Insect news headlines

Paris might remain in the grips of a reported bedbug infestation, but Australia was one of the first nations in the world to successfully stamp out major infestations of the upsetting critter, experts say.

The government has been forced to step in to calm an increasingly anxious nation over the infestation of crowd-loving insects.

The blood-sucking insects have been spotted in the Paris Metro, high-speed trains, Charles de Gaulle airport, hotels, homes and cinemas.

Some scientists and a YouTuber found the incredible creature in mangroves, then auctioned off the right to name it.

From fear-inducing giant spiders in unusual places to the discovery of mysterious new species, insects from Australia and the rest of the world are fascinating.

Spread to major European cities feared after nearly 100 nests are found on the Italian island of Sicily.

The angry insects turned on the first beekeeper who attempted to recapture them.

Ross River virus symptoms include joint pain, fever and a rash.

More than 100,000 people in the US have become allergic to red meat since 2010 because of a weird syndrome triggered by tick bites, but health officials believe many more have the problem and don't know it.

The department said it is the worst season for the virus in Western Australia in 12 years.

The venom of asp caterpillars can "punch holes" in cells which could help in delivering drugs more effectively.

Those crystal-clear drops can kill a human in as little as 15 minutes, but according to one expert that's just "evolutionary coincidence".

Tens of thousands of Mormon cricket eggs buried about an inch deep in the soil began to hatch in late May and early June. For weeks, the red critters have been invading swaths of northern Nevada and causing chaos.

A fungus, related to Cordyceps fungi featured in the post-apocalyptic series 'Last of Us'', has been observed infecting dung beetles who come into contact with Australian soil.

The smells produced by humans are an important part of what draws mosquitoes to us.

The child died from Murray Valley encephalitis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease that occurs after being bitten by an infected mosquito, in the Big Rivers region.

A child from Western Australia's West Kimberley region has died of the mosquito-borne Murray Valley encephalitis.

Ollie woke one balmy night with burning pain on his forearm. Then he saw the telltale shape of one of Australia's most dangerous creatures.

NSW Health has revealed the first case of Murray Valley encephalitis of the season and set a team of experts to work on mosquito control.

The city state is proving a perfect breeding ground for the mosquito-borne disease.

From blood-sucking insects, to snakes, to gut-wrenching parasites; these are the most deadly animals in the world.

One of the world's most invasive species is getting a foothold in Queensland's southeast, sparking a new trial to eradicate it from the suburbs.

Phylloxera are small aphid-like insects that destroy vines and are regarded as the world's worst vineyard pest.

Mosquito numbers are expected to rise in coming weeks given the relentless wet weather - and it could have a catastrophic impact on livestock.

Keen-eyed Aussies have observed a notable absence in recent years, with scientists unable to provide a definitive answer. 

Their population numbers have skyrocketed thanks to months and months of wet weather.

One expert warns homes have been condemned after attacks from the pests.

There are two things residents in the red are urged to do, as authorities warn of a "high risk" summer.

Every year thousands of orange and black butterflies take to the skies for the longest flight of any insect species known to science.

The thought of having wriggling maggots tipped into an open wound might seem like the stuff of nightmares for some people, but for doctors in the UK the technique is actually a key tool to save lives.

Advice for pet owners is to keep up to date with preventative treatments and avoid stockpiling to minimise the chances of issues this summer.

Come Sunday, Sue Bish will be forced to say goodbye to the hives in her backyard at North Lambton in Newcastle.

With flooding rains fuelled by La Niña tipped to continue, the east coast is bracing for an explosion of blood sucking insects.

Swarms of honeybees can generate as much electrical charge as a thunderstorm, new research shows.

Some are born with special advantages, others learn to disguise themselves over time.

From defence funding amid growing south-east Asia tensions to eradicating a species of ants, here's what you might have missed in the federal budget.

From terrifying ant faces and kaleidoscope-like snail tongues, Nikon's 2022 Photomicrography competition has revealed the minute details of insects, sea creatures and human cells.

Canine Ehrlichia is spread by brown dog ticks and can go undetected for weeks.

Good news for those who lament that Bertie Beetles are chocolate insects only in a figurative sense.

NSW's Department of Planning and Environment has called on any visitors to an extinct volcano to report sightings of the rare hot pink slugs.

A new study has estimated how many ants are on Earth at any given time and the number is astounding.

An invasive species of ant spreading across Australia is causing havoc in villages in southern India.

All of a sudden, a spray of Mortein doesn't seem like such a terrible death for a fly.

The deadly honeybee parasite is spreading, with thousands of hives now destroyed and a new warning issued for 'local produce'.

Wriggling or writhing or drying out in the sun, one of the most reliable indicators of wet weather is a worm on the footpath.

This microscopic organism is a killer lurking in soil and plant roots.

Driving down a windy canyon road in northern Oregon rangeland, Jordan Maley and April Aamodt are on the look out for Mormon crickets, giant insects that can ravage crops.

A parasite responsible for the widespread deaths of honeybees around the world has been detected in Australia.

A team of Queensland scientists have made a surprising discovery, which could change the process of recycling forever.

Experts are warning that it's a grim figure for Singapore, whose tropical climate is a natural breeding ground for the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the virus, and for the rest of the world