21 WEIRDEST Bug Facts (That Inspired HEXBUG Toys)

HEXBUG toys are known for mimicking your favorite insects, but have you ever wondered about the creatures behind the toys? Check out this list of the 21 weirdest bug facts (that are actually super cool)!

**Caution! This blog is filled with some super cool and bizarre facts and images about insects and arachnids. Those with major phobias be warned.**

If there’s one thing I’m sure everyone knows about HEXBUG, it’s that everyone here is majorly obsessed with bugs and creepy creatures. It’s kind of our thing.

Every time the HEXBUG team meets to discuss a new idea for a mechanical creature, there’s research done of the different characteristics and movements of them – so today I’m giving you a glimpse behind the veil into the kind of totally weird and awesome facts we consider when creating our toys.

This isn’t a comprehensive list of facts by any means, but it will give you a glimpse into the interesting world around us and hopefully inspire you to explore it. Take your kids outside this summer and see how many of the bugs on this list you can spot with them! Observe the bugs and see if you notice anything else weird and unusual about them.

Without further ado, here is our list of the 21 weirdest bug facts that served as inspiration for HEXBUG toys:

Scorpion

This insect inspired one of the newest additions to the HEXBUG family, the Scorpion (duh!). Well, it’s not technically an insect. It’s an arachnid like the spider. Did you know that? Check out some other cool facts about scorpions.

1. Scorpions have been on Earth for 300 million years.
2. Scorpions can live as long as 25 years – longer than some dogs and cats!
3. Scorpions glow under ultraviolet lighting.
4. While humans usually fear a scorpion’s venomous sting, only about 25 species of the known 2,000 have enough poison to harm a human.

Sources: Science Kids, ThoughtCo.

Ants

There are over 12,000 species of ants, but the Micro Ant was inspired by some of the smaller varieties like the harvester ant, known for being small and quick.

1. The total weight of all the ants in the world is equal to that of all humans in the world.
2. Of all insects, ants have the longest lifespan. They can live up to 30 years.
3. In proportion to its size, the ant is one of the strongest creatures on Earth.
4. Some ant species make slaves out of other ant species.
5. Ants and humans are the only two species that farm other creatures. Ants farm aphids in a mutualistic relationship.

Sources: Ants Wiki page, Tons of Facts

Scarab Beetle

Beetles are extremely diverse creatures in appearance and other characteristics, which made them a great candidate for a HEXBUG mechanical bug. The HEXBUG Scarab is translucent, but so are some real beetle species. Here are some more cool beetle facts!

1. The beetle is the largest group of organisms on the planet.
2. A species of scarab known as the dung beetle feeds on the waste of herbivores and was sacred to the ancient Egyptians.
3. Scarabs come in a wide variety of colors, ranging from brown/black, to bright colors or metallic shells.

Sources: National Geographic, Just Fun Facts

Fire Ant

Speedy and aggressive, just like it’s real-life counterpart! Check out some mildly terrifying, but mostly cool, facts about the bugs that inspired the HEXBUG Fire Ant!

1. Fire Ants live in colonies that can contain over 200,000 ants.
2. Fire Ants earned their name from their red color and the burning sensation their sting causes.
3. They are highly aggressive and will attack anything that intrudes into their territory.

Sources: Facts Legend, Dusty Ant

Spider

As you can tell by looking at it, the HEXBUG Spider isn’t based on any one species of spider (it’s kind of its own species). But it was inspired by many types! Here are some of the coolest facts about them!

1. Some species of jumping spiders can see light spectrums that humans can’t; including UVA and UVB light.
2. There are over 100 species of spiders that mimic ants in appearance and in pheromone production. This mostly happens to avoid predators, but some use it to help them prey on ants.
3. Giant Huntsman spiders have a leg-span of about 12 inches.

Sources: Smithsonian Insider, Science Kids

Cockroach

I bet you didn’t know that this is one of the bugs that inspired the nano! Like most HEXBUG toys, it wasn’t inspired by one particular bug or species, but a compilation of several. Here are some crazy facts about the cockroach.

1. Cockroaches can live for about a week without it’s head. Cockroaches breath through small holes in their body segments, so they don’t rely on their mouth for breathing. They will eventually die of starvation.
2. They can run up to 3 miles per hour!
3. The largest cockroach in the world is found in South America and is about 6 inches long with a 1 foot wing-span. Yikes!

Sources: Pest World

Questions for You:

• What type of bug is most interesting to you?
• What type of new mechanical bug do you think we should make next?

Tell us your answers in the comments or tag us on social media @hexbug with your answers. Come back next Wednesday to see our next topic.

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