Insects & Arachnids
Although they may make your skin crawl, these tiny critters are much more than just slightly creepy. Roughly half of all living species are insects, making them the most successful types of organism by a long shot. Arachnids are also fairly prosperous comprising over 100,000 named species and inhabiting many varying environments.
Can you smell ants?
Expert advice: Don't stick your nose in an ants nest.
Billions of cicadas will soon emerge across the US. Will their pee be a problem?
These hummingbird-sized bugs can spray urine three times faster than a human.
Cannibalism, barbed penises and a whole lot of venom: The 8 most brutal animal courtships
Some animals pair for life. Boring. Here are some that mutilate, kill and eat each other when they mate!
Billions of cicadas are set to emerge in an ‘insect apocalypse’. Here’s what to expect
Billions, possibly even a trillion cicadas are due to emerge in rarely synchronised double-brood event – here’s what we know, including when and where it will take place.
Tinkering with nature: Billions of engineered mosquitos are getting released into the wild to fight disease
The World Mosquito Project wants to eradicate dengue fever by infecting female mosquitoes with Wolbachia bacteria.
Bed bugs UK guide: How to get rid of them, and how to spot an infestation
All you need to know about the recent outbreaks of these bloodsucking insects.
Weird animals: 25 of the most bizarre animals on Earth
From an eel that can produce 400 times their volume in slime, to a fish with human teeth, here are some really weird animals from around the world.
See how insects are turned into zombies by these fungal parasites
The hit TV show The Last of Us imagined an apocalypse caused by a Cordyceps fungus turning humans into zombies. For many insects, real life isn’t much different…
Is it possible to inhale an insect into your lungs?
Could a creepy crawly end up in your lungs?
Bizarre Australian ant honey, used in Indigenous medicine, inspires powerful new antibiotics
It’s a first for Western science, but medicinal use of the Australian honeypot ant has existed in Indigenous lives for thousands of years.
Top 10 largest insects in the world
Slimy, yet even more satisfying.
Which would win in a race, a centipede or a millipede?
Bug wars: Who will reign supreme in the ultimate race?
Wing spots could make butterflies better at flying. Here’s why
A leopard may not be able to change its spots but new research shows that butterflies can, evolving to survive longer migrations.
Bugs on the brink: Why insects could be disappearing from your garden this year
Noticed fewer creepy crawlies in your back yard this spring? It's not just you: insects across the globe may be dying out. Here's why.
Always bugged by mosquitos? Blame your body odour
Researchers built an ice-rink-sized arena in Zambia to learn more about how mosquitos choose their victims. Think Hunger Games, but with mosquitos.
7 best kid-friendly bug catcher kits, and how to make your own
Discover the secret world of creepy crawlies living in plain sight with our pick of the best bug catcher kits, before returning them safely and unharmed to their natural habitat.
Why don’t bees get sticky when they make honey?
Hydrogen bonds in sugar and water bind together to give honey its viscous, or 'sticky' properties.
Top 10: Biggest spiders in the world
The biggest spiders on planet Earth, hopefully not heading to a plughole near you...
How high can insects fly?
From insect superhighways to alpine bumblebees, just how high can insects go?
What is a honeypot ant?
Bees aren’t the only insects to make honey, some ants can make the sweet treat too.
Nature's real-life vampires
Count Dracula… Lestat de Lioncourt… Laszlo… all these vampires have got oodles of charisma, natty dress sense and an intriguing backstory. But the problem is, they’re fictional. We reckon the animal kingdom can do a lot better. Suck on this…
What is a hammerhead worm?
If the writers of Stranger Things Season 5 are looking for a new monster, they need look no further.
Top 10: World's largest butterflies
You won't see any of these in UK gardens.
Instant Genius Podcast | Flies, with Dr Erica McAlister
Flies are easy to complain about, but they actually serve a very useful purpose. We spoke to Dr Erica McAlister, the curator of flies at the Natural History Museum to learn more.