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Bored Panda

Ingrida Jasiukevičiūtė

These 50 Bugs Might Be The Most Beautiful Ones You Have Ever Seen

Around a quarter of people are scared of insects and/or spiders. This phobia is quite strange, really, as deep down, we know that most of these tiny creatures can’t hurt us, and yet we still can’t help but shriek when they land on us or even enter our eyesight. Such a common fear, of course, has a name—entomophobia—and is more widespread than the phobia of dying or becoming a victim of a violent crime.

One way to overcome any fear is exposure, and our Bored Panda team is here to help with that today. We compiled a list of the most fascinating insects and spiders in hopes that people appreciate them more once they get to know them better. This is greatly important, as these tiny creatures do more for us than we could ever imagine. Scroll down to see them for yourself below, and don’t forget to upvote those you find coolest!

While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with a professional insect educator and founder of The Entomology Box, Emily, who kindly agreed to tell us more about these misunderstood tiny critters.

#1 Met This Lil Guy

Image credits: ToToSophie

#2 An Erebus Just Flew Into My Room And Rested On My Fingers For Hours

Image credits: littlekiwijuicecup

#3 Shy Sweet Face

Image credits: Fraeulein-Lepus

Before we dive into getting to know insects and spiders a bit better, we were first curious to know what drew professional insect educator and founder of The Entomology Box, Emily, towards such a career path.

"I was sent home in kindergarten for covering myself with ants, so I’d say I’ve been a bug girly from the start. Since then, it’s been easy to stay fascinated because insects and spiders are so incredibly diverse!" she tells us.

"As soon as you start looking at them—like, really looking at them—you realize how much there is to see. Like, flies? They’re gorgeous! Next time you see a fly, really take a second to look at it. Is it iridescent? Does it have a neat pattern on its wings? Does it have silly little antennae? I bet it has at least one of those things going on.

And that’s only the start—it’s estimated that MILLIONS of insect species are undiscovered. Can you imagine what we don’t know?"

#4 I’m 40 And This Is A New One For Me

Image credits: office7911

#5 I Go To One Stinkin' Party This Whole Year And The Moth Just Had To Wear The Same Designer Outfit That I Did

Image credits: hcurmudgeon

#6 A Hummingbird Hawk-Moth

Image credits: sh0tgunben

When asked if she has a particular species of insect that interests her the most, Emily had to go with moth flies.

"I’m most fascinated by whatever insect I researched last, but I’m always fascinated by the family Psychodidae (moth flies). They’re stunning, like rotund little fairies, and practically indestructible, but they don’t get the appreciation they deserve because they’re viewed as pests.

Both the adults and the eggs are resistant to boiling water, bleach, and flushing, all while being fluffy and iridescent. They’re magical."

#7 Found In Greece. What Is It?

Image credits: Bambusbooiii

#8 Chino Valley, Arizona

Image credits: OperationFlashy5820

#9 Who’s This Beetle With The Sick Flame Decals?

Image credits: hornylittlegrandpa

Indeed, all insects and spiders are amazing and magical, as they play a key role in our planet.

"Honestly, what don’t insects and spiders do for our planet? They’re decomposers, population checks, a food source, pollinators… they do it all! Without bugs, we’d have a lot fewer plants and animals, and maybe no people at all," Emily explains.

However, some misconceptions that people have prevent them from receiving the appreciation they deserve for all the hard work they do for us.

#10 Any Ideas In What This Little Guy Is? Found In Kruger Park, South Africa

Image credits: Robsmorrison

#11 This Glittery Gentleman Paid A Visit. I Bribed Him To Stay

Image credits: IcySky9

#12 This Big Dingus Trying His Best To Look Like A Stick Even Though Sticks Don’t Grow On Metal Stairway Rails (Which Is Where I Found Him)

Image credits: Squeaky-squash

"People tend to think that most insects and spiders are harmful, but that’s really not the case (speaking for my bioregion, at least). For example, most spiders don’t have mouthparts big enough to bite a person, even if they wanted to!" Emily says.

"When you think that all insects and spiders are out to hurt you, it makes every insect a threat. And when we only ever hear about them as pests to be eliminated, it’s hard to view them any differently.

The way our world talks about them, no wonder people are scared of them! Taking the time to learn about insects and spiders, even just a tiny bit, is an incredible way to fight entomophobia."

#13 I Found This On The Trail In Northern India. Thought It Was Cool

Image credits: Knobag

#14 Handsome Guy On The Job Site

Image credits: mynameisrichard0

#15 Adorable Little Guy

Image credits: mileshehehehehe

Besides being misunderstood and feared, little critters, insects, and spiders are also facing various major threats, like urbanization and industrial agriculture.

"As urban environments expand, natural spaces shrink. As industrial agriculture expands, plant diversity shrinks and pesticide use increases," Emily explains.

"If bugs have nowhere to live, nothing to eat, and way more stuff trying to destroy them, they’re not exactly set up to thrive."

#16 My Dog Saved Him, But Who Is He?

Image credits: mmargulies12

#17 Found A Bunch Of These On A Hike In South Africa, Just Wanted To Show It Off

Image credits: reddit.com

#18 Found This On A Hydrangea. The Color Resemble The Bloom Petals. Usually The Blooms Are All White, But This Year There Is A Pink Tinge To Them. And Now This Guy Shows Up

Image credits: ech01

What we can do to help them is leave spaces as wild and natural as possible for them, says Emily.

"If there’s a pile of sticks in your yard that you’ve been meaning to clear, consider leaving it. That’s great habitat for beetles, spiders, native bees, and more. Maybe even make a pile of sticks for them, a little bug hotel!"

#19 Found This Little Guy In The Mountains In Ras Al Khaimah, Uae. He Is Smaller Than An American Penny, And Was Just Sitting On The Side Of A Rock

Image credits: LoIiStaIin

#20 What Type Of Bee Is This? She's Beautiful

Image credits: shaund91

#21 Is That A Rare Insect?

Image credits: Rks_Trk

For those who garden, Emily advises striving for plant diversity and avoiding tilling the soil.

"Bugs put a lot of work into building their little cities in the ground, and the less we can disrupt that process, the better," she explains.

"But above all, live and let live! Learn about bugs and spiders and share your knowledge with others. I think a lot of fear comes from a lack of information. If you can’t distinguish between a hornet and a fly (which is MUCH more common than you might think), the world is a lot scarier. But insects and spiders are rad, and they matter."

#22 Look At This Beautiful Baby Girl I Found On My Plants Today

Image credits: Fickle-Star-9694

#23 Wow! I’ve Never Seen This Before

Image credits: _gavin1_

#24 What Is This?

Image credits: deeplanet

If you already love bugs and would like to learn more about them, Emily has created a monthly Entomology Box, which includes a sustainably sourced insect specimen and a collectable info card telling you all about it. You can check out what one of her boxes looks like in a video here.

"Subscribers are strictly capped to stay sustainable, so once subscriptions are full, that’s it!" Emily warns.

"For more good buggy vibes, check out @naturalistsco on Instagram and TikTok."