FindingSomethingNew
WhenCabrasthinksshe’sfoundsomethingnew,shestops.Shealsosignalstoherteammatestostop.Shedoesn’twanttoscareoffabeetle.Thenshetakespicturesofthescene.“Iusuallytakephotosoftheirfoodplantandhabitat,”shesays.Thisgivesscientistslikeconservationistsmoreinformationaboutthenew beetle.
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Thebeetlesarehardtofindonthe ground.
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HerearesomeofCabras' teammates.
Forexample,manyjewelweevilseatonlycertainplants.Toprotectthesebeetles,youalsoneedtoprotecttheplantsthey eat.
Ifshecan,Cabrastakessomebeetlesbacktoherlab.Thatway,otherresearcherscanstudythem,too,andmakenew discoveries.
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ThisbeetlebecameimportanttoCabras’research.Shefoundanewspeciesthatlookslike it.
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Cabrasusesamicroscopetolookata beetle.
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WeevilWonders
Cabrasthinksjewelweevilssparklelikegems.Theirwingsarebrightlycolored.Theyareorangeorblueorredorevengold.Thesecolorsareawarningtopredators.Theymean:Don’teatme!Itastebad.Predatorsknowtostay away.
Thesecolorswouldmeanalottoherresearch.But,Cabrasdidn’tknowitat first.
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Thisbeetlehasthecolorsofajewel weevil.