Insects & Invertebrates

Insects & Invertebrates

Devoured, paralysed, enslaved: The alien-like horror that drills inside and turns its victim into a very sinister, nursery

Discover a sinister creature that is like an alien character from Star Trek
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It not only eats its victim from the inside out, it also uses a biological weapon to paralyse it and turn it into a zombie

The creepy parasite that uses a biological weapon to take control f its host
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A high-magnification macro photograph captures the aggressive behavior of a Driver Ant (Dorylus nigricans), also known as a Siafu ant, as it firmly clamps its powerful mandibles onto human skin. The intensity of the bite is evident as bright red blood wells up at the puncture site. This image vividly illustrates the formidable defensive and predatory nature of African army ants, highlighting their strength and the pain they can inflict. It is an ideal visual for entomology, wilderness survival, and biological studies focusing on insect-human interactions.

"Raiding parties are the soldiers, bearing enormous heads armed with long, scissor-like mandibles capable of dismantling prey piece by piece..."

This is definitely an army that marches on its stomach...
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Why do we say bees knees

Why on Earth do we say 'bees knees' - and for that matter do bees even have knees?

Just where did the saying 'bees knees' come from? And why do we say it? Richard Jones investigates
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Bolas Spider (Mastophora cornigera) arachnid web insect nature Springtime pest control araneidae.

It looks like bird poop, is armed with a deadly projectile weapon and imitates ‘perfume’ to lure prey

The spider that looks like bird poo and sports a lethal hunting weapon
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Illustration of a guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis) emerging from an infected foot. The white thread-like worm is seen at centre; the female worm is a human parasite and may measure more than 1 metre long. Guinea worm disease, known as dracunculiasis, occurs in the tropics. Infection is through drinking water containing the water flea which harbours larvae of the worm. The larvae mature in body tissues. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea often develop. Once adult, the female worms blister the skin to escape from their host. A traditional remedy is to remove the worm by winding it on a small stick.

"It causes confusion, comas, and extreme daytime sleepiness and without treatment, it is generally fatal" 10 deadliest, most terrifying parasites on the planet

They may be microscopic but that doesn't mean they can't be lethal. Leoma Williams takes a look at the deadliest parasites in the world, from a zombie fungus to a worm that emerges from your foot
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Common eastern bumblebees (Bombus impatiens)

Bumblebee queens can survive underwater for an entire week. How they do it is incredible

The bumblebees avoid drowning by combining underwater gas exchange with anaerobic metabolism, according to a new study.
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Ants biting and dragging Spider to nest

9 brutal insect photos that show how these ruthless predators sting, swarm and devour their prey

These incredible images demonstrate the brutality of the creepy crawly and how they can overpower prey
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tube web spider

Do spiders talk to each other?

We take a look at how spiders communicate with each other
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"If it reaches the nervous system it can cause meningitis – meaning headaches, nausea, vomiting, fever..." A deadly parasite that could be in your garden

How one slimy garden pest can make you ill
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Bumblebee

“These beacons of light in the mud do so much more than promise us brighter days ahead.”

The first signs of spring aren’t just beautiful – they’re essential to awakening wildlife, too
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Secrets of the Bees

“Far more than pollinators.” New James Cameron-backed TV series shows bees can build structures – and even eat meat

Take a ‘bees-eye view’ of this incredible, yet often overlooked, insect with TV series Secrets of the Bees
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Desert locust

It’s up to 40 miles wide, contains billions of creatures and can take 20 years to form – is this nature’s most destructive swarm?

In astonishing footage from Planet Earth, swarms of desert locusts decimate vegetation
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Dance, pluck… then paralyse: the riskiest date night in nature

When it comes to surviving a potentially deadly mating, it helps to have a plan
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Hairy-footed flower bee

It has hairy legs and flies with its tongue poking out – and it could be in a garden near you

Meet the well-named hairy-footed flower bee.
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It’s the size of a small apartment, contains hundreds of rooms growing crops, and is home to more than a million farmers

We’re not the only animals that farm; ants do it too, cultivating vast quantities of fungus to feed their growing colonies…
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Comma butterfly

It glows like a fire, looks like an autumn leaf and has just awoken from its winter slumber. Now it's on the hunt for food

Meet the eye-catching comma – one of the UK's first butterfly species to appear in spring.
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ant bivouacs

It's a metre across and laced with tunnels and chambers – yet built entirely from a million individuals who spend their lives constantly on the move...

Few species of ants are more well-drilled than army ants; these disciplined drones live and die at the behest of their female leaders…
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Tree bumblebee on a clover flower

The adorable tree bumblebee is stirring from its winter slumber – and it's hungry

The tree bumblebee is one of the first bumblebee species to appear in spring.
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New Zealand's bioluminiscent glow worms arachnocampa luminosa

This tiny carnivorous bug produces an astonishing natural spectacle in New Zealand and has an ingenious way of catching its prey

An incredible spectacle in New Zealand is the result of a tiny creature with a devious way of catching prey.
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Close-up of Robber fly eats its prey

9 ruthless insect assassins – including one that chops the heads of its victims before removing their limbs

From venomous ants to zombie wasps, these insect predators deploy some of the grisliest hunting strategies in the natural world.
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Mantis with insect prey

Devouring prey alive and biting off a mate’s head – these 9 praying mantis photos are jaw-dropping

When it strikes, the praying mantis moves with explosive speed...
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Giant Gippsland earthworm crawls through a tunnel

It can grow over 2m long, is made up of 400 body segments and makes a strange gurgling sound as it moves underground

It can grow over 2m long, is made up of 400 body segments and makes a strange gurgling sound as it moves beneath the ground.
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Bee-fly

It's round and furry, has a huge tube-like mouth sticking out of its face – and it sucks the life out of bee grubs

Meet the extraordinary bee-fly – one of nature's greatest mimics.
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