Insects for Fun!
A bite-sized informational podcast covering all things insect and arthropod, hosted by a master in entomology! Join me every week to learn something new, from notable species to broad topics and lore! You can support the show and get extra episodes here: patreon.com/user?u=46499107 Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com
Episodes
This week we break down the differences between deer ticks and wood ticks, also known as dog ticks, and what happens when they bite. I'll, of course, cover the life cycles, including how Lyme disease is transmitted, and what to do if you end up getting infected.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun
IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
FB: ...
This week, we are going to look into the smallest known insects on earth and what it takes to have a fully functioning system in a body so small that they're quite literally invisible to the naked eye.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun
IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
This week we're covering Asian jumping worms — and yes, they actually jump. These invasive earthworms from East Asia are tearing through the leaf litter of North American forests at an alarming rate, turning healthy soil into something that looks like used coffee grounds and leaving nothing behind for native plants to grow in. We cover how to identify them, why the Northeast is especially vulnerable, how one worm can start an...
This week we're covering ensign wasps — the tiny black insects you've probably seen pacing along your walls, bobbing that little flag-like abdomen up and down. We'll look into their bizarre body plan, their 150-million-year history, and why the correct response to finding one is to leave it alone and say thank you.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
This week we're covering no-see-ums — the tiny biting flies you can't see, can't stop, and can't keep out of your house because they fly straight through window screens. We dig into why their bite stings so much more than a mosquito's, how they've been at this since the Cretaceous, and the one thing most people don't know: a close cousin of the insect that just ruined your beach trip is personally responsible for most of the ...
This week we're diving into the family Tabanidae — better known as horseflies and deerflies, the scissor-mouthed bullies of the insect world. We cover how they find you using polarised light, CO2, and ammonia rather than body heat, and why their bite hurts so much more than a mosquito's. Also! what zebra stripes actually do, and why your dark shirt is working against you.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
...This week we're tackling one of the most misunderstood insects in the world — the cranefly. You probably know them as daddy longlegs, mosquito hawks, or that thing that's been bouncing off your ceiling for the past twenty minutes, but almost everything you think you know about them is probably wrong. We'll bust the big myths, dig into the surprisingly fascinating life happening beneath your lawn, and meet the one man who spen...
Explore the world of dragon-headed katydids (genus Lesina), canopy-dwelling insects that mimic dried leaves and thorny growths with dramatic, dragon-like heads and powerful mandibles. This episode covers their appearance, nocturnal behavior, diet, and unique camouflaging wings and body shapes.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
Explore the eerie world of internal insect dwellers in this episode of Insects for Fun. From the twisted-wing Strepsiptera that spend their entire lives inside hosts to the tiny thread-footed mites of the Tarsinemidae family inhabiting tracheae, reproductive tissues, and hidden body spaces, discover how these organisms blur the line between parasite and roommate.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
YouTube: https...
In this episode of Insects for Fun, we investigate species that survive conditions that seem lethal—freezing solid, near-total dehydration, oxygen starvation, and dangerously small, isolated populations. These insects persist through unique physiological tricks and extreme life-history strategies.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/user?u=46499107
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun
IG: https://www....
This episode explores thorn bugs (treehoppers), tiny true bugs that mimic plant parts with exaggerated pronotums—spines, horns, and crests—that make them look like thorns, seed pods, or broken twigs. You’ll learn about their unusual anatomy, incomplete metamorphosis, communal nymphs, maternal care, and mutualisms with ants that protect them in exchange for honeydew.
Patreon -> https://www.patreon.com/use...
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
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
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/@Ins...
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
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
...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/
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 ...
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
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
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