Ideas change everything

Insects

Dung beetles, ants, dragonflies, bees and more! Watch TED Talks about amazing insects.

Video playlists about Insects

Why we need bees

Bees are nature’s tiny workers. These talks examine why they’re crucial to the earth and worth saving.

GROSS!

Poop, parasites, dead duck sex, eating bugs, and many more impolite -- but fascinating -- topics. These talks are for the non-squeamish.

My favorite animal

Some TED speakers are obsessed with one particular animal -- and their joy and passion might just get you obsessed too. You'll meet apes that write! Shrimp that kick! Octopi that disappear!

Insects are awesome!

Bugs are one of nature's wonders. These insect-obsessed speakers talk about how ants form societies, how bees pollinate flowers, and how termites can be quite ... tasty.

Talks about Insects

Jaime Rojo

The magical, mesmerizing migration of monarch butterflies

Charles Wallace

Are there any places on Earth with no bugs?

Wan Faridah Akmal Jusoh

The luminous mystery of fireflies

Luke M. Jacobus

If you're an adult mayfly you'll probably die before the end of this video

Francesca Barbero

Would you raise the baby that ate your siblings?

Maria Elena De Obaldia

Do mosquitos actually bite some people more than others?

Orit Peleg

How fireflies communicate

Charles Wallace

When you're an ant but also a fungus tycoon

Saad Bhamla

The fascinating physics of insect pee

Talya Hackett

Ethical dilemma: Should we get rid of mosquitoes?

Miles Zhang

The bizarre world of parasitic wasps

Frances S. Chance

Are insect brains the secret to great AI?

Barbara Thorne

Coneheads, egg stacks and anteater attacks: The reign of a termite queen

Kenny Coogan

This weird trick will help you summon an army of worms

Ameya Gondhalekar

Why are cockroaches so hard to kill?

Cameron Webb

How to design mosquitoes out of cities

See all talks on Insects

Exclusive articles about Insects

Insects, fungi and algae — climate-friendly foods that could be headed to your dinner plate

Climate change is destabilizing agriculture and our global food systems. So how do we continue to feed the people of the world while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions? These unconventional foods might just be part of the solution.

Posted Jul 2021

Do insects have personalities? Yes they do, says this researcher

Every insect you see is a truly unique individual, according to zoology researcher Melinda Babits. She explains why and how she's studying the personality traits of bugs -- particularly, firebugs -- to find out more.

Posted Apr 2021

Bees can remember human faces — and 7 other surprising facts about these important insects

Bee populations worldwide are declining due to climate change. But it’s not too late to save these amazing insects -- and you can help.

Posted Mar 2021

See all articles on Insects