Beautiful bugs
Every species in the Wild Files corpus where beautiful is a defining trait.
138 on file
Atlas Moth
World's largest moth. Wings shaped like snake heads. No mouth, no food, no time.
Blue Morpho Butterfly
Blue isn't paint — it's physics. Wings inspire holograms, fabrics, and solar cells.
Death's-Head Hawkmoth
Skull on the thorax. Squeaks. Robs beehives by smelling like a bee.
Common Eastern Firefly
Glows on demand using a chemical reaction efficient enough to embarrass a lightbulb.
Glasswing Butterfly
Wings you can read through. Anti-reflective coating better than most human glass.
New Zealand Glow-Worm
Not a worm. Hangs glowing fishing-lines from cave ceilings. Catches insects on glue.
Hummingbird Hawkmoth
Looks like a hummingbird. Flies like a hummingbird. Is, in fact, a moth.
Regal Jumping Spider
Recognizes human faces. Plans ambush routes. Probably dreams.
Luna Moth
Pale green ghost of the moonlit forest. Tails that jam bat sonar. No mouth.
Peacock Mantis Shrimp
Sees 12 colors. Punches at 50 mph. The flash is hotter than the sun's surface.
Monarch Butterfly
Migrates 4,800 km — across four generations — to a forest none of them have ever seen.
Orchid Mantis
The world's only animal that mimics an entire flower. Bees prefer her to the real flowers.
Peacock Spider
Tiny dancing spider. Iridescent fan. Has its own choreography.
Spotted Lanternfly
The bug your state told you to step on. Invasive, destructive, gorgeous, tasty.
Walking Leaf
Looks exactly like a leaf — veins, bite marks, fungal spots, the gentle sway in the wind, all of it.
Jewel Cuckoo Wasp
Living jewel — iridescent blue, green, gold. Sneaks into other wasps' nests. Curls into a ball when caught.
Malaysian Dead Leaf Mantis
Looks exactly like a dead leaf — curled edges, vein patterns, fake insect damage, the leaf-in-wind sway.
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
Largest butterfly on Earth — 28 cm. The first specimen was shot down with a shotgun.
Giraffe Weevil
Male: neck 3× body length. Female: rolls leaves into precision origami tubes for her eggs.
Hercules Moth
Largest wing surface area of any insect alive. 300 cm². Adult lasts a week. No mouth.
Madagascan Sunset Moth
Often called the most beautiful insect on Earth. Iridescent green, blue, orange, gold, red.
Orchid Bee
Male orchid bees curate custom perfumes over weeks. Used to attract mates. Only animal that does this.
Goldenrod Crab Spider
Changes color from white to yellow over weeks. Ambushes bees on flowers. No web.
Ebony Jewelwing Damselfly
Dragonfly's slender cousin. 200 million years old. Iridescent metallic body, midnight black wings.
Golden Silk Orb-Weaver
Spins golden silk strong as kevlar. The 2009 spider-silk cape took 1.2 million spiders.
Polyphemus Moth
North America's giant silk moth. 15 cm wingspan. Eyespots straight from the Cyclops. Adult cannot eat.
Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle
Lifts 850× her own weight. The kabutomushi of Japan — kept as a pet, wrestled in arenas, the heart of childhood.
Tiger Swallowtail
North America's tiger butterfly. Yellow with black stripes. Caterpillar wears fake eyes and a smelly orange horn.
Water Strider
Walks on water. Each leg has millions of waterproof hairs. The marine cousin lives on the open ocean.
Common Asparagus Beetle
Major asparagus pest. Brilliant METALLIC BLUE-BLACK with red-bordered cream square spots. Larvae use FECAL SHIELDS.
Carrot Rust Fly
Major NA/European carrot pest. Diagnostic rust-colored tunnels through carrot taproots. Detoxifies Apiaceae furanocoumarins.
Klamath Weed Beetle
Foundational NA weed-biocontrol success. Reduced invasive Klamath weed by 99% in western US in 10 years.
Calico Pennant
Small NA dragonfly with intricate STAINED-GLASS WING PATTERNS. Perches on twigs like a tiny flag or pennant.
Small Carpenter Bee
TINY shiny METALLIC blue/green carpenter bee. Nests in HOLLOW STEMS. Provides maternal care to developing larvae.
Caterpillar Hunter Beetle (European Ground Beetle)
Brilliant metallic GREEN-AND-GOLD ground beetle. INTRODUCED to NA in 1905 to control invasive spongy moth.
Violet Ground Beetle
Brilliant METALLIC VIOLET-PURPLE European ground beetle. 35 mm. Nocturnal predator of slugs, snails, earthworms.
