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Lists about insects, spiders, and other things you don't want living in your house.

Bugs

When it comes to human-eating bugs, you&nbsp;might&nbsp;recall the awful scenes from <a href="https://www.ranker.com/review/the-mummy/2208880" target="_blank">The Mummy</a>&nbsp;in which masses&nbsp;of scarab beetles&nbsp;devour people&nbsp;alive. Well, not to worry -&nbsp;that's a movie myth and those particular insects that feed on human flesh aren't real. That being said, there are still plenty of other bugs out there that do love to munch on people. In fact, bugs that eat people are more common than you might think. To be clear, some of these insects prefer to eat us after we're dead, but quite a few&nbsp;are fine with chowing down on us while we're still alive!In the&nbsp;pursuit of facts about flesh-eating insects, there's a whole lot more to worry about than just the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/people-killed-by-bugs/laura-allan" target="_blank">diseases you can get</a> from bugs - many of these critters consume human flesh just for the calories. Please be aware that some of the following&nbsp;descriptions are quite graphic, and are not fit for people who are particularly squeamish. But, if <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/insects-that-lay-their-eggs-inside-human-beings/laura-allan" target="_blank">bugs don't bother you</a>, then read on...at your own risk.

Being afraid of bugs is pretty much genetically built into our code as humans. You don&#39;t have to look long to find some <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/creepy-insect-facts/allan-dodson" target="_blank">creepy facts about bugs</a>, but there&#39;s&nbsp;always more to fear when it comes to these atrocious arthropods. We may be the dominant lifeform&nbsp;on this planet, but bugs outnumber us by quintillions.

In the rich tapestry of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/insect-sex-facts/aaron-edwards" target="_blank">weird bug facts</a>, the ones on this list make for the kind of&nbsp;cosmic cocktail that would make H.P. Lovecraft proud. More than anything, they make one thing unmistakably clear: Though bugs may be smaller than us, we are powerless against their most lethal capability.

Science

The life cycle of a queen bee is hardly as glamorous as it the name &quot;queen&quot; suggests. In fact, the reality is quite brutal. Nature does not nurture this&nbsp;royal insect. Instead, the queen bee undergoes a serious amount of trauma throughout the entirety of her approximately&nbsp;<a href="http://animals.mom.me/average-long-queen-bee-live-4967.html">one- to five-year lifespan</a>.Many people believe that queen bees don’t sting, or that they die immediately after stinging someone. In fact, the opposite is true. Queen bees do sting. They sting repeatedly. They also get stung repeatedly.Queen bees are bigger and stronger than the other bees in their hive, but their shape and size is not a testament to a luxurious lifestyle. Their lives are lonelier than the lives of their fellow bees, and their fate is often gruesome. Everyone they meet during their short existence is either looking to kill them or waiting to be killed by them.Then, just when it seems nature couldn’t be crueler, humans step in and exacerbate the situation. Queens in human-run colonies are subject to clippings, amputations, and worse. Weak queens are eliminated by&nbsp;a horrifying murderous swarm.&nbsp;Strong queens are separated from their children and companions. And then there’s the egg-laying, the mind-numbing number of babies the queen must give birth to throughout her difficult existence. As you read on, you'll learn that a queen bee’s life is certainly no bed of roses.

Biology

Traveling is so much fun, right? Getting to see different parts of the world, immersing yourself in new cultures and languages, it's all so incredible. Your biggest worry (until now) has probably been losing your passport or something. That's only because you've probably never had to deal with many of the horrific and disgusting&nbsp;parasites you can get while traveling. They can range from annoying, but harmless to so deadly you'll never know what hit you.But you only get parasites if you go to really unsanitary little villages in the middle of nowhere, right? Unfortunately, that's a huge no. Both local and international travel parasites are problematic, so even if you're staying close to home, you might not be completely safe from their... intrusions. If you're itching to know more, come take this distressing little tour and explore parasites around the world.&nbsp;Just a brief warning: Some of these images are pretty graphic and very gross. Fascinating, but really, really gross. So read on, if you dare.&nbsp;

Spiders

Silverfish

I love insects. I do. I fear spiders, but I respect them and try not to let my fear control me when I see one. However, there are bugs that are simply gross. Just really, really gross. Not just ugly (though, definitely ugly), but also nasty in their habits and their behavior. These are the grossest bugs in the world. I know I&#39;ve left some off the list, so go ahead and add any I&#39;ve missed. Vote up the nastiest of the nasty.

These aren&#39;t the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-dangerous-bugs-in-the-world/eric-vega" target="_blank">deadliest bugs in the world</a>, nor the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-insects-list/ranker-science" target="_blank">scariest bugs</a> you&#39;ll ever come across -&nbsp;though some might give you a fright. These little dudes are just super gross - the grossest, nastiest bugs ever.

