READER’SDIGEST
142 APRIL 2020
Answers
VOCABULARY RATINGS5-8: Fair9 –10 : Good11 –14 : Word Power Wizard
FamilyFunAnswersSee Page 1371.proboscis–C:tubularfeeding
organ.Thebutterflyuseditsproboscis
tosucknectarfromthegarden’s
flowers.
2.pheromone–C:chemicalsecretion
promptinga responsefromothers.
Bolasspiderstrickmalemoths
intoapproachingbyproducing
pheromonesthatresemblethoseof
femalemoths.
3.entomophagy–A:practiceof
eatinginsects.Entomophagyis
catchingoninGermany,withstores
offeringinsect-basedfoods.
4.myrmecologist–C:antexpert.
PulitzerPrize–winningsociobiologist
EdwardO.Wilsonbeganasa
myrmecologist.
5.biomass–B:totalmassof
organismspresent.Sincethe1970s,
thebiomassofinsectsinPuertoRico’s
tropicalrainforesthasplummeted.
6.arachnophobia–A:fearofspiders.
Claudette’sarachnophobiamadeher
hesitanttotraveltoAustralia.
7.alate–C:havingwings.Alate
termitesaren’tstrongflyersandcan
travelonlyshortdistances.
8.nocturnal–B:activeatnight.The
nocturnalhabitsoffirefliesproduce
romanticglimmersonsummer
evenings.
9.apiarist– C:beekeeper.Amateur
apiaristsarewelladvisedtowear
protectivegear.
10.larva– B: immature, recently
hatchedformofaninsect.The
Herculesbeetlelarvacangrowup
to 11 centimetreslong.
11.metamorphosis–A:rapid
transformationintoanadultform.
Themetamorphosisfromcaterpillar
tobutterflyisfascinating.
12.sericulture–C:silkwormfarming.
InChina,wheresilkclothwasfirst
developed,sericultureisstillan
importantindustry.
13.beetling–A:scurryinglikea
beetle.Thetoddlerwasbeetlingalong
thefootpathafterherparents.
14.histamine–A:compound
releasedduringinflammatory
reactions.Mosquitobitesareitchy
becausethebodyistrying to defend
itself with histamines.