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Insects

These blue and white layers make up crystallized sugar syrup.

These Ten Stunning Images Prove That Small Is Beautiful

Selects from Nikon’s Small World Photomicrography Contest capture the elegance of insects, slime molds and more

Gene-editing silkworms produced this spider silk.

Genetically Modified Silkworms Can Produce Spider Silk That’s Stronger Than Kevlar

The sturdy, biodegradable fibers could one day be used for surgical sutures or armored vests

With their mating season approaching, two male Nubian ibex fight for supremacy on a cliffside. The photograph won the Animals in their Environment category.

See 12 Winning Images From the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest

The stunning entries showcase the behaviors of ancient and elusive species, from horseshoe crabs to tapirs and orcas—as well as the threats they face

Many species of insects work together to ensure safety while on the move or to defend their homes.

Four Unusual and Amazing Ways That Insects Team Up

The invertebrates create elaborate structures to escape danger and shimmer in synchronized performances to confuse predators

Having native plants in a garden can create a good environment for caterpillars, which are hearty food for birds

Why You Should Grow Native Plants in Your Garden

Entomologist Doug Tallamy explains how doing so can help insects and birds

Beekeepers Terri Faloney, left, and Tyler Trute collect bees after an accident in Ontario, Canada, set loose five million honeybees.

Five Million Bees Fall Off a Truck in Canada

Local beekeepers rushed to the scene to help collect as many of the disoriented insects as possible

A zoo employee weighs a meerkat during the annual weigh-in.

London Zoo Weighs All 14,000 of Its Animals, ‘From the Tallest Giraffe to the Tiniest Tadpole’

The annual measurements help zookeepers track each animal’s health over time

An X-ray microcomputed tomography scan of a male Eucera bee mummified inside a cocoon.

Paleontologists Discover Mummified Bees Preserved in Their Cocoons for 3,000 Years

Some kind of “catastrophic” event, such as a sudden freeze or flood, likely killed all the young adult bees at once, according to a new study

The yellow-legged hornet, native to Southeast Asia, has invaded other parts of Asia and Europe and feeds on insects, including honeybees.

Invasive Yellow-Legged Hornet Spotted in the U.S. for the First Time

The insect, detected in Georgia, can snatch bees from the air while hunting, posing a threat to native pollinators and agriculture

The so-called puss caterpillars have sharp spines that can inject powerful venom into humans.

Scientists Reveal Why Asp Caterpillar Stings Are So Excruciatingly Painful

A toxin in the insect’s venom, which can punch a hole in cell walls, could inspire new drug-delivery methods in humans

Female Anopheles mosquitoes infected with the parasite that causes malaria can spread the disease to humans through a bite.

Malaria Spread in the U.S. for the First Time Since 2003, CDC Says

Five infections caught locally in Florida and Texas have prompted health alerts from state and federal agencies

The white spots on the edges of a monarch butterfly's wings might give it an advantage while migrating, according to new research.

Monarch Butterflies’ Signature White Spots May Help Them Fly

These long-distance migrants could get a boost from their striking coloration, which may reduce drag by heating and cooling air unevenly

Mormon crickets, present in several states across the U.S., are linked to crop damage and can be a nuisance.

Mormon Crickets Are Creating Havoc in Nevada

In Elko, the insects have caused accidents on roads and problems in town

Christopher Heckscher, ornithologist by day and firefly hunter by night, at work in the Nanticoke Wildlife Area, Delaware.

The Illuminating Science Behind Fireflies

A dedicated ornithologist with a passion for lightning bugs scours bogs and beaches to discover previously unknown species

A spider hides between its own legs.

See 15 Breathtaking Shots From the Close-Up Photographer of the Year Challenge

This themed contest rewarded minimalism, with clean photographs of insects, spiders and plants earning accolades

Saurona triangula, one of the newly described butterfly species named for the evil Lord Sauron in J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy

Butterfly Group With Fiery ‘Eyes’ Is Named After ‘Lord of the Rings’ Villain Sauron

Beyond their eye-like wing pattern, the two new species don’t seem to show any signs of evil that would link them to Mordor

The new Richard Gilder Center at the American Museum of Natural History opens in New York City on May 4.

New York’s Natural History Museum Unveils a Canyon-Like New Wing

With butterflies, bugs and an atrium that looks like it’s carved into rock, the Gilder Center will open its doors to the public on May 4

Park-goers hoping to catch a glimpse of the synchronized flashing of fireflies can soon enter a lottery.

How You Can See Tens of Thousands of Fireflies Flash in Unison

The lottery for viewing these bioluminescent bugs at Great Smoky Mountains National Park opens Friday

Sarracenia pitcher plants typically live in bogs in the southeastern United States.

Carnivorous Plants May Lure Insects With Specially Tailored Scents

Pitcher plants appear to use different odor cocktails to attract bees, moths, ants and other bugs into their death traps

Yellow crazy ants (Anoplolepis gracilipes)

These Male Ants Have Two Separate Sets of DNA

A genetic condition called chimerism may have helped yellow crazy ants become a dominating invasive species, a new study suggests

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