Insects for Fun!

Terrariums 101!

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. 
 
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun 
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music: Sea-no
 
 
 

Indy is that you? (Whip Spiders!)

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
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun
IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music: Kazuya Morita

Don't kill these flies! (Hoverflies)

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
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun
IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music: tommgn
 

All's fair(?) in love and war with Field Crickets!

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
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@InsectsforFun
IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music by: Takada Fu

The executioner! (wasp)

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.  
 
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music by HM Surf

These bugs are silent killers (Assasin Bugs!)

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.
 
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music by: S N U G

Click Beetles!

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/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
 
Music by: Shingo Sekiguchi

Owlflies!

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. 
 
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IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music by "HM Surf"

Is it a mantis? Wasp? Fly? It's a Mantidfly!

This week, we're taking a deep look into the oddities that make mantidflies so unique. This includes their bizarre life cycle, and of course their strange adaptations which make them unique hunters in the insect world. 
 
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IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6 
 
Music by "Blue Wednesday"

Are we screwed? (Screwworms)

This week, we examine screwworms to learn about their impact on mammals and how they initiated a revolutionary practice of biological control. We also look at the current status of their outbreak in and how it happened.
 
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IG: https://www.instagram.com/insects4fun/
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Email: Insectsfordummies@gmail.com 
Discord -> https://discord.gg/pDJH3CYcG6