Insects for Fun!

Learn how passive ventilation, honeycomb geometry, pheromone traffic systems, and other insect strategies inspire human architects and engineers through biomimicry. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6

Robber flies don’t chase crumbs or nectar. They hunt other insects in midair, inject them with venom, and drain them like juice boxes. If there were an apex predator category for flies, robber flies would be sitting comfortably at the top. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by Leo Iwamura

Today we’re heading back into spider territory, specifically, the ones responsible for at least 50% of all “NOPE” reactions in Australian garages. Huntsman spiders are amazing predators that not only contend for the largest spiders in the world but are also incredibly fast. But what happens when they enter your home? Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6

Today we’re talking about insects (and two spiders) in space: how bugs became the first astronauts, what happens to a spider web when there’s no “up” or “down,” and why the future Moon base might sound just a little bit… buzzy. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by Leo Iwamura

On this episode of Insects for Fun, we’re going to explore a tiny creature whose wings are divided like fans, who stands in a perfect T-pose long before video games made it cool, and who might be hiding—right now—somewhere in your garden or even in your house. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by Leo Iwamura

This week is a listener request from someone over on YouTube, and I'm really glad it came in! Water fleas are incredible and incredibly tiny organisms that have a lot of really quirky tricks and traits. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Kei Kawaguchi and Masaki Tomiyama

This week, we dive into some plague insects and talk about how regular insects can turn into natural disasters. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Toshiki Hayashi

This week's topic was chosen from Patreon, and it's a fun one! Learn all about hummingbird moths and how they compare to the real birds. We go into the physics of hovering flight, the art of mimicry, and the strange evolutionary story that led a humble moth to master the sky like a bird. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Toshiki Hayashi

Today we turn our attention to Honeypot Ants, specifically those in the genera Myrmecocystus and Camponotus. These ants in particular are famous for their incredible resilience to desert climates and strange survival strategies. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Lofi Geek

The Old World Swallowtail is scientifically known as Papilio machaon. And yes this the butterfly on all those classic field guide covers”. The yellow wings with black veins and those elegant little tails make them iconic in the world of butterflies, but it’s not just a pretty face — it’s a survivor, an actor in myths, and a worldwide traveler that’s been gliding through history for thousands of years. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Brillion

Today we're talking about an insect artist, a wasp with an incredible ability to produce sculptures not too unlike what human potters make. Potter wasps belong to the family Vespidae, but they're very unique for many reasons. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by HM Surf.

Have you ever picked up an empty snail shell and wondered who might have been clever enough to crack it? Enter the snail-eating beetle, a specialist predator that has evolved tools as precise as a locksmith’s to get at one of nature’s most well protected animals. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music Sudare

This week we’re focusing on all things terrariums. We’re gonna look at the different types, what they’re used for, how they started and how to make them! So let’s get into it. This may be something we revisit later, as the topic is incredibly broad. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music: Sea-no

We’re looking at one of the most alien-looking arachnids you’ll ever meet. Despite their fearsome appearance, whip spiders are harmless to people. They don’t have venom, they don’t spin webs, and they don’t sting. But in the micro-world of the forest floors and caves, they are master hunters with fascinating behaviors. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music: Kazuya Morita

Today, we’re going to explore one of the most delightful and deceptive groups of insects you’ve definitely seen before—hover flies, also called flower flies or syrphid flies. At first glance, you might mistake them for bees or wasps, but these are imposters with some fascinating roles in the insect world. They’re not only excellent mimics but also some of the most important pollinators on the planet. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music: tommgn

When you step outside on a warm late summer evening, one of the first things you’ll probably notice is that steady background chorus of chirping. It’s so familiar that many people tune it out completely, but field crickets are far from being just “noisy.” These insects live complex lives full of competition, love songs, deception, and even a gamble-based fighting ring!? Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Takada Fu

This week we are looking at a very specific species of paper wasp known as Polistes carnifex, aka the executioner wasp. On episode 91 of this show we talked about paper wasps in general, but this specific species stands out in many ways. In this episode we will also talk about and compare the sting of an executioner wasp with that of the bullet ant. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by HM Surf

Today we’re diving into the shadowy world of one of nature’s most notorious insect hitmen: the assassin bugs. With a name like that, you know they’re not here to play nice. These insects are masters of stealth, ambush, and precision strikes, earning them a reputation as some of the most ruthless predators in the insect kingdom. But beyond their deadly image, assassin bugs are fascinating creatures with quirky behaviors, strange hunting tactics, and even a few surprising roles in human culture. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: S N U G

This week, we look at the lives of click beetles and all the interesting tricks of their trade! We break down how click beetles pull off their acrobatic launches without using their legs, dive underground into the long, secret lives of their larvae, meet the bioluminescent tropical species, and explore their surprising roles in human history and agriculture. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by: Shingo Sekiguchi

This week we look into a small and largely unknown group of insects known as Owlflies! They're so unique that people can't quite figure out where they belong in the tree of life, but one thing is for sure: they're a special group of insects. Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107 IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/ FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 Music by "HM Surf"