Insects

New research reveals that Yersinia pestis was widespread across Europe during the Bronze Age, thousands of years before the Black Death.

Justin chats about the challenges involved in getting a PhD placement and maintaining a work-life balance.

While there are currently only two members of the genus Saurona, many more as-yet-undescribed species are thought to exist.

Think you know your birds from your bees? 

Thai PhD student Chawatat investigates the hidden lives of Southeast Asian bumblebees.

While species focusing on bees produce more floral odours, those focusing on fruit flies make fruitier smells. 

The insects were frozen in time after being caught in amber, revealing rare evidence of how dinosaurs and insects interacted.

Find out why dung beetles eat poo and how some use the Sun and stars when they travel. 

Did you know that flies have been helping us solve crimes for hundreds of years?

Katydids are the earliest known animals to evolve complex communication using sound.

With their pincers, horns and armour, these minibeasts might look terrifying, but luckily for us they are tiny and harmless.

It has never been more important to describe as much of the natural world as possible.

One of the most unusual self-defence techniques in the animal kingdom has been uncovered.

Catch up on season one of our interactive behind-the-scenes live stream.

Leeches, mites and plants found at the site are revealing the ecosystems ancient animals walked over 260 million years ago.

Left alone over time, many graveyards have become secluded sanctuaries where plant and animal life can thrive.

A process mosquitoes use to weather harsh conditions offers new opportunities in the fight against malaria.  

But just when is daddy long legs season and how long does it last?

Mass producing the proteins in the saliva could provide a cheap and effective way to break down polyethylene waste. 

Termites could reduce the amount of carbon stored in wood as the world gets hotter and drier. 

Bumblebees are getting more stressed as the climate warms.

An insect last seen in 1869 has sung again, which could help give researchers clues about where the insect might still be living.

Pond dipping is a wonderful way to look at the creatures that live in and around pond water. 

In spring and summer, you might notice something looking like spit on a plant. 

The beetle usually lives on the warm Mediterranean coast.

A new report lays out how we can prioritise the best selection of habitats to give the UK's 24 species of bumblebee a boost.

The UK's insect population has fallen sharply as the invertebrates are affected by rising temperatures and fragmented habitats.

Air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides can cause as much as a 90% decline in pollinator visits to flowers.

The digitisation of these collections could be worth two billion pounds to the global economy.

Over 30 species globally are named for Christmas Day, recognising their bright colours, place of origin or reproductive cycle.

The combination of a common fungal disease with climate change on ladybirds could cause aphids to become more of a problem. 

A log pile can give home and shelter to some of the smaller inhabitants of your garden.

Ants swap chemicals in their 'spit' to support the most valuable members of the colony. 

Sewage in Britain's waterways has been hitting the headlines recently. But what effect does raw waste have on our rivers, streams and oceans? 

The brightly coloured spotted lanternfly is causing problems in parts of Asia and North America. 

Over recent weeks there have been plenty of sensational headlines about insects invading our homes and causing the evacuation of schools. 

The discovery of a stink bug in a Surrey garden has caused worries the insects may be becoming established in the UK. 

Pollinators and flowers can attract each other with electric fields to maximise the benefits for both, researchers have found.

Officials are investigating after over 60 endangered penguins were reportedly stung to death by bees.

In nature, species will sometimes form unexpectedly close bonds and work to their mutual benefit. 

Australian scientists are persevering in their quest to 'catch 'em all' as they name new species after pop culture icons.

Six new species of dragonflies and damselflies have arrived in Britain since the late 1990s.

Because sometimes more is more.

Ponds are crucial habitat for a great diversity of wildlife.

A garden pond is one of the best ways you can help Britain's wildlife. You can create one in even the tiniest of gardens.

25 fun activities to get you out exploring and reconnecting with nature.

Pollination is not just the work of honeybees. Meet some of the buzzing, bold and beautiful insects carrying out this critical task.

London is a particular stronghold of these magnificent, rare beetles. Discover why, where else they live and how you can help protect them.

Understanding the extraordinary diversity and differences between insects can help us figure out how these species evolved.

In a titanic effort spanning many years, a team of butterfly experts have listed the butterflies found in Colombia to date.

