Bugs Need Heroes

It's NATIONAL MOTH WEEK! We are celebrating by discussing a really hefty bug. A real chonker. There are over 1400 species of Sphingidae moths, and they start as juicy, mouthwatering caterpillars. It is a bug that Amanda has met and you may find in your garden on your tomatoes! We discuss some of their impressive adaptations as we create a character inspired by them. Tangents include ugly babies, s...

Amanda tries (and fails) to resist singing the hit single from 2009 by Owl City as we talk about the Lampyridae family of beetles. They have many names, all of them deceptive. They are not flies, they do not produce heat or lightning, and they are not worms, but they are very buggy. Tangents include the book/film adaptation Where'd You Go Bernadette , the Fey, and several other things that Produce...

It's a rambunctious episode as Just the Zoo of Us Podcast host Ellen Weatherford joins us to settle a debate: are shrimps bugs? Are mantis shrimps shrimps? We discuss how they may or may not be turning into crabs and what they might think of sunsets. Tangents include Godzilla, weddings, pet store stories, internet memes, Sailor Moon and anime translations.   Kelly's Field Notes for this episode: h...

Remain calm.   Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad with assistance from Chelsey Bawden Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimme...

This week Kelly and Amanda talk about an extremely buggy bug. Is this best bug? Maybe! Tangents include why chess sucks, scrub jays, and spoilers for The Menu.   Kelly's Field Notes for this episode: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/the-dash   Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https...

Content Warning for the episode: discussion of adult topics, including sexual assault and BDSM. This week Amanda and Kelly discuss a weird group of beetles and its unusual life history and its role in history as a supposed aphrodisiac. Although we mostly focus on the Oil Beetles (Meloe genus), we also talk about some other blister beetles including spanish fly (Lytta vesicatoria). Tangents include...

While this moth itself isn't very impressive, it has had an interesting story coinciding with the industrial revolution and the theory of evolution. Kelly discusses genetics and industrial melanism. Amanda discusses dinosaurs and dancing.    We recorded video for this episode and a portion of it is on youtube if you want to see pictures of the moths: https://youtu.be/c5pgfBdBCBk   Kelly's Field No...

Another cute bug this week! Mole crickets live in the soil and build musical instruments to augment their melodies. Tangents include Disney movies, exploding whales, marching band energy. And Kelly still hasn't seen A Bug's Life.   Kelly's field notes and Amanda's artwork: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/underground-musician   The KATU News footage of the exploding whale in Florence, Orego...

On this week's episode, we talk about the spring-time sensation: carpet beetles! We also discuss how their cousins in the Dermestidae family are used in taxidermy and forensic entomology. We contrast the amazing eating abilities of carpet beetles with some of the misfits of DC Comics' Legion of Super-Heroes. Tangents in this episode dogs (both good and hot), being too hot, having long hair, and th...

This week Amanda and Kelly are joined by Roger McMullan to talk about periodical Cicadas and his graphic novel about them. Amanda has never seen a cicada. We talk about predator satiation, brooding, and the ever-present desire to scream. Tangents include road trips, lantern flies, eating bugs. Mentioned in the episode: Roger's graphic novel: https://mcmullanhouse.org/portfolio/cicadapocalypse/   C...

This episode we discuss an adventurous arachnid with a powerful presence and a tender heart. Tangents include cookies, the films of George Lucas, and the parietal eye of some almost-lizards.   Kelly's field notes and Amanda's artwork:  https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/dr-m-grampus   Arachnid poaching was mentioned in this podcast . Watch them dig in All Bugs Go To Kevin!   Huge thanks to Ba...

This episode Amanda learns about a bug didn't know that she kinda knew when we discuss Robber Flies (family Asilidae). We talk about their protective beards, mobile pupae, impressive disguises. Tangents include Michael Fassbender, Percy Jackson, and other bugs that we love. Can you we've been playing a lot of Baldur's Gate 3 lately?   Kelly's field notes and Amanda's artwork:  https://www.bugsneed...

