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Scientists estimate there are some 4,000 bees native to the United States alone—but many of them are struggling to survive in our warming, pesticide-ridden world.
libraries

To Save America's Native Bees, the Oregon Bee Project Is Mapping Every Single One

The project aims to make a complete 'bee atlas,' detailing every single local pollinator.
Kate Raphael September 22, 2023
These industrious beetles can live up to a few years without food, and rarely need water, making them unfortunately easy pets.
objects of intrigue

The Living, Breathing Brooches of the Yucatán

The live, jewel-encrusted beetles called maquechs are tied to an ancient legend, but some worry for their future.
Roxanne Hoorn September 7, 2023
Monteverde, Costa Rica

Reserva Curi Cancha

This wildlife refuge is home to more than 200 species of birds, as well as monkeys, lizards, and other wildlife.
Itakura, Japan

Thousand-Armed Insect Goddess of Mercy

A bizarre statue of a Buddhist goddess made from 20,000 insects.
Spotted skunks perform impressive handstands to appear twice their size and ward off would-be predators.
science

10 Tales of the World’s Quirkiest Animals

A celebration of curious, overlooked, and misunderstood creatures.
April White August 25, 2023
<em>Orfelia fultoni</em> are the only bioluminescent fly species in North America, and the larvae produce the bluest light in the insect world.
caves

Meet the Glowing 'Worms' of the American South

There is a lot to learn about Orfelia fultoni, the only bioluminescent fly in North America, but its larvae put on a show.
Maggie Gigandet August 18, 2023
Nevada State Route 375 was officially designated as the Extraterrestial Highway in a nod to rumors of otherworldly activity, but the desert road offers plenty of more grounded attractions.
abandoned

Nevada's Extraterrestrial Highway Is Full of Earthly Wonders, Too

Explore a catastrophic space rock strike, unique flora and fauna, and millennia-old rock art on this famous stretch of desert road.
Matthew Malinowski August 8, 2023
Joso, Japan

Honeybee Drinking Fountain at Hitokotonushi Shrine

Every summer, this shrine sets up a tiny drinking fountain reserved for thirsty apians.
insects

Podcast: Amazon Night Hikes

Overcoming a fear of our multi-legged friends—at night, in the world's largest tropical rainforest.
The Podcast Team July 26, 2023
Fireflies glow along Japan's Hino River some 450 miles west of Tokyo.
insects

How A ‘Firefly Course’ Is Saving Japan’s Favorite Glowing Insect

At the Moriyama City Firefly Forest Museum, nurturing Genji fireflies comes with homework.
Shoshi Parks July 25, 2023
The Aboriginal people of Western Australia have a long history with the vegetation gaps of the region's inland deserts.
insects

In Australia, Aboriginal Knowledge and the Mystery of Fairy Circles

Building connections between tradition and science.
Line Sidonie Talla Mafotsing June 6, 2023
Helensburgh Glowworm Tunnel.
List

14 Places Brightened by Bioluminescence

Where nature puts on its very own light show.
Jonathan Carey June 5, 2023
science

Podcast: Tick Collection

What can we learn from these blood suckers?
The Podcast Team May 29, 2023
Blue ghost fireflies (<em>Phausis reticulata</em>) zigzag through an Appalachian forest.
insects

Photographing Fireflies, a Love Story

An award-winning photographer shares what these bioluminescent insects have taught him—and how you can capture their beauty.
Emily Dieckman May 24, 2023
Butterfly Garden at Changi Airport
List

Where The Butterflies Roam

Ten places to enjoy the flight of the butterflies.
Jonathan Carey May 12, 2023
Japanese stag beetle (Prosopocoilus inclinatus).
Kamakura, Japan

‘Insect Mound’

Nestled among the bamboos in a temple complex, this art installation serves as a unique memorial to insects.
Scroll down to see a full-scale pain index, with Justin Schmidt's own poetic descriptions.
science

Ranking the Pain of Stinging Insects, From ‘Spicy’ to ‘Shockingly Electric'

Remembering one passionate entomologist who poetically described and classified more than 70 species' painful stings.
Lauren Young April 24, 2023
The Boiling River, or <em>Shanay-timpishka</em>, in Peru was long thought to be a myth.
haunted

10 of Our Absolute Favorite Atlas Obscura Podcast Episodes

Wait'll you hear these wonders of audio storytelling.
April White April 12, 2023