Bugs are Cool

By: Matthew Trunfio

Picture this: Looming in front of you is a towering giant 100,000 times bigger than you. As you stand there, peering up at the figure, so tall you cannot even see its face, you see a giant roll of newspaper being swung down directly for your head: it’s an assassination attempt. As you run for your life, you realize that even though you appear as the size of a crumb to your foe, they are somehow the ones scared of you.

That's the life of a bug.

Most Americans freak out at the sight of an insect intruder in their home. They will scream and run away before gathering the strength to swiftly end the poor critter's life. But I promise you, even though you think there is a good reason to be afraid of that fly, or spider, or beetle, there isn’t. And no matter how afraid you are of them, I can assure you that they are way more scared of you (and for good reason).

Bugs are not dangerous to us; we are dangerous to them

First, let’s get rid of the idea that bugs are dangerous. A lot of the time people will see a spider and their brain immediately flashes back to that TV documentary they watched about “The 10 Most Dangerous Insects in the World.” It’s true that there are spider bites capable of causing serious tissue damage or even death, but not every spider you meet is a black widow.

In fact, out of the 38,000 known spider species in the world, only roughly 100 of them are capable of causing any real damage to humans, according to Rutgers. While every species of spider is venomous, we still have no reason to be scared as either their teeth are too small to bite us, or their poison isn’t strong enough to cause us harm. In the case that a spider does land a bite on you, the worst-case scenario is that you get a little prick in your hand that lasts for a week. You wouldn’t set a hardwood floor on fire for giving you a splinter, so why kill a spider when the pain result is practically the same?

The reaction of fear to bugs is practically the same across all insect species. The ants you see on your front step aren't going to band together and attack you. Centipedes couldn’t bite you even if they wanted to since their mouths are too small; worst case scenario they pinch you with their front legs.

While it is scientifically proven how little damage bugs can cause to us, it is equally proven how much damage we have caused to insect species around the world.

In an article published by the Guardian, they cited how over the last decade insect species had declined 41%. Butterfly species were down 53%, Beetles were down 49%, and Bees were down 46%. Scientists attributed the decline to intensive agriculture in combination with global climate change. Our incessant need to keep lawns well-trimmed, bushes uniformly shaped, and dead leaves raked has destroyed the natural habitat for so many insects. Harming the species that are responsible for so many necessary systems that support our natural lifecycle like pollination, decomposition, and keeping soil naturally rich in nutrients that support agriculture.

Getting Over the Hump

For those who have been long-time bug haters, a few paragraphs attempting to humanize insects isn’t going to be enough to keep them out of your nightmares. And even if you fully understand how bugs aren’t dangerous, how they’re important for supporting our ecosystem, sometimes it still isn’t enough to get over that feeling of disgust.

But once you realize just how cool these things can be, it’s all uphill from there.

Bugs are some of the flashiest creatures you can find in nature. Their exoskeletons can be painted with beautiful murals, some of them have the most interesting set of abilities, and if you take a second to look at them, they can be so fun to watch.

But it's hard to show you how cool bugs are with a few words, so over the rest of this post, I will talk about some of the coolest insects I have seen. That way you at least know where to look.

The Atlas Moth

Moths as a species never get the recognition they deserve. Most people see them as the darker less interesting version of a butterfly. But in reality, Moths can display some of the most spectacular colors and designs on their wings. Some Moths shine bright pink and yellow or have fluffy poodle-like fur. A few Moths have even developed spiral-shaped tails that will disrupt the echolocation of one of their natural predator, Bats.

But in my opinion, the Atlas moth has one of the coolest designs.

With wing spans reaching up to 10 inches, Atlas Moths put on a much larger spectacle than your average backyard Moth in North America. Typically found in Southeast Asia, these Moths have to constantly be on the lookout for the local birds and lizards, as they are the insect's main predators in the region.

But that task gets significantly easier with the defense tactic the Atlas Moth has developed.

In an attempt to keep its enemies away, the Atlas Moth has developed wings that resemble that of a snake's head. As predators approach, the Moth slowly flaps its wings up and down to give the impression that a snake is slithering right towards them. Typically, this will shake the predators to the core and send them running, leaving the Atlas Moth to live another day.

An Atlas Moth - Phot from stancsmith.com

Army Ants

Admittedly, Army Ants can be notoriously freaky. They are tropical predators that operate in huge colonies, but the most unsettling thing about them is just how aggressive of feeders they are. Unlike most of your backyard ants, Army Ants don’t stick to the leftover food your roommate forgot to put away. They take their prey alive. Often Army Ants will target other animals significantly bigger than them like grasshoppers, or lizards.

But what’s most impressive about these ants is their teamwork. Traveling through a jungle, which is the Army Ant’s normal habitat, they cross over a plethora of leaves, sticks, and rocks that make for a not-so-straight path. 

To solve that problem, Army Ants have been known to make living bridges. Ants will lay themselves down, creating chains of ants allowing everyone else to bridge the gap. 

Army Ants building a bridge to cross from one leaf to another - Photo courtesy of Jose Ramon Alonso

But the amazing feats of architecture do not end once that bridge has been crossed. Army Ants create their own mobile homes, called Bivouacs. Just like bridges from earlier, these castles are made up entirely of ants. Inside the Bivouacs, the ants shelter their queen, larvae, and eggs. But don’t take your eyes off of them, because just as soon as those Bivouacs arrive, they disappear, as Army Ants will pick up their shelter and move away overnight once they have fed on everything in the area.

An Army Ant bivouac - Photos courtesy of Daniel Kronauer

The Peacock Spider

Serving as both the poster child of dangerous insects and the catalyst that gave the beloved comic book character Spider-Man his superpowers, Spiders have long been one of the most polarizing insects around. The red hourglass found on the back of a Black Widow is enough to take someone's breath away.

But not all spiders are the stuff of nightmares, some can even make you laugh, for example, look at the Peacock Spider.

Peacock Spiders are located in the Southern Hemisphere of the globe in places like Australia and New Zealand. They remain quite small in size and when you look at them, they don’t seem to pose much of a threat.

The Peacock Spider gets its name from its vibrant and colorful back flap that resembles the feathers of a Peacock. And when it becomes mating time, those colors get put to good use.

When searching for a partner, male Peacock Spiders send vibrations through the ground until they have caught the eye of a female. Once the lights are on him, he raises his back flap and legs and performs a dance for his future wife: It’s the species’ mating ritual He shakes his “feathers” until the female either decides to accept him or move on to another mate.

A Peacock Spider performing it's mating ritual - courtesy of wix

Be Curious

Bugs get a bad rep. They aren't as dangerous as people think, they are vital in sustaining our ecosystem, and on top of all that theyre just cool. Next time you see a spider, a beetle, or some other insect crawling on your kitchen floor, don’t step on it. Instead, take a deep breath and get closer; have a look, start wondering, “What could be going on in its head?” Once you do that, a whole new world opens up.

Additional Sources

https://www.calacademy.org/learn-explore/specimens-in-focus/atlas-moth

https://stri.si.edu/story/following-swarm

https://www.britannica.com/animal/peacock-spider