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.
The Tsetse Fly, Blood Meals and African Sleeping Sickness
The Assassin Bug Liquefies Its Victims' Organs Before Feasting
The Largest Insect in the World Is the Size of a Sparrow
Brazilian Wandering Spider Hunts Instead of Waiting in a Web
9 Biggest Spiders in the World: A Journey into the Gigantic
The Invasive Joro Spider Is Getting Cozy in the U.S.
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Get ready to explore one of Africa's most notorious insects: the tsetse fly. These tiny flies may not look like much, but they play a major role in spreading sleeping sickness, aka human African trypanosomiasis (HAT).
If you're not a big fan of spiders, brace yourself, because the Brazilian wandering spider we're about to go into a lot of detail about one of the most dangerous spiders on the planet. With a venom that can cause intense pain and even some serious medical conditions, it's no wonder people give these critters a wide berth.
By Zach Taras
Assassin bugs (also known as ambush bugs or thread-legged bugs) are one of nature's stealthiest hunters, known for their precision strikes and ability to subdue prey with incredible efficiency.
By Talon Homer
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Insects are everywhere, from the deepest jungles to your backyard. They may even make some unwanted cameo appearances in your kitchen. Ideally, those bugs would be smaller and less intimidating than the world's largest insect — a supersized creature you'll have to see to believe.
By Mack Hayden
These miniscule, winged insects can be a common sight when the weather turns warm, but they might also leave some people puzzled. After all, ants can't fly — can they?
By Marie Look
Bees can learn, make decisions and have a sense of smell 100 times more sensitive than ours. And most don't live in hives. Here are some cool facts about bees.
Like something out of a horror film, this parasitic worm invades a snail's eyestalks, where it pulsates to imitate a caterpillar, attracting the ultimate target, a bird.
By Mark Mancini
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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.
While they may incite fear due to their impressive dimensions, these spiders play crucial roles in their ecosystems and have become subjects of significant scientific interest and study.
If you see a small hummingbird zip by your face, take a second look — what looks like a hummingbird may actually be a moth.
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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.
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.
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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.
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 & Talon Homer
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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
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.
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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