Explaining Insects 🦋 on Instagram: "The tarantula hawk is a large, metallic-blue wasp known for its bright orange wings and powerful presence. Despite its intimidating look, it feeds on nectar and plays a role as a pollinator. Its name comes from its unique life cycle: the female locates a tarantula, temporarily paralyzes it with a precise sting, and uses it as a living nursery for her larva. The larva then develops safely with a fresh food source. The tarantula hawk’s sting is considered one o

Explaining Insects 🦋 on Instagram: "The giant Asian hornet is the largest hornet in the world and one of the most powerful insect predators. Native to East and Southeast Asia, it can reach up to 5 cm in length, with massive mandibles used to hunt other insects. It mainly targets bees, especially honeybee colonies. A small group of these hornets can wipe out an entire hive in a short time by decapitating bees and carrying the thoraxes back to feed their larvae. Its sting delivers a large amount

Nurtle on Instagram: "What looks like a fresh green leaf in someone’s hand is a giant Malaysian leaf insect, one of the most advanced examples of natural camouflage in the animal world. These insects don’t just resemble leaves in shape and color. Their bodies copy leaf veins, bite marks, and uneven edges, making them nearly invisible when resting on plants. Even their slow, swaying movements mimic how real leaves move in the wind. This camouflage isn’t learned. It’s the result of millions of yea