Patent Leather Beetle (Bess Beetle)
EUSOCIAL-LIKE beetle. Adults and larvae live in family groups inside decaying logs. 14+ stridulation calls.
Pink-Spotted Hawkmoth (Periwinkle Sphinx)
Large NA migratory hawkmoth. Pink-and-black banded abdomen. 10-15 cm proboscis (longer than body).
Scarlet Lily Beetle
Brilliant SCARLET-RED beetle. Larvae cover themselves in their own FECAL EXCREMENT for defense.
Long-Tailed Skipper
Brilliant METALLIC GREEN-AND-BROWN skipper with long hindwing TAILS. Migrates from FL/TX/Mexico northward each summer.
Cinnabar Moth
Brilliant CRIMSON-RED-AND-BLACK day-flying moth. Most successful weed-biocontrol species ever introduced to NA.
Salt Marsh Caterpillar
Color-variable wooly bear. Mass autumn migrations across roads and gardens in southeastern US.
Ilia Underwing
Bark-mimic forewings hide BRILLIANT FLASHING hindwings. 250+ NA species. Most-photographed startle-display moths.
Eastern Amberwing
Smallest NA dragonfly. Bright AMBER WINGS. WASP-MIMIC — pumps abdomen up and down like a wasp.
Ailanthus Webworm Moth
Brilliant orange-and-black wasp-mimicking moth. Tracks the spread of invasive Tree of Heaven across NA.
Black Witch Moth
Largest moth in North America. 24 cm wingspan. 'Mariposa de la muerte' in Latin American folklore.
Golden Tortoise Beetle
Tiny GOLD MIRROR beetle. Can DYNAMICALLY CHANGE color from gold to rust-red when threatened.
Marbled Orbweaver
The 'pumpkin spider' — bright orange-and-brown marbled abdomen looks like a tiny jack-o-lantern.
Tomato Hornworm (Five-spotted Hawkmoth)
Major NA garden pest. Big green caterpillar with BLACK HORN. Adult is gray sphinx with FIVE yellow spot pairs.
Ebony Jewelwing
Brilliant METALLIC GREEN BODY with completely BLACK WINGS. NA cousin to the banded demoiselle.
Great Spangled Fritillary
Large NA fritillary with brilliant METALLIC SILVER underside spots. Larvae OVERWINTER WITHOUT EATING.
Dogbane Beetle
Brilliant METALLIC GREEN-GOLD-AND-COPPER iridescent beetle. Sequesters cardiac glycosides from dogbane.
Silver-Spotted Skipper
Most widespread NA skipper. Bright SILVER spot on hindwing underside flashes in flight.
Gulf Fritillary
Bright orange with brilliant METALLIC SILVER underside spots. Sequesters toxins from passion flowers.
Eastern Black Swallowtail
The 'parsley caterpillar' butterfly. State butterfly of OK and NJ. Female mimics toxic pipevine.
Imperial Moth
14-17 cm yellow giant silk moth marked with red-purple-brown maple-leaf patches.
Red-Spotted Purple
Mimics toxic pipevine swallowtail. Same species as the white admiral but evolved into a mimic in the south.
Regal Moth (Hickory Horned Devil)
Caterpillar is the LARGEST in North America. Looks like a dragon. Completely harmless.
Spicebush Swallowtail
Black butterfly with iridescent blue-green hindwings. Larva looks like a SNAKE with eyespots.
Common Buckeye
Six prominent EYESPOTS on the wings. Predator-deflection defense. Partial migrant in NA.
Eastern Pondhawk
Eats other dragonflies. EMERALD-GREEN females, POWDER-BLUE males. Most aggressive NA pond predator.
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Most familiar large NA butterfly. State butterfly of 6 US states. Female has YELLOW and BLACK pipevine-mimicking morphs.
Six-Spotted Tiger Beetle
Iridescent METALLIC EMERALD GREEN beetle. Sprints so fast it temporarily goes blind.
Twelve-Spotted Skimmer
12 dark wing spots in alternating bands. Males develop white 'flash' patches. NA flagship dragonfly.
Azure Bluet Damselfly
Brilliant azure-blue damselfly. Famous 'mating wheel' posture during copulation.
Bold Jumping Spider
Most familiar US jumping spider. Iridescent green-blue chelicerae. Recent research shows she DREAMS.
Brown Hawker
European hawker dragonfly with HEAVILY-TINTED AMBER WINGS visible in flight. 8 cm body, hours of patrol.
