxwell189]

You are awesome. I love to see energetic, humorous, and fact-filled presentations like this about science.

[@dabunnyrabbit2620]

we have a lot of bumblebees around here, and they put the pollen on they're back legs.

[@predictivetextisforaunts]

“I am receptive to the mating process” is my new pickup line.

[@crackhair3998]

I love this dude so much, just pure passion, he explains everything with so much detail

[@annika8674]

He would be an amazing science educator!! Especially with younger people.

[@elizabeth3645]

TEMAZO JAJA su álbum será un éxito Gracias por la traducción de las canciones esperando las demás jeje

[@kmarieking12]

His personality is so calm and charismatic. I wouldn’t mind listen to him talk all day. I wonder if he has a podcast?

[@officersoulknight6321]

About the cicadas, I’m surprised about that. What a bad adaptation for an insect whose entire point is to fly around for a month to search for a mate!

[@liztrim2881]

They’re actually adapted more for hanging out in trees and sort of, strategizing a mate lol. They only need, typically speaking, short flight paths. Usually many cicadas emerge in a pretty small area.

[@Jarulf4477]

WIRED really does manage to get the most professional and charismatic people to do those bits. Thanks to all participants and to WIRED.

[@OmegaSunsLight]

Walk up to the one you want to "get with" and say "I'm receptive to the mating process."😆

[@chasefoster9651]

The best person for this segment. Very charismatic, made me who in general tbh doesnt like bugs, actually enjoy learning about them. ty ty

[@TaroutCommodore]

When you get invited as a guest This is how you nail it

[@CoraMack]

This is the only person that can make bug talk not completely upsetting for me. I'm actually going to watch another one of his videos

[@cherylmillard2067]

If you want to eat an "insect" let's widen the scope of things a little and go for shrimp, crab or lobster, like insects, all of the above are in the phylum Arthropoda. Don't forget the melted butter!

[@tweekbrews5623]

Was looking for this comment!

[@0777coco]

didn't know there were bug experts this attractive out there in all seriousness, he is so fun to listen to, i hope we can get a part 2

[@DouniaBedboudi]

i love this guy! he's so charming and makes me wanna know more about bugs maybe after a part two ill even want to eat one.. who knows.

[@MitchellBahamas]

Imagine this dynamite, super charismatic, uber likable, lovable, enthusiastic man being your Professor in school!? I would look forward to ever class! Bro is fckn dynamic asf😩🙌🏽🔥

[@Mall13vm]

Guy instantly became one of the most interesting people i know

[@Skag_Sisyphus]

I want to get beers with this man and listen as he regales me with bug facts.

[@deepsy2k]

Why didn't you name it "BUG support"?

[@xmine08]

What a chilled knowledgable dude - Props!