Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you.

@ShaulaEvans

Not strictly “bugs”, but if broader entomology is their thing…

CW: spiders

Jumping spiders are some of the most intelligent of all spiders, but sadly their lifespans are shorter than their less intelligent relatives. It is thought that it might be due to the energetic demands of not only jumping but their evolution in developing this intelligence.

Bold jumping spiders (Phidippus audax) are named because of how they will happily (and peacefully) investigate a human if the human offers out a hand or something to explore. Other species are usually more cautious. They also have absolutely stunning iridescent chelicerae. And the white marks on the upper side of some individuals’ abdomens can look like a happy face, like this:

These spiders can also be trained and learn quickly. This is probably due to their style of attacking prey by jumping being very risky, so they use all their eyes, each pair being adapted to take in different information like distance or movement, and calculate how, where and when to jump… and whether it is safe! Some of their prey species use Batesian mimicry - where a harmless species evolved to look like another species that has dangerous defences, without actually evolving the dangerous defences.

These spiders are adorable (this is coming from me, a lifelong arachnophobe), especially when they make hilariously bad errors in their jumps, or turn to look at you when you’re around and talk to them. They’re not always “bold” as their name suggests, but just curious, and can often be very cautious and even get scared by their prey!

Lucas the Spider is a cartoon spider based on jumping spiders and goes a long way to show the cuteness and the trials and tribulations of these smol but impressive spoods.

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

@jetlagjen @afewbugs @ShaulaEvans I think aphids using parthenogenesis can also have "telescoping generations", i.e., they are born already pregnant.

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

@AnAutieAtUni @ShaulaEvans As it happens, I was pointing to a tiny, delicate green-and-white jumping spider (most likely Epeus sp.) on a wooden railing just a few hours ago, and before I finished saying "look at this spider", it had hopped up on my finger, cool as you like. And after several seconds, I tapped lightly on the railing, and it hopped off again. Lovely.

@ShaulaEvans requesting the help of ant aficionado @futurebird

@ghouston @jetlagjen @ShaulaEvans yes they can! https://simonleather.wordpress.com/2013/03/19/living-inside-your-grandmother-the-wonderful-world-of-aphids/

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

Hey, Fedi. I have a favour to ask you. Help me help a friend. (Not financial!)

I have a friend who is all about cool bug facts. They're going through an intense patch in their life, so I would like to send them some bug facts to cheer them up. But this is really their thing, so basic search engine results aren't going to new to them.

If there's a cool bug fact that you genuinely love, could you tell me? I'll save them to share with my friend over time. 1/n

#Bugs #CoolBugFacts #Insects

@ShaulaEvans The Scorpion fly has a tail that looks exactly like the stinger of a scorpion but there is no sting in this tail - only two claspers for use when mating.

@ShaulaEvans oh please tell your friend about the Australian small ant-blue butterfly!

Fun facts:
1. Critically endangered in Victoria but still breeds in Canberra including near my house in the suburbs.
2. The female is more colourful than the male.
3. Has a symbiotic relationship with coconut ants who build nests in dead wood. The butterfly lays eggs next to ant nests. The ants take the eggs inside and feed the larvae. When the caterpillar is big enough it then makes food for the ants. Then it crawls out of the nest, makes its cocoon, and becomes a butterfly.
4. To protect the butterfly, we must protect the ant. To protect the ant, we must leave dead eucalyptus and acacia wood on the ground instead of tidying up our reserves or building houses on them.