many people think of bugs* as scary or gross but they're absolutely wonderful when you get to know them. think of it. billions of tiny little creatures, roaming free in every nook and cranny of the planet! in every shape and color you can think of! i love them so so much i could explode
*not just "true bugs" in the genus hemiptera but, as the term is commonly used by the general public, any multicellular invertebrate.
so let's talk about bugs! have pet inverts? show them here! have fun facts to share? do it! just a bug enjoyer? that's great! if you want to talk about anything bug-related, this is the thread for you, just follow spacehey rules and don't come in just to hate on bugs; they're already maligned by most of human society and are in serious need of appreciation.
to start off i'm going to share 3 bug fun facts:
1. did you know some species of velvet worms live and hunt in groups? these groups may contain up to fifteen individuals and have a strict hierarchy! they're also extremely aggressive towards rival groups and amongst themselves - this is how dominance is established.
2. did you know that the death's-head hawkmoth, despite lacking vocal chords, squeaks when threatened? they produce this sound by inhaling and exhaling air through the pharynx.
3. did you know bumblebees are capable of having fun? in a study published in 2022, scientists found that, when they presented the bees with wooden balls, the bees would roll them around with no further incentive. younger bumblebees were more likely to play than older ones, and males did so more often than females!