Meet the delightfully fuzzy wasps with an arsenal of defences that make them nearly impervious to attacks by hungry predators.

Find out what eDNA is and how it can be used for conservation. 

They look like bees and pollinate flowers, but these fluffy flies have a gruesome teenage stage that makes them one of the most fascinating species in your local park or garden.

Growing native wildflowers helps provide the right food for pollinating insects, making life better for your local wildlife.

Wildlife photographer and entomologist Dr Piotr Naskrecki introduces the peculiar insects that spend their entire lives clinging to bats for dear life.

We may often think of beetles as being relatively small, but there are some species that reach extraordinary sizes.

Give solitary bees a home by making this simple, DIY bee hotel.

The brown marmorated stink bug is a new invasive species in the UK.

Enthusiasm for beekeeping in the UK's major cities is threatening other local wildlife, according to a new report.

This simple DIY insect hotel is perfect for ladybirds looking for somewhere to hibernate in winter.

They cover an enormous area of the UK and are home to many rare and declining wild plants, insects, amphibians and more.

Can you find these usual summer suspects on your walk?

Gilbert White's talent and passion for observing and recording nature inspired many future naturalists, including Charles Darwin.

With a dramatic nickname and a taste for honeybees, Asian giant hornets are causing panic in North America.

Are you a dazzling dragonfly, lovely ladybird or some other industrious insect? Find out with this quiz.

Meet the beetles that fire a boiling chemical brew at predators that get too close for comfort.

Put on a butterfly buffet and watch these intriguing insects feeding.

Check out these flamboyant flyers who are challenging moths' drab reputation with style.

Discover some standout British beetles, including a particularly vibrant ladybird and a rare rainbow-coloured leaf beetle.

Create a colourful caterpillar and grow your own food all in one activity.

Attract bees to your lawn with clover, grow a mini wildflower meadow, add areas of aromatic thyme and more ideas.

Wildlife Garden ecologist Sylvia Myers introduces some of our favourite finds and how we monitor the plants and animals present.

Singapore is losing its butterflies as forests decline and building programmes boom.

Adventuring unchaperoned in seventeenth century Suriname, Maria Sibylla Merian blazed a trail for women and science.

Find out how to help urban nature and attract more wildlife to your garden.

Did you know that there are more species of fly in the UK than there are mammals on the planet? And they perform some pretty important jobs.

You are never too small to make a difference.

The beetles were collected more than 150 years ago.

The two-year project will help conserve rare plants and invertebrates.

Analysis of centipede venom reveals a huge difference between the groups.

Want to find out what small creatures are crawling around your garden? Follow our steps to set up a simple pitfall trap.

Genes of an elusive Tibetan bumblebee can finally be sequenced.  

Scale parasite flies, of a new fly family for Britain, have been found in the Museum's Wildlife Garden.

Weeping trees, teeth stronger than Kevlar and one of Earth's most spectacular natural events are all shaped by the Moon.

Turning the tide of biodiversity loss is a big job.

Insects from Merseyside were some of the first animals studied in a new project.

Get the facts on when and why ants grow wings and swarm.

Just how much of a threat is the harlequin to the UK’s native ladybirds?

Go behind the scenes at the Museum and discover the huge variety of beetles and parasites in the collection. 

Museum wildlife experts share their favourite signs spring is here or on its way.

This month on #NHM_Live we're putting animal dating strategies to the test.

Found in Indonesia, the bee lives inside termite mounds. 

Crashing numbers will have serious implications on our future.

The small but mighty insects buffer the forests against drought.

The number of microorganisms linked with llama droppings gives clues about the Inca.

They include new dinosaurs, an ancient wombat and a giant shark.

Find out what can happen when fieldwork doesn't go exactly as planned, and how to do a simple DIY science project at home.

Experts argue that changing the way we use land could help bees even more.

What nocturnal insects will you find where you live?

Discover the bioluminescent beetles putting on night-time light shows in Britain.

Scientists are still unsure where the species came from.

In autumn they seek somewhere to hibernate.

A Museum expert explains how this invasive species could cause big problems for beekeepers in Britain.

