Insects and Arachnids

One entomologist says climate change is creating perfecting conditions for fly breeding. Another's not so sure. But they agree that spring has brought an airborne invasion of the pesky insects.

Seeing a cockroach scutter across your kitchen floor is off-putting for many Australians, but there are some things you can do to keep on top of them. And it's important to note, they can be beautiful.

Otto and Bruno Bell have always loved the natural world. They have become experts on some of the tiniest snails and weevils, and now a species of weevil is set to be named after them.

Heatwaves bring sticky afternoons and sleepless nights — but west of Brisbane, they may have also brought "swarms" of beetles.

The moth or the butterfly? The stick insect or the hoverfly? The beetle or the bee? Can you guess which is the inaugural ABC Australian Insect of the Year?   

Researchers say climate change has the potential to increase mosquito numbers and the transmissibility of mosquito-borne diseases. With some people more prone to mosquito bites than others, experts have reinforced the need to protect yourself from getting bitten.

Phil Warburton is one of millions of citizen scientists around the globe helping fill the gaps in knowledge for entomologists by taking photos of insects that "weren't possible a generation ago". 

The ABC has begun its quest to find out which native six-legged marvel is Australia's most popular insect for 2024. Six experts have selected their finalists for an online poll.

The research sought to decipher how brains are wired and the signals underlying healthy brain functions. It also could pave the way for mapping the brains of other species.

A group of Sydney veterinarian clinics say there are daily reports of pets in a critical condition during tick season, some with potentially fatal paralysis tick bites.

Akin to the famous Van Gogh painting, the starry night peacock spider highlights the rare species' beauty. But some people are concerned not enough is being done to protect the arachnids.

Millions of sterile male blowflies will be bred at a world-first facility and released to mate with females in a trial aiming to end flystrike on the island.

One resident has captured footage of a swarm of tiny flying bugs covering the entire ceiling inside her house. 

When a UK palaeontologist examined rocks collected from rural west England in the 1990s, he found something unexpected: a tiny fossil with a perfectly preserved penis. 

Data on 40 different insect species across 19 countries points towards pollinators and beneficial predator species experiencing an almost 40 per cent drop in productivity.

The honey bee-killing parasite has spread across New South Wales. Now, other states and territories are potentially in the firing line.

Residents and tourists are urged to take precautions after two people died after contracting Murray Valley Encephalitis in WA's Pilbara.

A 12-month trial using Goterra's black soldier fly larvae system will begin with hopes it can be extended to all Sydney residents. 

The ACT government is encouraging farmers to use dung beetles to recycle the nutrients in cow dung into their pastures, with experts saying they improve soil quality and reduce fly numbers — and are cheaper than fertiliser.

Butterflies are flying free in a picturesque forest recently created in the Italian Alps to help with biodiversity research.