True Stories

Entomophobia, insectophobia, and arachnophobia all describe a fear of bugs and insects. If a daddy long-legs doesn't make the hairs on the back of your neck stand up, just wait until you read these stories of people who died from bug bites.&nbsp;While it's true that most bugs don't have a personal vendetta against humans,&nbsp;many people suffer severe allergic reactions to stings and bites, which can lead to their death.Contrary to some Marvel comics, bug bites don't lead to superpowers. Spider bites don't make you Spider-Man, and ant nibbles don't make you Ant-Man. Bugs are fascinating creatures, but don't be fooled,&nbsp;a deathly allergic reaction to bug bites can be slow and painful. This list of bugs that killed people is damning evidence.

Animals

Insects, already one of nature's more terrifying things, become&nbsp;even more horrifying - or, depending on how you feel about&nbsp;them, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/pictures-of-insanely-exotic-cool-insects/justin-andress">impressive</a>&nbsp;- when you see them up close. Presuming you, the reader, are human,&nbsp;you never truly come face-to-face with these visages on a daily basis. But thanks to the wonders of microscopes and DSLR technology, you can now point these bugs out on a police lineup if need be. Antennae, mandibles, and big-ass eyes are all on display, showcasing the insect world's extraordinary variation&nbsp;of design. From bees to weevils, the crawlers&nbsp;here have profiles that are simultaneously&nbsp;both creepy and captivating. Try as you like, you <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/10-incredible-insect-and-spider-battles/analise.dubner">cannot look away</a>.

One of humanity's most primal fears is that there is something crawling up your back right now. Seriously, you might want to check that out because a fear of insects resides in just about every one of us. There's good reason for that: there are some insect species who have absolutely no problem causing us real harm and even killing us!Humans may think themselves the dominant lifeforms on the planet, but there are millions of species of insect species in every nook and cranny of the globe. Some of the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/terrifying-insects/jacobybancroft" target="_blank">scariest types of insects</a>, which attack humans, serve up a healthy dose of fear.The main problem with most insects is that you don't have to worry about one insect that attacks humans, you have to worry about a <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/bug-infestations-in-history/mike-rothschild" target="_blank">swarm of nasty bugs</a>. You might be able to swat one pesky bug, but 10,000 of them? That's a different story. Some of the scariest bug species around are rather ugly, which is one of the reasons people fear and despise them, while others are surprisingly beautiful. Despite their appearance, there are several species of insects that are dangerous to humans and should be avoided at all costs—and many&nbsp;are found on this list.

Do you know how many insects are currently crawling over the planet? No? <a href="http://animals.howstuffworks.com/animal-facts/insects-on-earth.htm">Neither do scientists</a>. That’s because these six-legged creatures are so plentiful that entomologists are fairly certain that they haven’t even gotten close to cataloguing all the insanely exotic insects living among us.From the <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-grossest-bugs-on-earth/analise.dubner">stomach-turning and gross</a> to ridiculous and strange, the insects&nbsp;catalogued are so numerous&nbsp;and so <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/10-amazing-insect-defensive-tactics/analise.dubner">diverse in the way they approach survival</a> that they make literally every other species on the planet seem mundane by comparison, practically&nbsp;defying reality itself. You can’t believe the ways nature has crafted its smallest denizens.&nbsp;Here, for your consideration, are some bug pictures that just might blow your mind hole right open.

Natural World

Odds are you are pretty creeped out by centipedes. The scariest centipedes on Earth are different than spiders or scorpions -&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/the-grossest-bugs-on-earth/analise.dubner">centipedes are gross</a>, angry, and malevolent creatures filled with venom and the desire to eat&nbsp;anything and everything they come across. They can crawl into your shoe or your sleeping bag and, in some cases, finding them will be the last thing you ever do. One look at these guys and you'll be paranoid of them slithering their way&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/gross-things-found-in-peoples-ears/jordan-love">into your ear.</a>&nbsp;Why are centipedes so scary? Could it be their legs, their strange bodies, or their (sometimes) deadly venom? Here are some scary facts about centipedes crawling around the earth right now. Warning: these creepy centipede facts might make your skin crawl.

Horror

Ticks

Horror movies about insects are not really a thing anymore, but there are plenty of decent scary insect movies to fall back on if you're craving a film about killer bugs. This list ranks the best killer insect and bug movies, voted on by horror fans like you. There are films like The Fly about a man who is spliced with an insect, while other scary bug movies like The Swarm or Mimic see deadly insects who are trying to kill and eat their victims.If it's horror movies about ants you are looking for, check out Them! or Empire of the Ants, two classic films&nbsp;that feature killer ants. Other insect horror movies include The Deadly Mantis, Black Swarm, and The Wasp Woman.

