Many insects release scents – volatile chemical compounds known as pheromones – by which males locate females, but these are beyond our noses. However, a few use bitter-tasting (and smelling) chemicals to dissuade predators.
‘Stink’ bugs, a mixed assembly of species, are good examples – many common shieldbugs give off a whiff of rancid marzipan if annoyed, an indication of inedible cyanide compounds.
Another powerful smell is produced by the goat moth caterpillar. As the name suggests, a colony smells strongly of goats, though exactly why remains a mystery.
The bombardier beetle though must be one of the smelliest. If they are annoyed they release a hot noxious acid spray of hydroquinone and hydrogen peroxide from the tip of the abdomen - which can be fatal to predatory insects and a smelly experience for animals hoping for a quick bite
Main image: bombardier beetle © Getty Images