Insects

This Terrifying Spider Hunts Fish Underwater

If the prospect of a spider that catches fish wasn't scary enough, the fishing spider is disturbingly well-adapted to its task

The historical marker in Enterprise, Alabama describing the significance of the statue.

Why an Alabama Town Has a Monument Honoring the Most Destructive Pest in American History

The boll weevil decimated the South's cotton industry, but the city of Enterprise found prosperity instead

This is cowpea seed beetle penis, not a weapon from Game of Thrones

Why Seed Beetles Are Caught in a "Sexual Arms Race"

The strange spiky penis of the cowpea beetle seems to drive the evolution of both male and female beetles

Thousands of clay caterpillars, like this one glued to a leaf in Hong Kong, were used to measure how often predators are eating insects around the world.

Sacrificing Fake Caterpillars in the Name of Science

Ersatz insects are helping ecologists figure out why bugs are more likely to become meals near the equator

The tiny creatures can adeptly fold their large wings, tucking them under their spotted forewing.

The Origami-Like Folds of Ladybug Wings Could Lead to Better Umbrellas

Scientists have finally figured out how ladybugs fold their wings

Behold T. Rex the ant

T. Rex Ants Found Alive for the First Time

It is not nearly as formidable as its namesake

Insect-Based Munchies Coming to Grocery Stores Across Switzerland

The country recently lifted restrictions on selling mealworms, locusts and crickets for consumption

Synchronous fireflies put on a show each spring in the Great Smoky Mountains. Photinus carolinus is the only firefly species in the U.S. that flashes in unison.

If You Want to See Thousands of Fireflies Light Up at Once, Head to the Great Smoky Mountains

A firefly mating ritual turns into a synchronized light show

Why We Need To Start Listening To Insects

You may not think of the buzz and whine of insects as musical, but the distinctive pitch of mosquito wingbeats could tell us how to fight malaria

Matabele ant carries a wounded comrade home

This Ant Species Rescues Wounded Comrades on the Battlefield

Though it may be counterintuitive, a new study suggests saving the injured benefits the colony more than leaving them for dead

Ingenious leafcutter ants have developed a successful symbiotic relationship with the fungi they farm. New genetic analysis helps pinpoint when, and why.

How Ants Became the World’s Best Fungus Farmers

Ancient climate change may have spurred a revolution in ant agriculture, Smithsonian researchers find

Califorctenus cacachilensis

Huge New Spider Species Discovered in Mexican Cave

<i>Califorctenus cacachilensis</i> is the width of a softball and represents a new genus of arachnids

Clothes moth larvae are snacking on history.

Moths Are Nibbling Away at England’s Heritage Sites

Let “Operation Clothes Moths” commence

The tick discovered preserved in amber

30-Million-Year-Old Tick Full of Monkey Blood Found in Ancient Amber

Scientists think the tick was plucked from a primate before being dropped in a puddle of sticky tree resin

Ladybugs stop pests from eating our food and destroying crops.

Why Small Animals Are Huge for Conservation

The tiniest of creatures keep the fabric of our world together, but are often overlooked

The O'Briens have amassed over 1.25 million insects over six decades.

This Couple Just Donated Their Collection of More Than a Million Insects

The O’Briens have carried on a decades-long love affair with the critters—and each other

The ancient damselfly's courtship ritual was caught in amber 100 million years ago.

Flirtatious 100-Million-Year-Old Damselflies Found Frozen in Amber

Scientists are learning about how insects evolved from their ancient come-hither dance

Why 10 Daily Tons of Ant Poop Keep This Rainforest Thriving

The soil in the rainforests of Barro Colorado is packed with nutrients, but where does it come from?

The notorious RPB: the rusty patched bumble bee.

The Bee That Breaks Your Heart

Insects are hard-pressed to get protection as endangered species. Can one fuzzy anomaly beat the odds?

From the same DNA, different genders can boast dramatically different characteristics. Dung beetles are helping scientists understand how.

What Dung Beetles Can Teach Us About Sexual Difference

When it comes to sex appeal, it's not all in your genes (it's also in your proteins!)

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