Insects

Bocydium globulare, a treehopper with an unusual, helicopter-like helmet.

Treehoppers’ Bizarre, Wondrous Helmets Use Wing Genes to Grow

The elaborate structures, which are not actually wings, can resemble thorns, leaves, ants and more

Bioluminescent "sea fireflies," a species of ostracod crustacean, covering the rocks on the coast of Okayama, Japan.

How Studying Bioluminescent Creatures Is Transforming Medical Science

The natural light of insects and sea creatures can help doctors illuminate H.I.V. and even kill cancer cells

The study authors write: "We posit here that artificial light at night is another important – but often overlooked – bringer of the insect apocalypse."

The Devastating Role of Light Pollution in the 'Insect Apocalypse'

A new study shows excess outdoor light is impacting how insects hunt, mate and make them more vulnerable to predators

Collections at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History are filled with all sorts of eerie specimens.

Six Bewitching Smithsonian Specimens to Get You Ready for Halloween

Check out some of the spookiest (read: coolest) items in the National Museum of Natural History's collections.

Among the many threats facing honeybees in the United States, the Varroa destructor mite could be the most devastating.

Beekeepers Seek to Save Honeybees From a Colony-Invading Pest

Facing the scourge of a parasitic Asian mite, commercial beekeepers are trying to breed a resistant strain of honeybee, but other threats loom

The crypt-keeper brainwashes victims, then consumes them from the inside out

Parasitic Crypt-Keeper Wasp Manipulates the Minds of Seven Fellow Insect Species

The 'hypermanipulator' is named after Set, the Egyptian god of war and chaos

The word "teetotaler" dates back to the temperance movement that preceded Prohibition.

Where Does the Word 'Teetotaler' Come From? And More Questions From Our Readers

You've got questions, we've got experts

Images and measurements of the fossil beetle that revealed it was a different kind of beetle than originally thought.

Fossil Mix-Up Could Rewrite the History of Beetles, the Largest Group of Animals on Earth

The reclassification of a 226-million-year-old beetle species could change our understanding of insect evolution

Graphene-Coated Fabric Causes Mosquitoes to Buzz Off

Researchers found the insects can't penetrate thin layers of the wonder material, which also blocks the scent of human sweat

Blindfolded insect larvae opted to perch on twigs matching their body coloring about 80 percent of the time

These Caterpillars Can Detect Color Using Their Skin, Not Their Eyes

In experiments, peppered moth caterpillars successfully camouflaged themselves even when blindfolded

Females of the species boast blue-hued legs, as well as an iridescent sheen on their outer shell and abdomen

Turquoise-Tinted Tarantula Discovered in Sri Lanka

The species is only the second member of its genus ever found in the South Asian country

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This Smithsonian Scientist Is on a Mission to Make Leeches Less Scary

Curator Anna Phillips is on a quest to make leeches less repulsive to the public

The spider species featured in the study is unusually social, living in colonies of several hundred females and exhibiting either aggressive or docile tendencies

Hurricanes Are Making This Spider Species More Aggressive

The new findings have broader implications for understanding extreme weather events’ effects on animal behavior

Neonics are responsible for 92 percent of the increase in U.S. agricultural toxicity

Toxic Pesticides Are Driving Insect ‘Apocalypse’ in the U.S., Study Warns

The country's agricultural landscape is now 48 times more toxic to insects than it was 25 years ago

Female (left) and male (right) black widow spiders

Male Black Widow Spiders Find Potential Mates by Following Other Suitors’ Trails

Although this strategy may seem counterintuitive, researchers say speedy tracking is an important factor in successful courtship

A sentinel chicken gets its blood drawn in Charlotte County, Florida.

Rare, Mosquito-Borne Virus Found in Several Chickens in Florida

The only way to prevent eastern equine encephalitis virus, which causes brain-swelling and has a high mortality rate, is to avoid mosquito bites

Grasshoppers swarm a light a few blocks off the Strip on July 26, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Swarms of Grasshoppers Invading Las Vegas Are Visible on Radar

Experts say the insects are migrating north in response to unusually heavy rainfall in the region

After a queen ant successfully mates with multiple males, she chews off her wings, returns to the ground and starts a new colony

Swarms of Flying Ants Overtaking Great Britain Show Up as Rain on Radar

Once a year, the winged insects take to the skies and engage in mating rituals

I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.

Not Even Chemicals Can Stop the Indomitable Cockroach

A new study suggests it will soon be “almost impossible” to control the insects with chemicals alone

Giving lovebugs a whole new meaning.

A Fungus Causes Cicadas to Mate Like Crazy, Even After Their Butts Fall Off

And now scientists think they know why

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