WSU Extension Q&A: If insects sleep, do they take gnat naps?
Q. Do insects sleep?
A. Yes, scientists have studied sleep behavior in fruit flies. It is well known that insects have circadian behaviors, or behaviors based on a 24-hour cycle and response to light and dark in their environment. Consider that bees for example only forage during the day, and cutworms come out to feed under darkness. Two separate groups have published on fruit flies exhibiting features of sleep. They found that fruit flies at rest were more difficult to rouse than those that were active. Further, they found that if they periodically disturbed the fruit fly colonies throughout the night that the flies in those colonies rested for longer periods the following day, presumably “napping” after being kept up all night.
Q. When is the 2018 Northwest Hay Expo this year and should I attend?
A. The Northwest Hay Expo is Jan. 17-18 at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick. You can register and see the full agenda at Washington State Hay Growers Website at wa-hay.org. If you grow hay for a living or would like to know more about hay production, I encourage you to attend. This year we have a great agenda planned including: Comparing Hi-Gest Alfalfa to other Alfalfa, The Art and Science Behind Feeding Horses Alfalfa, 2017 Results from WSHGA and WSU Variety Trials, The Influence of the Number of Cuts on Yield and Quality of Alfalfa, No-Tilling Alfalfa into Timothy, Emergence of Middle Eastern Demand for Forage Crops, and many more. Register by Jan. 12 to get a discount.
Q. I recently attended a party where individual desserts were served in canning jars. When I asked for the recipe, the directions say to bake the desserts in canning jars. Is that safe? They are baked at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.
A. Canning jar manufactures do not recommend using their product for baking. Here is the statement from one’s website: “We do not recommend baking in any size or shape of Ball or Kerr canning jars. The glass used for Ball and Kerr canning jars is not tempered for oven use and is not meant to be used as bakeware. The jars are safe to use for home canning recipes, cold or room temperature food storage, cold beverages, and crafting.” The jars are manufactured for use with moist heat, not dry heat. I would not recommend using the jars for baking.
To submit a question, call 509-735-3551.
This story was originally published January 6, 2018 at 3:44 PM with the headline "WSU Extension Q&A: If insects sleep, do they take gnat naps?."