Insects & Invertebrates

Insects & Invertebrates

7 prettiest - and possibly weirdest - insects in the world that you might not know

There some amazingly beautiful, yet little known, insects on our planet. Stuart Blackman picks a few of his favourites
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6 terrifying, spine-chilling worms that'll give you nightmares, from one that slices its prey in half to an eye worm that affects humans...

Prepare for a scare as we take a look at some of the most terrifying worms on the planet.
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10 rarest shells on the planet, from a gigantic deep-sea snail the size of a shoe box to a bizarre comb-shaped shell with delicate prongs

We take a closer look at the world of ultra-rare shells – where the molluscs that create them live and why they're so hard to find
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Four new tarantulas with huge genitals have just been discovered. Apparently males use them to fend off cannibalistic females

The newly described species of spider live on the Arabian Peninsula and the Horn of Africa.
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"It's astonishing": animal in India sings when sun is precisely 3.8° below horizon every dawn, say scientists

Researchers reveal that cicadas time their early morning chorus to a precise light threshold, offering new insights into collective animal behaviour.
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Silent assassins and tiny terrors: Meet the world's deadliest flies

They may be small, but some flies are far from harmless. Spreading deadly parasites and causing devastating diseases, meet the world’s most dangerous winged insects
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Gigantic insect as long as a cat found in Australia. It may be the country's heaviest ever, say experts

Measuring 40cm in length, the giant stick insect is new to science.
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'Living fossil' found hiding on riverbank in South Africa’s Swartberg Mountains

The discovery of the newly identified animal in the arid Karoo region suggests the area was once covered by ancient forests, say researchers.
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They might look like radioactive bugs but green spiders do exist – and they’re bright for a very important reason

Perfectly camouflaged in leafy habitats, green spiders are primed for hunting insects, often without the need of a web
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Wasps vs hornets: what's the difference between these striped and stinging insects?

They may be the bane of the beer garden in summer, but wasps and hornets are vital pollinators that help keep pests at bay. Can you tell the difference between them?
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Researchers headed into a remote region of Cuba on a mission to save the 'world's most beautiful snail'

A team of experts hope to save the painted snail from overcollection and the shell trade
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“Her hungry spiderlings descend en masse to their mother’s dinner table… only this time, she is the main course”

The gruesome dietary habits of the African social spider were filmed for the first time as part of the Attenborough-narrated BBC TV series Parenthood
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Researchers went into the oldest desert on Earth and discovered something "really unique" about the way beetles run

The Namib Desert beetle sprints across the scorching sand dunes to beat the heat, new study finds.
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This creepy crawly has ‘tentacles’ that can break off, pops out of a hatch and its name translates to ‘a frightening monkey thing’

It’s also furry and slides slowly over leaves. So… what the heck is it?
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Chirping crickets are usually associated with warm, summer nights – but are they really much noisier on holiday?

Chirping crickets are often associated with warm, summer evenings – but are they really noisier during peak holiday season?
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'Invasion' of ladybirds hits UK this summer – here's why there are so many

Footage of swarming ladybirds has been going viral, with experts saying that many more are appearing this year than usual.
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It’s bigger than your thumb, has immense jaws and is nicknamed the flying bulldog – Meet the largest bee on Earth

Discover the giant bee of Indonesia.
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Does the world's deadliest bee deserve its killer reputation?

Just how deadly are Africanised bees?
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How many stings from a honeybee could kill you?

World's 10 most agonisingly painful stings from insects and other creepy crawlies

You might want to give these creatures a wide berth
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From thumb-sized to dinner plate proportions, these are one of the most feared creepy-crawlies on the planet – but do they deserve their deadly reputation?

What are tarantulas? Why are these spiders so feared? Danniella Sherwood from the Natural History Museum explains all you need to know about tarantulas
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11 gruesome cannibal animals: Discover the surprising creatures that feast on their own kind

It may seem gruesome, but many animals have been recorded feeding on their own species. Here are 11 cannibalistic animals, including some that might surprise you.
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Silent but deadly: Meet the animal that farts its prey to death by releasing an intoxicating cloud of gas

Can insects fart? Yes, says Ben Hoare – with occasionally deadly results
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It's a psychedelic fuzz of fur and spine – and a master of photonic communications like something from a sci fi movie

Nick Baker takes a look at one of the sea's strangest creatures, the sea mouse
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