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Bugs

Little does it know, but getting eaten by a great tit is the least of this grub's worries.

New Research

Meet the Supervillain Worm That Gets By With a Little Help From Its Friends

This deadly nematode and its sidekicks reveal the power of bacterial symbiosis

Every species lights up the night in its own unique sequence of patterns, colors and flashes.

Illuminating the Secret Language of Lightning Bugs

For these light-up lovers, each flash in the night could mean sex or death

Crispy squares with whole crickets and falafel with ground crickets are two of the inventive offerings being served at Canada's Insectarium this summer.

Canada

This Summer, Try Termite Chocolate Sprinkles on Your Ice Cream

Canada’s Insectarium invites visitors to dine on insects as part of a special menu

“The Southern BBQ Trail” episode.

Come for the Bug Eating and Get a Lesson in Humanity from Andrew Zimmern

A Q&A with the Travel Channel’s ‘Bizarre Foods’ Chef

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

Innovation for Good

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.

National Parks

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

Ladybugs stop pests from eating our food and destroying crops.

Future of Conservation

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.

Cool Finds

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

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?

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

New Research

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!)

A spider munches on its prey.

New Research

Spiders Eat Up to 800 Million Tons of Prey Each Year

For comparison, whales eat up to 500 million tons annually

The fall armyworm is native to the Americas, but has quickly invaded southern Africa and is wreaking havoc on crops there.

A Very, Very Hungry Caterpillar Is Wreaking Havoc on Africa’s Crops

Why the Assassin Bug More Than Lives Up to Its Name

The assassin bug’s deadly proboscis is both sword and siphon. It uses its sharp nose to pierce and inject toxins into its victims

Here’s How the Strongest Insect on the Planet Fights

Hercules beetles, as their name suggests, are immensely strong for their size

The Extraordinary Life Cycle of a Hornet Colony

After a hornet queen lays hundreds of eggs, her workers set about feeding the larvae chewed-up prey. With tiny waists, the workers can’t digest solid food

Standing water in urban areas is ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes that can spread dengue and other tropical diseases.

The Next Pandemic

To Fight Deadly Dengue Fever in Humans, Create Dengue-Resistant Mosquitoes

How manipulating the immune systems of mosquitoes can halt the spread of dengue virus

Incredible: This Underwater Spider Has an Actual Scuba Tank

The scuba spider is the only arachnid to live exclusively underwater, despite lacking gills. Its secret is a makeshift oxygen supply

Several armed guards accompanied Luiz Rocha and his colleagues throughout their work in Somaliland.

Meet the Researchers Who Scour the World’s Most Dangerous Corners in Search of Biological Riches

Militants, malaria and pirates are just some of the challenges these scientist-explorers face in their quest to map the world’s diversity

This Devoted Mother Is Also a Cockroach

Female giant burrowing cockroaches look after their young for up to six months. In an eight-year lifespan, they can produce around 150 young

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