Flame Skimmer
Brilliant flame-red dragonfly of western North America. Major desert mosquito predator.
Pipevine Swallowtail
TOXIC. Model for at least 5 mimic butterfly species. Caterpillars sequester pipevine alkaloids.
Common Flesh Fly
Doesn't lay eggs — gives birth to LIVE LARVAE directly. Beats blow flies to fresh carcasses.
Madagascan Comet Moth
Longest moth wing tails on Earth — 15 cm. Bat sonar deflector. Lives 4-5 days. Endemic to Madagascar.
Queen of Spain Fritillary
Largest silver underside patches of any European butterfly. Migrates north from Iberia and North Africa.
Seven-Spot Ladybird
The original 'ladybird.' Named for Mary's Seven Sorrows. Eats 5,000 aphids per lifetime.
Stalk-Eyed Fly
Eyes on the ends of long lateral stalks. Males face off and compare eye-stalk length to settle disputes.
Banded Demoiselle
Damselfly with iridescent dark blue wing band. Water-quality indicator. Elaborate courtship dance.
Brimstone Butterfly
Sulfur-yellow male probably gave English the word 'butterfly.' Lives up to 12 months. Leaf-shaped wings.
Comma Butterfly
White comma mark on hindwing underside. Ragged wing edges mimic a dead leaf. UK comeback species.
Small Tortoiseshell
Bright orange-and-black with blue marginal spots. First butterfly of European spring. UK population in steep decline.
Hornet Moth
Moth that mimics a European hornet so well even entomologists are fooled. Wings are transparent.
Clouded Yellow
Bright orange-yellow migrant. Multi-generational annual migration. 'Clouded yellow years' bring billions north.
Peacock Butterfly
Four enormous peacock-eye spots. HISSES when threatened by rubbing wing veins together.
Silver-Washed Fritillary
Largest European fritillary. Lays eggs on tree bark, not the host plant. Caterpillar overwinters without feeding.
Common Blue Butterfly
Brilliant sky-blue. 75% of her family lives in mutualism with ants. Caterpillar feeds ants honeydew.
Lantern Bug
Carries a hollow snout projection. Maria Sibylla Merian's 1701 'glowing lantern' myth still persists.
Owl Fly
Dragonfly look-alike that's actually a lacewing relative. Giant owl-eyes. Butterfly-club antennae.
Asian Tiger Mosquito
Globally invasive via the used-tire trade. Vectors dengue, Zika, chikungunya into temperate climates.
Red-Blue Checkered Beetle
Iridescent red-and-blue. Adult pollinator. Larva hitchhikes on bees and eats their brood.
European Garden Spider (Cross Spider)
European garden orb-weaver. White cross on her back. First spider to build a web in space (1973).
Ten-Lined June Beetle
Largest western US scarab. Squeaks audibly when grabbed. Males have feathered antennae.
Zebra Jumping Spider
Black-and-white striped jumping spider on your sunny windowsill. Watches you with puppy-dog eyes.
Indian Dead Leaf Butterfly
Wings closed — perfect dead leaf with veins and fungal spots. Wings open — brilliant blue-and-orange.
European Mantis
The original 'praying mantis' — Linnaeus named her for the prayer-like raptorial pose in 1758.
Pink-Toe Tarantula
Tree-dwelling tarantula with pink feet. Defends by SHOOTING fecal matter up to a meter.
White Plume Moth
Wings divided into feathered plumes. Forms a 'T' silhouette at rest. Family of 1,500 species.
Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula
Most popular pet tarantula in the world. Gentle. Goes months without food. Venom yields cardiac drug candidate.
Acorn Weevil
Female's snout is half her body length — drills through acorn shells. Cause of acorn 'wormholes.'
Cochineal Insect
Source of carmine red dye for 2,000+ years. Aztec second-most-valuable trade after gold. In your lipstick.
Silver Y Moth
Migrates billions between North Africa and northern Europe. Ground speed exceeds 100 km/h on tailwinds.
Goldenrod Soldier Beetle
Beneficial garden pollinator + predator. Looks like military uniform. Gathers on goldenrod by the hundreds.
Emperor Dragonfly
Largest dragonfly in Europe. 95% hunting success. Eats prey in flight. Brilliant sky-blue abdomen.
Emerald Cockroach Wasp (Jewel Wasp)
Stings the cockroach's BRAIN. Cockroach becomes zombie. Wasp leads her by the antenna into the grave.
Caddisfly
Larvae build portable cases. French artist had caddisflies build cases from gold and gemstones.
