The mere thought of insects is enough to make most peoples’ skin crawl. Despite the general feeling most people have about insects, these creepy crawly creatures are actually quite interesting. In this article, we’ll uncover twenty interesting and disturbing facts about bugs that will amaze you as much as they will creep you out.
5 Disturbing Bug Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
1. Cockroaches Can Live Without A Head
Living in the state of Florida, you are quite familiar with pesky cockroaches. Not only are cockroaches incredibly creepy, but they also carry a plethora of diseases and are extremely hard to kill. According to researchers, cockroaches can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes, can survive nuclear explosions, and can even live up weeks without their heads since they do not need a brain to breathe or move. So next time you see a cockroach crawling around without a head, make no mistake, reflexes are not in play. The cockroach is very alive.
2. Female Praying Mantises Eat Their Significant Other
In most instances, the female praying mantis will eat her male counterpart head first after mating. In some instances, the female praying mantis may start eating the male’s head before they are done mating
3. House Flies Constantly Poop
Many people think this is a myth, but we’re here to tell you that the ordinary house fly is continually pooping. To make matter worse flies also constant vomit and carry up to 30 million different types of bacteria. So, the next time you see a fly land on something you’re eating, think twice.
4. Some Bugs Eat Their Mother
You thought the female praying mantis was terrible for eating her mate? The twisted-wing parasite larvae eats its mother! Twisted-wing parasite larvae live inside wasps, bees, and cockroaches. Female twisted-wing parasite larvae never leave their host and mate by sticking their tail end out of their host insect. Unfortunately, the only way for the female to give birth is for the babies to eat her from the inside out.
5. Caterpillars Can Disguise Themselves As Bird Poop
It’s no secret that caterpillars are a favorite meal of birds. To protect themselves from being a bird’s next meal, caterpillars take on many appearances. Some species of caterpillars can disguise themselves as bird poop, and according to scientific research, birds are three times less likely to attack caterpillars that appear to look like bird feces.
15 Not So Gross Facts About Bugs
- Fruit flies were the first living creatures to be sent out of the earth’s orbit.
- A bee’s wings beat nearly 200 times per second. This equates to 11,400 beats per minute.
- The dung beetle is one of the strongest insects known to man. It can drag 1,141 times its weight. This equates to a human pulling six double-decker buses.
- Mosquitos are attracted to smelly feet.
- Grasshoppers were in existence before dinosaurs.
- There are more species of insects on the planet than any other animal and plant species. In fact, 80% of the earth’s animals are insects!
- One out of every 1,000 female mosquitos carries a disease that could be fatal to humans.
- The average housefly lives for only one month.
- Honeybees have hair on their eyes.
- Female crickets are not able to chirp.
- A snail can sleep for up to three years straight!
- There are certain species of worms native to Australia that can grow to over 4-feet long.
- A slug has four noses.
- Honeybees have to travel 43,000 miles to collect enough nectar for one pound of honey.
- Some species of male spiders pluck their cobwebs like a guitar to attract females.
Final Thoughts
While most insects are completely harmless when living in their own environments, the opposite can be said when they infiltrate our homes. If you are experiencing an ant, cockroach, bed bug, or another type of insect infestation, do not wait to call on a trusted expert. We have years of experience in helping residents of South Florida rid their home of pesky insects. Call on a trusted pest control company to help you implement a solution that will get rid of pesky insects and keep them away for good.
