Insects and Arachnids
Insects and arachnids are the most popular wild animal on Earth. Read our collection of articles discussing all sorts of ants, bugs, butterflies, spiders and just about every other type of insect and arachnid.
Earth's 20 Quadrillion Ants Outweigh All Wild Birds and Mammals, Combined
The Potato Bug Is a Super Pest That's Hard to Control
The Sabethes Mosquito Is the Showiest in the Rainforest
What's the Biggest Spider in the World?
The Invasive 'Fortune-teller' Joro Spider Is Getting Cozy in the U.S.
It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's a ... Flying Spider?
Learn More
Estimating ant numbers and mass provides an important baseline from which to monitor ant populations amid worrying environmental changes.
By Mark Wong
The most iconic agricultural pest of the past 200 years just wants to eat your potato plant.
These spiders are big enough to eat a bird, but they don't often have the chance.
Advertisement
Although it looks like a tiny showgirl, the female Sabethes mosquito will still bite and could even give you yellow fever.
If you see a small hummingbird zip by your face, take a second look — what looks like a hummingbird may actually be a moth.
For decades scientists assumed these insects looked so much like orchids as a form of camouflage. But they were wrong. They look this way because they're deceptive predators.
Creating an insect hotel gives local bugs and pollinators a place to live and people of all ages a super cool garden project.
Advertisement
The Atlas moth is one of the largest moths out there, with a wingspan of up to 12 inches, but the 'cobra' faces on its wings are even more frightening to predators than its size.
A bullet ant's sting will hurt for a long time, but it probably won't kill you.
Native to East Asia, the Joro spider has adapted to life in the southern U.S. and, as far as we know, is a beneficial addition to the ecosystem.
They love your lawn and, in 2021, they're everywhere. Here's what to do about armyworms and how to spot the little critters.
Advertisement
The invasive spotted lanternfly is spreading across the Eastern U.S. Here's what you need to know about this voracious pest.
Spiders don't have wings, so technically can't fly. But some arachnids can soar through the air with the greatest of ease.
By Mark Mancini
Most of us think all bees live in colonies, or hives, but there are far more species that don't produce honey, don't sting and live mostly solitary lives underground.
And we mean really loud. Like up to 100 decibels loud. Get all the buzz on what's making these bug-eyed bugs return.
By John Cooley & Chris Simon
Advertisement
The praying mantis is a powerful predator, and not as robotic (or as romantic!) as it seems.
Black widow spider venom can be deadly but how likely are you to be bitten? It might surprise you that these arachnids are on the shy side.
While luna moths aren't exactly rare, they're hard to find so every encounter seems extra special.
That's right – daddy longlegs isn't an actual kind of spider, but a colloquial name that's been applied to a wide range of spiders and non-spiders, insects and non-insects.
By Mark Mancini
Advertisement
Bees get a lot of credit for pollinating important food crops, but they get a lot of secret help from their nocturnal friends, the moths.
The elephant hawk moth is breathtakingly beautiful as an adult, but as a baby ... not so much.
Born pregnant? You bet. It's a survival instinct but could also explain how these garden pests spread like wildfire.
By Mark Mancini
The deadly Asian giant hornet, the largest hornet in the world, was spotted in the U.S. for the first time in late 2019. You'll want to stay far away from this creature. Its nickname? The "murder hornet."
Advertisement
Mayflies have the shortest adult life span of any animal, but swarms of them can still be seen on weather radar.
Some cicadas are annual breeders and some show up loudly about every 17 years, but all cicadas produce a "song" that can reach 120 decibels — very close to a level that can damage human ear drums.