Fall Webworm
Drapes branch tips in silken webs in late summer. Native invasive across Europe and Asia since 1940s.
Giant Leopard Moth
White wings with leopard-spot rings. Iridescent blue-orange abdomen hidden under the wings. Plays dead.
Headlight Click Beetle (Cucujo)
Brightest bioluminescent terrestrial insect. Cuban miners used live beetles as flashlights.
Boxelder Bug
Forms autumn aggregations of thousands on south-facing walls. Same red-and-black mimicry as milkweed bug.
Large Milkweed Bug
Eats only milkweed. Sequesters toxin. Wears warning red-and-black. Major model organism.
Red Velvet Mite
Crimson velvety mite. Appears in masses after rainstorms. Predator and traditional Indian medicine.
Small Emperor Moth
Only saturniid moth native to Britain. Day-flying orange males. Adults cannot eat.
White-Marked Tussock Moth
Bright yellow caterpillar with white tufts and black horns. Bristles cause stinging dermatitis. Female is flightless.
Colorado Potato Beetle
Most pesticide-resistant insect on Earth. Resistant to 56+ different insecticides. Devastates potato crops globally.
Emerald Ash Borer
Killed 100 million ash trees since 2002. Most economically destructive forest insect ever introduced to North America.
Wandering Violin Mantis
Body shaped like a stick, leg lobes shaped like leaves. Endemic to South Asian dry forest.
Common Ground Beetle
40,000 species of beneficial ground predators. Eats slugs, caterpillars, weed seeds. Iridescent.
Asian Longhorned Beetle
Asian invader. Has killed 130,000+ US trees since 1996. Glossy black with white spots and impossibly long antennae.
Scarlet Malachite Beetle
Britain's most beautiful beetle. Emerald-green with scarlet wing tips. Critically declining.
Apollo Butterfly
Translucent white alpine butterfly with red eye-spots. CITES protected. Climate-pressured upslope.
Cabbage White
Most agriculturally damaging butterfly on Earth. $200M+ in US damage per year. Loves cabbage.
Globe Skimmer Dragonfly
Longest insect migration on Earth — 18,000 km. Crosses the Indian Ocean. Truly global panmictic species.
Horse Fly
Slices the skin with scissor-mandibles. Eyes glow rainbow-iridescent. Most painful fly bite on Earth.
Mourning Cloak
Lives 10-12 months. Flies across snow in winter. Drinks tree sap, not nectar. Solar-warmed wings.
Painted Lady Butterfly
Most cosmopolitan butterfly. Multi-generational 14,000 km migration across continents. Billion-strong year.
Queen Alexandra's Birdwing
Largest butterfly on Earth. 28 cm wingspan. Discovered by a collector who shot her with a shotgun.
Red Admiral
Long-distance migrant. Territorial males dive-bomb anything that moves through their patch.
Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider
Garden zigzag-web spider. The cultural inspiration for Charlotte's Web. Stabilimentum function still debated.
Gooty Sapphire Tarantula
Brilliant cobalt-blue iridescent. Endemic to one 100 km² Indian forest. Critically Endangered.
Cecropia Moth
Largest moth native to North America. 18 cm wingspan. Caterpillar is bright green with painted tubercles.
Giant Peacock Moth
Largest moth in Europe. 20 cm wingspan. The species that proved insect pheromones exist in 1879.
Io Moth
Hides camouflaged at rest; flashes giant blue eyes at predators. Caterpillar stings like a bee.
Blue Orchard Mason Bee
One female pollinates as many fruit blossoms in a day as 100 honey bees. Solitary. Gentle. Builds with mud.
Mexican Red-knee Tarantula
The Indiana Jones tarantula. 30-year lifespan. CITES-protected. Gentle and famous.
Spider Wasp
Hunts tarantulas. Paralyzes them. Drags them home for one egg. Sting rated 4.0 — the worst.
Stingless Bee
Has no sting. Maya kept her in hollow logs for 1,000 years. Honey is medicine in three civilizations.
Metallic Green Sweat Bee
Iridescent metallic green. Drinks human sweat for the salt. Key model for evolution of insect society.
White Witch Moth
Largest wingspan of any insect on Earth. 31 cm tip-to-tip. Larva has been seen ONCE.
Devil's Flower Mantis
Africa's largest mantis. Most spectacular threat display in the insect world. Crimson and electric blue.
Ghost Mantis
Mimics a dried leaf so well she disappears in plain sight. Green, brown, gray, ivory phases.
Tailless Whip Scorpion
Looks terrifying. Completely harmless. 60 cm of antenna-leg sensors. Featured in Harry Potter.