INSECTS

A pile of genetically-related Argentine ants

10 Facts About Argentine Ants

Invasive Argentine ants have built a 560-mile-long supercolony underneath California, making them virtually impossible to eradicate.

How to Watch the Great Smoky Mountains' Synchronous Fireflies From Home

You won't be able to see the Great Smoky Mountains' synchronous fireflies in person this year, but a nonprofit has made the light show easy to view from home.

10 Tips for Watching Backyard Wildlife

You don't need to climb mountains to find nature. Get to know your local animals with these 10 tips for backyard wildlife watching.

The Cicadas Are Coming! 1.5 Million Cicadas Are Ready to Emerge After Nearly 20 Years Underground

There are roughly 1.5 million cicadas in Brood IX, and in the summer of 2020 they will make their first appearance in 17 years.

Bees are dying at an alarming rate, and murder hornets could make it even worse.

Murder Hornets: 5 Things We Know So Far

These giant hornets of Japan and other parts of Asia have been spotted in North America—and that's bad news for bees.

The wacky Kaikaia gaga is fashionably just designed to be rad.

This New Insect Species Was Named After Lady Gaga for Its 'Wacky Fashion Sense'

There are a million reasons why we should be paying more attention to treehoppers, entomology student Brendan Morris says.

Insect butter could bake the world by swarm.

Belgian Waf-flies: Researchers in Belgium Have Developed ‘Insect Butter’

This dairy butter substitute involves mashing black soldier fly larvae into an appetizing, buttery grease.

Fireflies Could Be Headed Toward Extinction

Firefly populations are dwindling around the world, and a new study says light pollution is largely to blame.

Tatiana Adrianova/iStock via Getty Images

What Happens to Mosquitoes in the Winter?

These nuisance creatures have a system for braving the cold so they can emerge in the spring and get back to the business of slurping up your blood.

7 Animals Named After Theodore Roosevelt

From big cats to tiny fish, the collection of animals named for Theodore Roosevelt is eclectic—just like our adventurous 26th president.

Journey to the Monarch Mosh Pit

Each fall, millions of migrating monarchs return to Mexico to wait out winter. The gathering makes Woodstock look like a business conference. Here’s how they get there.

Why Don’t Bugs Eat People’s Bones?

In "Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs," Caitlin Doughty explains why human bones usually don't make a very good snack.

‘Soft and Cuddly’ Venomous Puss Caterpillars Have Been Spotted in at Least 3 States

“It felt like someone was drilling into my bones,” one Florida woman said about the caterpillar sting.

Massive Swarms of Migrating Dragonflies Are So Large They’re Popping Up on Weather Radar

Though scientists know the insects migrate south in the fall, there are still unanswered questions about the swarms.

‘Water’ in Kansas City Woman’s Ear Turned Out to Be a Venomous Brown Recluse Spider

She woke to the sensation that water was stuck in her ear, and thankfully went right to the doctor’s office.

Bombshell, Victoria’s Secret’s Bestselling Fragrance, Also Happens to Repel Mosquitoes

Want to ward off blood-sucking pests? DEET is still your best bet, but if you want something that smells a little sweeter, Bombshell is a reliable second pick.

Blood Collected From Mosquitoes Could One Day Be Used as Forensic Evidence

While blood collected from mosquitoes won’t be used to clone dinosaurs any time soon, it may one day be used as a tool to solve crime.

The Reason You Shouldn’t Kill the Spiders in Your House, According to an Entomologist

Even if you don’t usually see them, spiders are likely always in your house. And they’re paying rent, sort of.

Honey Bees Can Understand the Concept of Zero

Zero is an idea even young children struggle with, but bees are one of the few animal species that can figure it out.

Bees: Waugsberg via Wikimedia Commons // CC BY-SA 3.0 / Thought balloon: Noto Project

Honeybees Go "Whoop!" When They Bump Into Each Other

They make the adorable sound with their wings when they're startled. You can listen to them for yourself.

William Jones-Warner/iStock via Getty Images

Honey Bees Can Get STDs, Too

Bees, like many animals, are polyandrous—meaning females partner with multiple mates. And they might need their own PSAs about the dangers of sexually transmitted diseases.

Thorsten Spoerlein, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Wasps Are Living Through Winter and Building 'Super Nests' in Alabama

The super nests can hold multiple queens and up to 15,000 wasps—making them three times bigger than regular nests at their peak.

Las Vegas Is Being Invaded by Grasshoppers

Grasshoppers have invaded Las Vegas following a wet winter, and the swarms are so large that they're showing up on weather radar.

England Is Being Invaded By a Swarm of Flying Ants That Can Be Seen From Space

The radar picked up some rain showers on England’s southern coast. But it was actually billions of flying ants.

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