Insects for Fun!

Hummingbird Moths!

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

The hidden lives of Honeypot Ants!

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 Butterfly!

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
 

These wasps are artists! (Potter Wasps)

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. 

Snail eating beetles! (Carabinae)

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

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. 
 
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
 
 
 

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/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825
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/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825
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/
FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085443614825
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.  
 
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