Insects & Invertebrates
Spiders weave sticky, deadly webs to trap prey, so how do they avoid getting stuck themselves?
Just how spiders avoid getting stuck in their own webs involves complex anti-adhesion mechanisms, says Helen Smith
"They have the ability to supercool. They lower the freezing point of fluids in their cells, so that ice crystals don’t form"
Nick Baker takes a look at one of our toughest and fascinating winter insects, the snow flea
Can spiders really be beautiful? Definitely! Meet the world's prettiest, most stunning spiders, from bright blue tarantulas to vivid peacock spiders
We take a look at the most colourful members of the spider family
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![Margaritifera margaritifera
[[Boldie]] Joel Berglund](https://d2rj6cu2ik1biv.cloudfront.net/193c804a-a673-47bd-b09b-11baf4822a17/9ac494a4-627d-4fea-a827-dcf588dd6f96/46bc0904-795c-400c-979b-1cf13d462336/thumbnails/2eb19d6b-e9cb-447e-b83b-142e7285a491.jpeg?appId=f347d34d-c1a6-4a00-b570-b78c2dcb3211&platform=WEB&w=1200&webp=1 "Margaritifera margaritifera[[Boldie]] Joel Berglund")
"It does not become sexually mature until about 15 years old and can live to be 120 years old or more"
The rare freshwater pearl mussel can play a large role in restoring water quality in our rivers
"Its head, thrashing left and right, sports 4 black eyes and 6 furtive, fleshy feelers that suggest the whiskers of a Chinese dragon puppet
In muddy estuaries live secretive worms with special ways of pulling edible morsels into their lairs. Meet the ragworm
This amazing metallic blue tarantula is the most beautiful spider in the world
If ever proof were needed that spiders can be beautiful, then this is surely it. Meet the Gooty tarantula
It drills through shells with a cocktail of acid and enzymes – then liquefies its victim inside their own home
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
He uses his enormous neck to show off and wrestle rivals – she uses hers to weave an intricate cradle for her one, precious egg
This curious species of long-necked
beetle is unique to Madagascar
“One of the longest-running cold cases of palaeontology.” Scientists may finally know what created these strange markings
This pattern has been puzzling scientists for centuries – now, new research uncovers part of the mystery.
Millions-strong cicada swarms may be doomed, say US biologists
The mass emergence of periodical cicadas is one of North America’s most spectacular natural events – but new research suggests changes to habitat and deforestation may spell the end for these remarkable insects.
Its fate is “sealed by a clinical decapitation” – watch this praying mantis meet a cruel end
A colony of ants is no joke, even to bigger predators such as this unfortunate praying mantis.
Insects lack the vital organ needed to breathe so how on earth do they survive?
Here's exactly how insects breathe without lungs
"Its venom feels like it’s been inflicted by a gun shot." It might look harmless but don't be fooled as it delivers the world's most painful sting, leaving you in agony for 24 hours or more
It may only be 2.5cm but it sure packs a punch. Here's all you need to know about bullet ants
"They hide in the nooks and crannies of our beds, then come out at night to slurp up our blood like a smoothie…" 8 animals that could be in your bed
We like to think that we choose who we share our bedrooms with, yet sometimes, mother nature has other ideas.
Weird wings, glass bodies and 9,000-mile relay races: Meet the world’s 9 most bizarre butterflies
The insect world is full of weird and wonderful evolutionary designs, and these remarkable species prove that butterflies are far stranger than you might expect
“They shunt the toxic burden to their eggs.” Queen bees have a morbid way of protecting themselves against chemicals
In a beehive, it’s all about survival of the fittest – and it turns out the queen bee will go far to ensure she is the healthiest of them all.
“The victim's muscles go rigid, abdomen, chest and back cramp, then cardiovascular collapse can follow.” 8 most dangerous, deadliest animals in Colorado
Sprawling for a whopping 3.5 million acres of wilderness, the state of Colorado includes habitats ranging from sprawling forests to semi-arid shrublands, and alpine tundra to lowland plains.
'They gorge voraciously on slugs and snails, injecting them with paralysing toxins that break down the tissues, before sucking up their digested remains.'
Despite their stunning display, these insects have a ruthless routine as larvae. Kate Bradbury investigates glow worms
“Torture. You are chained in the flow of an active volcano.” This painful stinging creature makes bizarre nests and defends them by drumming
The warrior wasp has a unique way of defending its nest – before delivering one of the most excruciating stings on the planet
Google wants to release millions of mosquitoes across the US. Here’s why
Google’s parent company, Alphabet, has applied for a permit from the US Environmental Protection Agency
“Once they descend into the cave, they trudge 150m in the pitch black, feeling around with their trunks.” 9 weird animals found in caves
What lurks in the dark depths of caves might send shivers down your spine…
Do animals have oral sex?
The behaviour has been observed in animals in the wild – but does it have a biological purpose?
Scientists fed toads barbaric chemical-shooting beetles. What happened next shocked them
The bombardier beetle has an insane defence mechanism. Here's how they do it
"100 million years ago creatures living in a coastal lagoon, fringed by trees, had just had a sexual encounter when they would be entombed forever"
The astonishing 2020 discovery, found fossilised in amber in Myanmar, was hailed as a ‘spectacular find’ by scientists.