History

Bug swarms and bug infestations are among the most vile experiences a person can go through. Imagine millions of insects flying or crawling at you, swarming, stinging, biting, and most of all, dying and leaving putrid remains.&nbsp;Even talking about them gives people the willies, and these <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/scariest-insects-list/ranker-science" target="_blank">scary insects</a> are incredibly common, everywhere in the world, throughout history.

History is riddled with tales of insect swarms - hordes of locusts, flies, mosquitoes, and bees making life hellish for anyone in their path. But with climate change leading to warmer winters, the natural cold snaps that get rid of huge numbers of bugs are getting more and more mild. This means more bugs are surviving to be born, and these bugs swarm when unleashed on the world. Combine this with invasive species being introduced into places where they have no natural predator, and you have the perfect conditions for bad news.

Read on to learn more about the bug swarms that were terrible and awful be caught in. These insect infestations are sure to make your skin crawl!

Gross

Do bugs count as “clean eating”? You might want to consider this question if you care about your diet, because many seemingly healthy foods on grocery store shelves are filled with bugs you didn't know you were eating. In fact, the average person consumes about a pound-and-a-half of flies, maggots, and mites annually without even realizing it. The best part? All of this insect ingestion is in accordance with <a href="http://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/ucm056174.htm">FDA regulations</a> for food safety!The buggy truth is, for a whole range of creepy-crawlies, the FDA Manual of Compliance Policy Guide specifies how many (and of what size!) can be in the food we eat. So, since it's “economically impractical to grow, harvest, or process raw products that are totally free of non-hazardous, naturally occurring, unavoidable defects,” according to the FDA, it might be time to wrap your mind around all the unlisted ingredients that are probably in your kitchen right now.The following list provides a gut-wrenching catalog&nbsp;of the most shocking, disgusting, and otherwise unappetizing bugs - from their larvae to their “fragments” - found in foods commonly bought and consumed in the United States. So, the next time you want to take an exotic tour of edible bugs, turn off the television&nbsp;and take a closer look at your dinner.

Imagine walking through a peaceful forest and running into huge prehistoric creatures, like a dragonfly with a two-foot wingspan. Then imagine seeing the world&#39;s largest land invertebrate: an enormous, six-foot-long millipede. During the Pennsylvanian period, massive bugs roamed North America, and the largest was Arthropleura, the millipede king of the forest. Arthropleura&nbsp;was a stunning&nbsp;one-and-a-half feet wide, and it could grow to nearly seven feet in length. The largest millipede fossils ever found, including tracks&nbsp;from the creature, prove that Arthropleura&nbsp;dominated the swampy forests of North America 300 million years ago.

Just like the giant&nbsp;Megalodon, <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/giant-shark-megalodon-facts/jodi-smith" target="_blank">a 60-foot prehistoric shark</a>, Arthropleura was much more giant than its descendants, today&#39;s millipedes. And&nbsp;Arthropleura dominated the Earth long before the dinosaurs, along with <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/prehistoric-animals-that-arent-dinosaurs/eric-vega" target="_blank">many other prehistoric creatures</a>.&nbsp;

So you think you can handle some gross insect facts? Everyone knows bugs are disgusting, but few dare to peel back the layers of weird insect facts to find the true horrors lurking all around us.&nbsp;Insects aren’t just <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/terrifying-insects/jacobybancroft">terrifying</a>, they’re also everywhere. There are about 10 quintillion insects on Earth (that’s a 10 with 18 zeroes), and <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/insect-sex-facts/aaron-edwards">they’re making more every second</a>. And they’re downright nauseating, as these facts about bugs will affirm.The thing about insects is&nbsp;there’s something for everyone. Not afraid of a horde of ants? Flies probably gross you out. Bees don’t bother you? A roach might&nbsp;still make&nbsp;your skin crawl. When you start digging into facts about insects, you’re sure to find something that turns your stomach. If you have a serious phobia or two, now is the time to face your fears. Here are some bug facts that are not for the faint of heart.

This is a collection of some of the most amazing insect and spider battles <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/horrific-explosions-caught-on-tape/jacob-shelton?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">caught on tape</a>. These are all predators - in almost all cases here, they are predator vs. predator... but in some it's a matter of small vs. large. These arthropods have been on the planet longer than we have, and they have developed an amazing arsenal of protective and predatory capabilities, all for survival of the fittest predatory insects. What happens when you match up the most dangerous insects and spiders? Usually when we think of bugs, we think of things to step on, squash or poison... but maybe these bug battles between insects and arachnids will elicit some respect.

Snakes are sometimes reviled for being creepy, slithering weirdos whose bodies are little more than poop tubes.&nbsp;But they can also be beautiful <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/venomous-poisonous-snakes/ranker-science" target="_blank">sirens of death</a>, moving&nbsp;with rare grace before striking their killing blow. Often, the more beautiful the&nbsp;snake, the deadlier it is.

