Insects & Invertebrates
"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.
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.
'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.
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
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?
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
“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
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.
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?
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?
'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.
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.
Does the world's deadliest bee deserve its killer reputation?
Just how deadly are Africanised bees?
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
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
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.
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
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
The 7 weirdest, creepiest – and downright most devious - parasites in the world that will make your skin crawl (warning: not for the squeamish)
You might well not want to think too much about some of these...
Think flying ants are a nuisance? Think again – here's why Flying Ant Day is actually one of the UK's most remarkable natural spectacles (you might be surprised)
Flying ants are harmless to humans. In fact, their mass emergence in the middle of summer is really quite amazing. Here's why...
“Eradication would be almost impossible.” Killer Asian hornets are invading Britain but we’re keeping them at bay – for now
Asia’s yellow-legged hornet has a toehold in Britain but researchers are keeping the deadly insect from decimating native species – for now
The world's biggest slug is a forest beast the size of a frying pan – with an enormous appendage to match – and swings from trees to mate
This tree-climbing giant is one of the largest land slugs on Earth – and its bizarre mating ritual is unlike anything else in the natural world
10 amazing Antarctic animals – including one with antifreeze blood and another with razor-sharp teeth to bite air holes in the ice
Discover the most remarkable, captivating wildlife that thrives in one of the least hospitable places on Earth – Antarctica