In 1859, while exploring the remote island of Bacan in the North Moluccas, Indonesia, the renowned naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace made an astounding discovery: the Megachile pluto — the world’s largest bee.

Wallace described the bee, which is about four times the size of a honeybee, as a “large black wasp-like insect, with immense jaws like a stag-beetle.” But for more than a century, that was the only known sighting of the Megachile pluto, and some feared that deforestation had rendered the giant insect extinct.

“It was absolutely breathtaking to see this ‘flying bulldog’ of an insect that we weren’t sure existed any more,” Clay Bolt, the photographer who captured the first images of the species alive, told the BBC. “To actually see how beautiful and big the species is in life, to hear the sound of its giant wings thrumming as it flew past my head, was just incredible.”

Yo guys.

Allantus cinctus by Kliton Hysa

A fossilized spider, found in goethite rock in New South Wales, Australia, and dating to the Miocene Epoch, 15 million years ago.

only woodworm, only termite burrowing like a light in the flesh. i am no insect,

only an ache on loop in the window. be honest. the wounds have been bearable

thus far. & who isn’t bruised around the edges, peaches poured into the truckbed, receipts

faded to white?

The Featured Creature: Sea Sapphire: the Most Beautiful Animal You’ve Never Heard Of

This is the Sea Sapphire, an absolutely STUNNING marine copepod. Japanese fishermen would call a gathering of these creatures “tama-mizu”, or jeweled water. Make sure to watch the VIDEO in the article!!

Isopod Portraits by Nicky Bay // Website // Facebook

Photos shared with permission; do not remove credit or re-post!