Insects & Invertebrates

Insects & Invertebrates

Redback spider (Latrodectus hasselti), in a garage. Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. (Photo by Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

How tiny spiders are able to kill and eat snakes up to a metre long and an enormous 355 times their weight

Tough webs and an arsenal of neurotoxins allow small spiders to eat remarkably big snakes.
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Japanese giant hornet

Watch brutal BBC footage of honeybees killing a humongous Japanese giant hornet in the most horrifying way 

These vulnerable bees have been living alongside this seemingly unbeatable prey for millions of years. But they've got a secret weapon.
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Wasp

This whopping, record-breaking wasp's nest was 7 metres long – that's bigger than a Cadillac – and found inside a house

The world’s biggest wasp nest is longer than a Cadillac and shaped like a nose
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Fairy wasp

This parasitic creature penetrates its host with potent venom and injects its eggs – and could be lurking in a pond near you

Discover the fairy wasp, a dastardly winged insect that parasitises beetle eggs in the depths of garden ponds
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Lantana camara, commonly called lantana or shrub verbena, also known as big-sage, red-sage, white-sage and tick berry, is a species of flowering plant, which bears small tubular shaped flowers, which each have four petals forming clusters. The blooming time is from early summer to autumn in temperate areas. Flowers come in many different colors, including red, yellow, white, pink, orange and purple. The butterfly in the photo is papilio xuthus, or commonly called Asian swallowtail, which can be found in East Asia and other parts of Asia.

"It may sound freaky, but it can actually 'see' with its genitals"

Are these the weirdest genitals ever?
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Termites of genus Hospitalitermes crawling on decaying wood in the rainforest of Bako National Park, Malaysia.

They look like ants, they act like ants – but these destructive, house-wrecking little terrors are no ants

Moon Snail illustration

This deadly killer - which looks like it's riding a pale pink magic carpet – likes to paralyse and liquidise its prey

If you're visiting a sandy beach you may like to reflect on something that might be going on below your feet. Lurking behind the veil of wet sand, a killer is on the prowl. A driller-killer, no less. Let me introduce you to the moon snail
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giraffe-necked weevil

He uses his huge, giant neck to wrestle and show off with. She uses hers to sew an intricate leaf cradle for her one, very precious egg

This curious species of long-necked beetle is unique to Madagascar
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Macro Photography of Portia Jumping Spider on The Floor

This deadly killer plans, waits… and abseils from above, in spectacular Mission Impossible-style

Is this the world's smartest spider?
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Wax moth species, Satara, Maharashtra, India

It might not have any ears, but that doesn't stop it having the best hearing in the animal kingdom. Here's why...

When it comes to having good hearing, it seems ears don't matter
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Credit: Getty

From shrimp that look like candy canes to eels that mimic snowflakes: 6 festive animals named after Christmas

It's not all robins and reindeer – here are 6 festive species that are associated with Christmas
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Screwworm parasite

Californian researchers are preparing for the return of a parasitic flesh-eating maggot – that has been confirmed in humans

The New World screwworm was eradicated from the US around 60 years ago – but it's now within 70 miles of the Texas border
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World's biggest centipede

This deadly creepy crawly is a foot long with 21 legs, venomous enough to kill a bat - and a small child – and has eaten flesh from a human corpse

Meet the biggest - and most venomous - centipede in the world
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World's largest spider web

It stretches 106 square metres and spans two countries – and it's home to over one hundred thousand scuttling residents

This epic animal home lies in a huge cave system underneath Albania and Greece
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Orb-web Spider species -probably Cyclosa spec.-, building spider dummies with several legs from plant debris and dead insects to deflect from enemy attacks, Tambopata Nature Reserve, Madre de Dios Region, Peru

Think you’re seeing a giant, humongous spider? Think again… as all is not what it seems

Meet the puppet master...
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biggest ant supercolony in the word

It spans 6000 km of the coasts of Portugal, Spain, France and Italy – the animal that builds cities

How one super-sized ant colony could house half a billion ants
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The stag beetle is Britains largest insect

Which insect can be crowned the UK's largest? There's one that's an impressive 12cm long

The charity Buglife takes a look at the contenders for the UK's biggest insects
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Why do spiders have 8 eyes?

Why do spiders have 8 eyes?

When it comes to eyes, spiders are spoilt for choice...
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Red admiral butterfly on a thistle in the UK. © Peter Garner/EyeEm/Getty

Butterflies are changing the way they behave – and climate change is to blame

Some red admirals now stay for winter instead of migrating south
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Beekeeping

“A beehive is as natural as a pasture of grazing sheep.” Why beekeeping is causing a huge problem for wild bees – according to scientists

A dramatic rise in the number of managed beehives is negatively impacting wild pollinating insects
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A learn brown spider on a rainforest floor.

Love spiders? 18 incredible, gob-smacking spider facts, from the biggest to the deadliest - and even how many are probably living in your house right now

Spiders are one of the easiest groups of invertebrates to watch and they're fascinating creatures. Here are some of our favourite fun spider facts.
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Male Purple Honeycreeper The purple honeycreeper (Cyanerpes caeruleus) is a small bird in the tanager family found in northern South America.

Purple is nature's rarest colour but purple animals do exist: Meet 9 beautiful, incredible purple animals that look like they've been painted

butterfly chrysalis of nymphalidae hanging on plant leaf

Can a butterfly fight back before it’s even born? Can it really defend itself in the chrysalis?

Butterflies can defend themselves in their chrysalises, and not just by using camouflage or warning colours.
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He chases her, impresses her with his dancing and then taps her body to assess her breeding condition. If she passes, he starts to serenade her...

Would this impress you?
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