bugs are really fckd up

Spider-like creatures help uncover the surprising origins of fatherhood

Citizen scientists have helped solve a long-standing mystery about how parental care evolved in harvestmen, revealing separate evolutionary paths for mothers and fathers. Image credit: John Uribe

You have subscribed to DAILY BUG FACTS

🪲

TODAY'S FACT IS

Did you know that the Tree Lobster (Dryococelus australis) is a species of stick insect native to the Lord Howe Island Group? For about 80 years this insect was believed to be extinct, but was rediscovered in 2001 on the nearby Ball's Pyramid.

In 2003, captive breeding programs were spearheaded by the Melbourne Zoo with the goal of repopulating Lord Howe Island itself. As of 2025, 5 other zoos in major cities worldwide have assisted in breeding efforts (Budapest, Bristol, San Diego, Toronto, and Prague).

🪲

Thank you for subscribing to DAILY BUG FACTS

Credits

These short-lived wrigglers are parasitoids of bees, wasps, and basically anything that also tries living in the nests of those bees and wasps. You can't be that picky when you only live for 25 days after all. What's most interesting about these seemingly simple wasps is that they exhibit primitive social structures with cooperation between multiple generations.

are u guys hearing this

Reach WITHIN a bush or tree and you may find a friend and boy

Gonipterus platensis! This cute little weevil really liked hugging tightly on the leaf they were at, it's adorable. Don't worry it wasn't Cordyceps or anything like that, they reacted to stimuli like a healthy bug, they just really like hugging leaves!

I quite enjoyed how round and red this guy was, the biggest weevil I've ever found!

Taken in Bogotá, Colombia

Stream Sipping

Credit's: photo 1, photo 2

(source: Ahmed et al., 2018. Oophagy by Hyllus semicupreus (Araneae: Salticidae: Plexippina))

been holding a lot of guys lately

I saw these funky creatures by a lake in Minnesota last year, I haven't identified them but I know their collective name is "Susan"?

Credits: photo 1, photo 2

Wasps and birds typically do not get along. There are many types of birds that specialize in eating wasps, and there's even a few wasps that have been known to eat small young birds too. And yet, there are rare cases where wasps and birds coexist.

girl dinner