Insects & Invertebrates
This bizarre Australian bug looks ‘like a chipolata sausage’, has cannibalistic tendencies and swims through sand
Meet the seldom-seen subterranean insect that swims beneath your feet in Australia.
Scientists just solved one of Yellowstone’s greatest animal mysteries
For two decades, researchers have been trying to work out how a remarkable animal can survive among the scalding thermal springs of Yellowstone National Park. Now they finally know.
"Females should prefer to mate with older males because they work harder and care less about infidelity."
Being a good father is not easy for male burrowing beetles
This fossilised 'hell ant' found in a Brazilian museum has been hiding a mighty secret
Experts say the 113-million-year-old fossil is the oldest ant specimen ever discovered.
Curious animal isolated for 40,000 years found living in Rocky Mountains
Researchers think the creature managed to survive in a glacial ‘refuge’, a pocket of land that didn't freeze over during the last ice age.
"It's like finding a diamond": 16-million-year-old animal found encased in amber on Caribbean island
The remarkable discovery offers fresh insights into the history of one of the world’s most elusive animal groups, say scientists.
Last seen in Brazil in 1905, this tiny insect just reappeared – in a dramatic way
A species of cricket that exploits ant colonies has not been detected in Brazil for over a century – but scientists just found specimens in their own homes.
There’s a parasitic ‘Alien’-like wasp that bursts out of its bug host – and it could save modern crop farming
The Hadronotus cookeae wasp has a rather macabre way of ensuring the survival of its young, but it could be used as a biological agent for pest management.
This utterly surreal bee is like nothing you've ever seen before – unless you're from Australia
Even Australia's insects are weird, says Stuart Blackman, and different to the rest of the world
The deadliest parasites in the world: 10 terrifying creatures you will want to avoid
They may be microscopic but that doesn't mean they can't be lethal. Leoma Williams takes a look at the deadliest parasites in the world, from a zombie fungus to a worm that emerges from your foot
What's the largest snail in the world? One mighty contender is over a metre long and weighs as much as a small child
Ever wondered what the largest snail is? We take a look at the record-breaking answer.
The planet’s ultimate supermom can produce 146 million offspring – squeezing out a fresh egg every few seconds
A sci-fi tale of the queens that ditched males
Deep in the Malaysian forest, I found a prehistoric-looking insect that's left scientists puzzled for hundreds of years
The females also remain forever young – as they stay in a juvenile form – and contain plenty of unpleasant chemicals.
In the Amazon, bullet ants deliver agonising pain to boys as young as 12 – here's why. And can Steve Backshall handle the heat?
The bullet ant delivers the most painful sting in the world – so why are they being woven into gloves?
Ancient creatures found encased in amber in remote forests of Myanmar – and they’ve been hiding a deadly secret
The 99-million-year-old specimens were discovered in the isolated Hukawng Valley in the north of the country.
What’s the world’s biggest butterfly? Here's a clue – it has an enormous, 28cm wingspan and weighs a staggering 12g
Did you know the largest butterfly in the world has a wingspan of 28cm and weighs 12g?
The Dracula ant that MUST drink the blood of its young to survive - despite causing them pain and trauma
Has an animal ever been more aptly named?
There's an animal in French Guiana that blows itself up when faced with danger
How a 'backpack' full of a toxic blue substance allows a termite to blow itself up, along with the threat, if its colony is threatened
If all Earth's insects suddenly disappeared, here's what would happen
Why are insects so crucial to the world? Richard Jones explains what would happen if they weren't here
This innocent-looking insect delivers the most painful sting in the world and can leave 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
“If you’re stung, you must have sex within 24 hours or you’ll die” – the legend behind the insect that looks like a peanut
Its hefty headgear has garnered the lantern bug mythical status.
How is a queen bee chosen? And how are they different from worker bees?
A beehive and its worker bees revolve around its queen – but are queen bees made, or born?
It has an incredibly painful bite and you can die just hours after being bitten
Unsurprisingly, the deadliest spider in the world is native to Australia – and requires one victim to take 12 vials of antivenom to survive its lethal bite
Dusty old moth found in London museum leads taxonomists to remarkable discovery
Using DNA analysis, along with other clues, the researchers were able to uncover a number of incredible secrets.