Bug Bytes

Bug Bytes

As described by Edward O. Wilson — perhaps the best known American biologist, researcher, naturalist and author — invertebrates are "The Little Things That Run the World." And indeed they do, in so many ways. In terms of numbers — while most invertebrates are pretty small, the sheer number of them is astounding. Together, they have more biomass than any other animal on earth.Learn more about the fascinating creatures that run the world, with Bug Bytes from the Missoula Butterfly House and Insectarium.

Episodes

Dragonfly Obelisking

March 2, 2026 • 2 mins
Many insects employ strategies to try and beat the heat. The most obvious is to simply seek shade. However, for some species of dragonflies, they try something a bit more interesting.
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Northern Scorpion

October 15, 2025 • 2 mins
But be honest …how many of you thought of North Dakota, Montana, or southern Canada? Then you’ve probably never heard of the Northern Scorpion.
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Bombardier Beetles

October 6, 2025 • 2 mins
If any beetle was said to have an “explosive personality”, it would have to be the bombardier beetle.
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The Spotted Lantern Fly

September 22, 2025 • 2 mins
As long as the weather is favorable, you can walk out your door and find some amazing insects to observe almost anytime.
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Titan Beetles

September 15, 2025 • 2 mins
There are over 400,000 known species of beetles in the world. So when you’re considered one of the largest, that’s really saying something.
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At 3 inches in length, Giant Salmonflies are hard to miss

August 4, 2025 • 2 mins
If you’ve ever been along a river, and fortunate to catch the peak of the Giant Salmonfly hatch, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.
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A dragonfly can experience gravitational forces of up to 9-Gs!

July 28, 2025 • 2 mins
But their speed, agility, and tendency for in-flight dining come with some worrisome risks. But it’s nothing to lose their heads over …or is it?
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Orchid Bees

July 21, 2025 • 2 mins
A male Orchid Bee can’t rely on his good looks when looking for a mate. For success, he depends on his own brand of home-made perfume.
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Bullet Ants

June 13, 2025 • 2 mins
Introducing, the Bullet Ant, so named because its sting is supposedly as painful as being shot. It’s considered to have the most painful of all insect stings.
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Atlas Moth

June 6, 2025 • 2 mins
In addition to their impressive size, Atlas Moths are known for their extraordinary wing markings, especially at their wingtips. Incredibly, the patterns mimic the profile of a cobra’s head, a way to fool predators into thinking they are anything but an easy meal.
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Giraffe Weevil

May 30, 2025 • 2 mins
Using their necks like a long lever, males will battle other males over a female. But rather than simply engaging in neck-to-neck combat, males will perform elaborate dances, involving the swaying of their necks. The female acts like a referee, closely observing the fight. If she approves of the winner, she’ll allow him to mate.
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Golden Dung Fly

May 23, 2025 • 2 mins
While the females are pretty dull in color, the appearance of the males might not exactly be what you’d expect from an animal that spends its entire life in and around animal poop. They are stunning – bright golden-yellow with orange-yellow fur on their front legs.
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Trapdoor Spider

May 16, 2025 • 2 mins
Trapdoor spiders build tube-like tunnels into the ground. In order to hide the opening of their home, they construct a lid (hinged on one side) that’s made of spider silk mixed in with the soil and vegetation surrounding the burrow, creating a perfectly camouflaged cover.
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Camouflaged Looper

May 3, 2025 • 2 mins
Without coloration or a body shape that helps them blend into their environment, these caterpillars have developed an ingenious way to try and disappear. They decorate themselves with carefully cut pieces of the plant (typically the flowers) they are living on.
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Acorn Weevil

November 9, 2024 • 2 mins
Fuzzy, light brown in color, and with a snout looking like Pinocchio went on a fibbing spree, the Acorn Weevil has a comical appearance.
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Bumblebees

November 2, 2024 • 2 mins
For most insects, getting a meal relies on their foraging or hunting abilities. Bumblebees certainly fall into that category. However, while they might not be able to grow their own food, they’ve found a way to force their food to grow.
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Confusing Petrophila Moth

October 26, 2024 • 2 mins
The Confusing Petrophila is a moth that instead of laying its eggs on a terrestrial plant, dives into fast moving water (as deep as 15 feet) to lay eggs on algae and aquatic plants for its emerging caterpillars to eat.
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Giant Velvet Mite

October 19, 2024 • 2 mins
Giant Velvet Mites are arachnids and spend most of their lives underground in the soil or sand, becoming active on the surface after heavy rain …the reason that the monsoon season is a great time of year to find them.
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Golden Wheel Spiders

October 12, 2024 • 2 mins
Instead of running away, the golden wheel spider has come up with an alternative (and more effective) method to escape the threat of a parasitic wasp that shares its sand dune habitat. It essentially turns itself into a wheel.
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Olive-Shaded Bird-Dropping Moths

October 5, 2024 • 2 mins
Found all across the United States, the species Ponometia candefacta has evolved to have an unappealing appearance. If you came across it perched on a leaf, you might quickly turn your gaze to something else too.
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