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The bug that poops candy - George Zaidan

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Aphids can reproduce incredibly fast: they can make 20 new generations within a single season. And that means lots of poop. Some aphid populations can produce hundreds of kilograms of poop per acre— making them some of the most prolific poopers on the planet. We know this poop as the sweet, syrupy liquid called honeydew. George Zaidan explores the wonderfully weird life of an aphid.


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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator George Zaidan
  • Director Luísa M H Copetti
  • Narrator George Zaidan
  • Storyboard Artist Luísa M H Copetti
  • Animator Luísa M H Copetti, Felipe Urbanetto, Cris Hulse
  • Hype Producer Taíla Soliman
  • Hype Executive Producer Gabriel Garcia
  • Sound Designer Gabriel Maia
  • Music Gabriel Maia
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
  • Science Consultant Erin Hodgson
Additional Resources for you to Explore
These little bugs are so small you might have gone your whole life without seeing a single one. But they’re a plant’s worst nightmare, for two very different – and fascinating – reasons.

If you enjoyed learning about aphids, and how creatures have been taking advantage of their sweet secretions, check out Ingredients: The Strange Chemistry of What We Put In Us and On Us:



Customize this lesson

Create and share a new lesson based on this one.

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator George Zaidan
  • Director Luísa M H Copetti
  • Narrator George Zaidan
  • Storyboard Artist Luísa M H Copetti
  • Animator Luísa M H Copetti, Felipe Urbanetto, Cris Hulse
  • Hype Producer Taíla Soliman
  • Hype Executive Producer Gabriel Garcia
  • Sound Designer Gabriel Maia
  • Music Gabriel Maia
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Fact-Checker Eden Girma
  • Science Consultant Erin Hodgson

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