Insects and Arachnids

Think spiders are terrifying? It turns out that spiders with a taste for human blood are actually our allies in the fight against malaria.

By Maria Trimarchi

Bugs can destroy crops and spread disease, but those little critters also pollinate our plants. These are just a few of the reasons they're important - and even cool! - to study.

By Erin Wright

Bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. What differentiates the two?

By Debbie Swanson

We think we know all about spiders - they spin webs to trap prey; if they bite you, you might die. And if you find one in your house, you should set it free. But what if all these beliefs are a web of lies?

By Chris Opfer

Worried about creepy-crawlies entering your mouth while you sleep? Relax, spiders have no interest in being eaten. In fact, there's no record of anyone swallowing a spider while sleeping.

By Bambi Turner

Mating shouldn't be something you lose your head over, but tell that to the male praying mantis. This poor creature has long been the butt of countless procreation jokes, but does he even deserve this unfortunate reputation?

By Kate Kershner

The world is split between people who eat protein-packed insects on purpose and those who accidentally snack on them along with their packaged foods. But let's be honest: Bugs are far from the worst thing you've eaten in the past week.

By Alison Cooper

Spiders have been on Earth a whole lot longer than we have - 380 million years, to be precise - and number more than 38,000 separate species worldwide. See 10 of the most beautiful and scary of these arachnids.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Periodical Cicadas are pretty strange insects. They burrow in the earth for 17 years only to spend four weeks aboveground en masse before dying. Why do they do this - and do you really have to wait that long to see them?

By Laurie L. Dove

You probably couldn't draw a mole cricket if someone asked you to, but you almost certainly could depict a ladybug. Or maybe you don't know as much as you think you do about this backyard beetle.

By Katie Lambert

If those buzzing and biting black flies are preventing you from truly enjoying the great outdoors, you'll want to know how to stop black flies from biting. Read this article to learn how to stop black flies from biting.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

You love observing caterpillars become butterflies and want to know how to take care of a cocoon so that a butterfly will emerge. This article will tell you how to care for a butterfly cocoon.

By HowStuffWorks.com Contributors

Want a good scare? Check out these pictures of the biggest bugs on our planet!

Arachnids include spiders, mites, ticks, harvestmen, chiggers and scorpions. Learn more by viewing these arachnid pictures.

By Marie Bobel

Why do my home and office seem to be infested with gnats in the summer? Where are they coming from?

Spider silk is five times stronger than steel and twice as strong as bullet-proof Kevlar. What exactly is spider silk, what is it made of and why is it so strong? Find out the answers to these questions and learn other facts about spider silk.

Scorpions have been around for 450 million years. But the species hasn't been sustained by a healthy, vibrant diet: This opportunistic eater would rather wait for food to come to it than go out hunting for it. So how many meals does that amount to?

By Cristen Conger

If looks could kill, bristly tarantulas would be the spiders to watch out for. But violins and hourglasses are far more cause for concern.

By Cristen Conger & Zach Taras

With DDT on the no-no list and international travel more common than ever, the little parasites known as bedbugs are showing up in record numbers across the country.

By Julia Layton

You know you love the taste of it, but do you know exactly how honeybees make honey? And what exactly is honey? Find out how bees make honey here.

The world is a dangerous place for butterflies. Raindrops loom as big as bowling balls, and well-meaning fingers can threaten flight and life. What's a winged one to do?

By Jennifer Horton

Wonder what would happen if everyone you knew disappeared? Don't call the authorities yet. A mysterious condition called Colony Collapse Disorder affects beehives, causing some bee populations to vanish and possibly die.

By Jessika Toothman

Studies have shown that you're never more than ten feet away from a spider is and one estimate puts you as close as three feet. Check out some more spider facts.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Despite the fact you'll never find anything called "wasp honey," wasps perform a vital service by helping to pollinate the world's plant life -- and eliminate various six- and eight-legged pests.

By Robert Lamb

Have you ever seen a water bag hanging in a restaurant? It's not a design trend - some people say the bags repel flies. Does this method hold water?

By Robert Lamb