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

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?"

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."

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.

"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."

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."

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!"

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."

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."