Everyone knows snakes can be deadly, but how can a person&nbsp;tell which snakes are&nbsp;poisonous? It turns out&nbsp;many snake <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/colorful-animals/ashley-reign" target="_blank">colors</a> have evolved over time as a warning sign to <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/scary-snake-pictures-ophidiophobia/nida-sea?var=9&amp;utm_expid=16418821-321.JB5yr2hCTp2WeaBHXzLclg.2&amp;utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F" target="_blank">potential predators</a>. These bright displays are often the first sign that a snake is not one to mess around with. Dangerous snake colors range all over <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/rare-color-animal-pictures/lee-emjay" target="_blank">the color wheel</a>, from <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-white-snake-names/pet-project" target="_blank">white</a> to <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/best-black-snake-names/pet-project" target="_blank">black</a> and everything in between. If a snake&#39;s&nbsp;color pops, it&rsquo;s best to stay away. Wondering what&nbsp;a snake&rsquo;s color means?&nbsp;This guide is here to (colorfully) illuminate you.

Appetites and diets evolve based on&nbsp;the resources that are most plentiful and accessible. Not every culture has the climate and space to raise chickens or cows, but there's one type of animal that can be found just about anywhere: insects. As such, there are culinary traditions around the world built around <a class="edS-cl" href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-insect-recipes/rachel-souerbry?ref=internalCrossLinking_keyword">bugs you can eat</a> to provide protein and other necessary nutrientsSo, what do bugs taste like anyway? Like any ingredient,&nbsp;bugs&nbsp;have a variety of different tastes and&nbsp;textures depending on how they're prepared. In fact, there are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/weird-insect-recipes/rachel-souerbry" target="_blank">many recipes that call for bugs instead of </a>a mammal-based protein or fish.&nbsp;And don't worry: some bugs do taste&nbsp;like chicken.&nbsp;

Animal Sex

It&#39;s a question you may never have considered: do insects have sex? The short answer is yes. The long answer is that, since insects can be mesmerizing, weird, and completely dangerous, insect sex is just as insane. The insect kingdom is a place with little sympathy or romance (with some notable exceptions), but it&#39;s also completely fascinating. If you thought your personal life was complicated, these little guys have so much to contend&nbsp;with. The circle of life definitely is not fair.

As horrible as intimacy&nbsp;in the insect kingdom can get, it&#39;s so alien that you can&#39;t help but be interested. How do bugs have sex? The insect world might just be the only place where you&#39;ll find males with exploding junk&nbsp;and females who bite the heads off their lovers. It certainly has more violence and intrigue than most daytime television, and the stakes are the continuation of a species. So, check out the wild facts below and think next time before you reach for the fly swatter.

To many people, caterpillars are adorable, fuzzy little bugs&nbsp;that chew on leaves&nbsp;and turn into beautiful butterflies. At first glance&nbsp;they seem like harmless critters;&nbsp;in fact, some seem like little works of art found in nature. But don&#39;t let their cuddliness fool you - some of these tiny terrors rank among the <a href="https://www.ranker.com/list/most-dangerous-bugs-in-the-world/eric-vega" target="_blank">deadliest bugs in nature</a>.

Some caterpillars, like the deceptively-named&nbsp;puss caterpillar,&nbsp;possess a <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/10-amazing-insect-defensive-tactics/analise.dubner" target="_blank">dangerous edge</a>. In fact, nature is full of <a href="http://www.ranker.com/list/pictures-of-insanely-exotic-cool-insects/justin-andress?ref=collections&amp;pos=10&amp;ltype=l&amp;l=369010&amp;g=1" target="_blank">wild-looking caterpillars</a> that can kill you, or at the very least seriously ruin your hike. A good number of caterpillars have developed defense tactics to ward off predators, such as&nbsp;venom-charged spines on their backs that hurt those who come too close. These toxic insects just want to be left alone, so be sure to keep your distance if you see any on your next excursion into the wilderness. There is no dignity in&nbsp;getting taken down by a fuzzy and cute &ndash; albeit&nbsp;venomous &ndash; caterpillar.&nbsp;

Bugs & Creepy Crawlies

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Bees are industrious little suckers, looking to build their home anyplace and anywhere, humans be damned. Here are a few examples of beehives in slightly inconvenient places, such as cars, kitchens, bathrooms, and pretty much anyplace where humans share space. Vote up the strangest locations for a beehive.&nbsp;

Beehives Discovered Where There Shouldn't Be Hives

Beehives Where There Shouldn't Be Hives

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Bees are industrious little suckers, looking to build their home anyplace and anywhere, humans be damned. Here are a few examples of beehives in slightly ...