Wasps and humans may have a rocky relationship. But should these insects be revered rather than feared?

It's been a long, hot summer and now that August is drawing to a close, wasps are out in full force.

As the weather warms up the UK is often swarmed with reports of biting horseflies. A Museum fly expert explains what is going on.

Scientists are studying the way dragonflies fly in the hope of making small planes more stable and robust.

For the first time, scientists have an image of what happens inside an ant's brain when it is infected with a parasitic worm.

Is a mosquito trapped in amber really the way to bring dinosaurs back from the dead? 

Discover how some species effectively use their colourful wings to deter predators.

A Brazilian beetle in the genus Metallactus has been named after an ale.

Bees' pollinating prowess often overshadows many of the insects working just as hard as them. 

Meet the beetles that were unexpectedly found in Cambridgeshire, despite having been extinct in Britain for thousands of years.

Meet some of the animals whose search for a mate may actually be physically painful.

Dr Erica McAlister, a fly expert at the Museum, explains how these small animals are doing great things. 

The adventures of a tenacious female explorer brought to life by comic artist Sammy Borras.

The arrival of a tiny moth in the Wildlife Garden sparked a scientific search of London.

Malaysian dragonflies, beetles, grasshoppers and crickets are being digitised for research.

Whether liaising with cannibals or escaping giant spider webs, Cheesman took the challenges of perilous fieldwork - and patriarchal views - in her stride.

A fourth mandible variation has been identified in some species of Odontolabis stag beetles and it's been named 'Boltcutter'.

Are killer bees really as dangerous as their name suggests?

Dr Erica McAlister hints at why the beloved reindeer may have a bright red nose.

Better watch out - these insects consider your seasonal decor their dinner.

Most social wasps aren't fussy when it comes to finding a spot to settle down.

A chemist who collects insects as a pastime has spotted what generations of British entomologists have missed: a native British beetle, living in ancient Scottish pine forests.

An invasive species of European beetle has been found preying on pear trees in Kent orchards.

Armed with one of the most painful stings on the planet, tarantula hawks are a spider's worst nightmare.

Join the team from BBC TV programme The British Garden: Life and Death on Your Lawn to uncover some of the hidden wildlife you could spot throughout the year.

Living for a week at most, the Madagascan moon moth has a lot to accomplish in its short life.

A new approach to estimating the developmental stage of maggots turning into flies promises to help forensic entomologists with their criminal investigations.

A stunning species with a disturbing diet: meet the butterflies sipping on human sweat.

Magnified images reveal the beauty of these tiny wasps, but mask their gruesome nature.

An X-ray film of a fly pupa undergoing metamorphosis has, for the first time, captured minute-by-minute details of the most dramatic part of the reorganisation process.

Scientists have identified three new species of parasitoid wasp - including two that previously lay undescribed in the Museum's collections.

Dr Erica McAlister, one of the world's ultimate fly fans, introduces some of the strangest-looking flies around, and their equally bizarre behaviour.

A bee species more commonly found in continental Europe has been spotted in Britain for the first time.

Take a look at these photos and see whether millions of years of evolution will outwit you.

While we humans associate pink with romance, in the natural world it can be a warning or part of an elaborate disguise.

Newborn humans take years to become adults - but for butterflies, the miraculous process takes just a few weeks.

A one-in-10,000 genetic sensation - discover the stunning split-sex butterflies.

Delve into the dark world of parasitic wasps and discover their grisly takeovers of living caterpillars. 

Rare insect fossils preserved in amber have revealed the camouflaging technique of carrying debris dates back more than 100 million years.

Meet some of the brightest and boldest creatures in the animal kingdom, where colour is a matter of life and death.

Miniscule moths are using the power of wind to soar over oceans and continents.

Discover the microscopic dimensions of the smallest moths on the planet.

For most butterflies, finding a mate to share their short lives with is their most important mission.

From moths eating their own mothers to carnivorous caterpillars on the rampage, the world of insects isn't always as it seems.

Scientists have imaged the brains of bumblebees in unprecedented detail, revealing the regions linked to learning and memory.

A new group of beetles with a heart-shaped leg joint has been discovered in the Belize rainforest by Museum scientist Max Barclay.