Articles for category: Insects

This Ant Explodes Its Own Body to Defend the Colony

This Ant Explodes Its Own Body to Defend the Colony

Annette Uy

If you think superhero movies have the most epic sacrifices, wait until you meet the “exploding ant.” It’s a creature so brave, so utterly selfless, that when danger looms over its family, it turns itself into a living grenade. Deep in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, some ants have evolved a defense mechanism so shocking, ...

Meet the Pitcher Plant: A Master of Luring Prey

Can Plants Be Picky Eaters? The Truth About Carnivorous Botany

Trizzy Orozco

Have you ever wandered through a sun-dappled forest and wondered if some of the green, leafy residents are eyeing you up for dinner? As strange as it sounds, the plant world hides some of nature’s most cunning eaters—plants that have developed an appetite for flesh. Forget the gentle, passive image of plants quietly basking in ...

Botfly.

The Botfly Burrows Into Flesh and Grows Just Under Your Skin

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine waking up one morning with an odd, itchy bump under your skin. At first, it might seem like a simple mosquito bite, but days pass and the spot becomes more painful, swollen, and disturbingly alive. You soon discover the shocking truth: something is living beneath your skin. This isn’t the plot of a horror ...

There Are Mites in Your Mattress That Feast on Your Shed Skin

There Are Mites in Your Mattress That Feast on Your Shed Skin

Annette Uy

Picture this: as you drift off into dreamland, a hidden world stirs to life beneath your sheets. It’s a realm invisible to the naked eye, teeming with microscopic creatures that thrive right where you lay your head each night. The truth is both astonishing and a little unsettling—your mattress is home to countless dust mites, ...

Delia antiqua maggots at Allium porrum.

Maggots Are Nature’s Clean-Up Crew — And Sometimes a Medical Tool

Trizzy Orozco

It’s almost impossible not to shudder at the mention of maggots. These squirming, wriggling larvae evoke a gut reaction—sometimes horror, sometimes disgust. Yet, beneath their unsettling appearance, maggots perform miraculous feats that most of us overlook. They not only help nature recycle life but have also played a surprising role in saving human lives. What ...

The Very Real and Very Smelly Defense Tactics of the Bombardier Beetle

The Very Real and Very Smelly Defense Tactics of the Bombardier Beetle

Annette Uy

Imagine strolling through a peaceful forest, the sun dappling through the leaves, when suddenly, a small beetle is disturbed by a hungry frog. Instead of running, the beetle launches a sizzling, noxious spray right into the predator’s face—so hot and foul-smelling that even the bravest hunter recoils. This is no ordinary escape act. Welcome to ...

Scutelleridae (Metallic Jewel Bugs).

The Malaysian Rainforest Has Bugs That Look Like Disco Balls

Trizzy Orozco

Imagine stepping into the heart of the Malaysian rainforest, where sunlight barely filters through the dense canopy above. Suddenly, you spot something extraordinary—a tiny creature shimmering and spinning in the undergrowth, flashing colors as if it’s hosting its own miniature party. No, you’re not dreaming. The Malaysian rainforest is home to bugs that genuinely look ...

The Self-Destructing Bees: Why Some Insects Explode to Defend the Colony

The Self-Destructing Bees: Why Some Insects Explode to Defend the Colony

Annette Uy

Imagine a creature so loyal to its community that it would willingly blow itself apart to protect its family. This is not a scene from a science fiction movie, but a reality buried deep within the jungles of Southeast Asia. Some bees and ants have evolved a bizarre, almost unbelievable defense: self-destruction. These tiny heroes ...