This episode contains discussion of sexual behaviors in katydids, which is surprisingly gross.  This is our Valentine's Day episode. This week we try to discuss katydids (Family: Tettigoniidae) but we get awfully off track. Tangents include discounted chocolate, PalWorld vs Pokemon, the musical CATS, and many other things that we had to cut for time. And Kelly gives an update on becoming Dr Kelly....

This episode contains discussion of sexual behaviors in isopods and other animals. This week we are joined by Dr Scott Kight of Montclair State University to discuss terrestrial isopods. They are known by many common names and come in two basic shapes: runners and rollers. Dr Kight has used them to investigate questions about parental care and wider mysteries of biology. Tangents include the gut m...

We talked to Kevin for quite a while so here's a bit more with him!

This week we talk to Kevin Wiener about the facebook group he created that has attracted 160k would-be bug enthusiasts. We talk about overcoming fear, holding spiders, the importance of insects and integrated pest management.    Check out the All Bugs Go To Kevin facebook group: https://facebook.com/groups/allbugsgotokevin   Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on In...

Kelly and Amanda catch up after the holidays to talk about the viral meme circulating around the Sol de Janeiro Delícia Drench Body Butter sold at Sephora. We talk about the precedent of perfumes and other scents being attractive to animals whether intentionally or not and how likely or unlikely that is for wolf spiders specifically. Kelly reviews the lotion and Amanda discusses her fear of big ca...

This episode we decided to three topics: christmas beetles, two species of hairstreak butterflies which feed on mistletoe, and where bugs go during the winter. Tangents include Hallmark movies, Norse mythology, and yule goats. And assistant producer Desdemona interrupts to have some cat yogurt.   Field notes and Amanda's artwork: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/christmas-beetles   Send us...

Amanda says she's never heard of this bug, but I know she has because it was on an episode of Kratt's Creatures that we watched as kids. However, it is nothing like either ants or lions. This puny predator puts its prey in pits! Tangents include pigeons, anime, and Jurassic Park vs The Hunger Games. Somehow, we never even mentioned the Sarlacc Pit from Star Wars.   Check out the character art and...

Kelly finally saw Across The Spider-verse! There are some mild spoilers in her review and the discussion that follows. In this episode, we discuss Kelly's favorite spider family: Lycosidae. Amanda designs a costume for if Kelly was bitten by a radioactive wolf spider. Tangents include yelling cats, fearful husbands, and the cursed knowledge of bird songs.   Send us questions and suggestions! BugsN...

We invited Ellen Weatherford of Just The Zoo of Us podcast on to talk about Pokémon. As of generation 9, there are at least 92 different bug-type Pokémon. We discuss the hits, the misses, and the weird biology of these little guys and how they compare to the real world insect inspirations. Don't worry if you aren't familiar with the games, Kelly wasn't either.   Visual Aid for the parody of Fact o...

This is a special encore for Halloween. This episode was originally released in October 2022. A few new bat species have been recognized since then according to Bat Conservation International and the Bat Species of the World: A taxonomic and geographic databas e.   In this episode, Kelly and Amanda invite Producer Derek on to talk about his heroes: the bats! What if Bruce Wayne had been bitten by...

For a spooky treat/trick, this episode we give a recap of Kelly's visit to Portland and discuss some of our favorite cryptids with special focus on the mysterious appearance of the Homer Simpson of Cryptids in Point Pleasant, West Virginia. Tangents include swooping, Richard Gere, and legitimate chili strategies.   Also Mentioned in the Episode: Eyeshine chart from a cryptid website The Chapman Sc...

We're back! Since Kelly is still working on becoming Doctor Kelly, Amanda hosts this episode all about bug and bug adjacent derivatives. Tangents include art history (OBVIOUSLY), air travel, and children being scared in grocery stores. Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Facebook: https://www.faceboo...