Interesting Bug Facts

Termites are some of the most fearsome pests. These bugs slowly chew through wood, eventually leveling buildings. If you’re a fan of hard rock, though, you could be dealing with a more dire situation than most – studies have found that termites chew faster when they hear rock or heavy metal music. Scientists think the vibrations help the termites along.

It isn’t just gnarly guitar riffs you have to worry about, though. There are also zombies in our midst. The voodoo wasp is known to lay eggs within caterpillars; once those larvae hatch, they start feeding on the body fluids of the caterpillar they’re inside. That puts the caterpillar in a muted, zombie-like state until the wasps develop further and chew through the caterpillar to use its body as a cocoon to protect the bugs until they reach adulthood. The caterpillar will even thrash around if predators approach.

Most spiders are near-sighted. Despite that impaired vision, a study in the UK found that some spiders have a favorite color – Wolf Spiders are drawn to the color green. The term “cobweb” for an abandoned spider web comes from an Old English term, “attercop,” which means “poison head.” Female spiders can lay 3,000 eggs at a time. That’s why an infestation of spiders can get out of hand so quickly.

Scientists have found evidence of ants from 140-168 million years ago, and they have become incredibly crafty through the years. Fire ants can reproduce without the presence of a male. Certain species of ants can farm. Some capture other ants to use as slaves. Most types can carry as much as 50 times their body weight, but some species can lift 5,000 times their weight. That powerlifting comes in handy when ants go to war; they’re one of just three species on the planet that craft battle formations for their fights. Some types of ants go all-out in a conflict, sacrificing themselves by self-exploding to project a poisonous substance on intruders.

Reproduction is more troublesome for some species than others. Praying mantises finish off a mating session when the female bites off her partner’s head and Black Widow Spiders kill their mates as well. In contrast, aphids are born pregnant and give birth midway through the second week of their lives.

Some of the bugs you don’t think of too often have the weirdest traits about them. Grasshoppers’ ears are placed square in the middle of their stomach. They also have organs within their hind legs that store energy to aid in their long-distance jumps. Honeybees have some odd placement for things, too, like hair on their eyeballs that help them navigate as they fly. And by the way, before you freak out too much about a bee sting (unless you are allergic), it turns out the venom isn’t all bad. It’s used to treat arthritis, tendonitis, and even multiple sclerosis.

Some bugs are downright magical. If you’ve got crickets around, you can go ahead and turn off the Weather Channel. Instead, count the number of chirps you hear crickets making outside. Time them for a minute and divide the number of chirps by 40. That serves as an astonishingly accurate prediction of the temperature!

No two pests are alike. Getting rid of them means carefully creating a plan tailored to the specific problem you’re facing. When looking for a pest control company, make sure you pick local exterminators who know what sort of creatures they’re dealing with. Black Knight Pest Services has been keeping bugs and rodents away from West Virginia homes and businesses for 20 years. For the highest quality care, choose the #1 rated Black Knight Pest Services.