insects

Meet the largest lepidopterans in the world - the Atlas moth. To be honest, we're not really insect people, but this might be one of the most beautiful insects we've ever seen. It takes its honorary place for us right next to the Sphaerocoris annulus that looks like an actual Picaso painting and these stunning and beautiful colorful mantises. 

Insects such as the Atlas moth are the best way to show people that nature - even when you might think that it's a but scary and eww-y - is actually beautiful. And the Atlas moth is an extra special beauty because of its gentle giant qualities. Keep reading to find out more about this incredible insect, and be amazed by how awesome nature really is. 

We don't know about you but when we think of a mantis, the classic green mantis comes to mind. Who in the world knew they could come in such a vast variety of colors, and stunning colors at that? To say we're stunned is an understatement -- mantis are beautiful! 

Bugs are usually something we claim to be beautiful, but they have surprised us in the past! We're just attracted to unusual colors on things we've already decided on how they look. Which is usually brown and not so pleasant to look at. Turns out, there are more colors to little insects than we could ever imagine there would be.

We're not saying we're totally obsessed with insects now but we do appreciate their beauty!

Another Spooktober special! OK, we know what you're thinking, "Spiders? Heck no." And we get that, and we're also like that. However, when it comes to peacock spiders, there's something enchanting about them. Yes, if we were ever in the presence of one, we'd probably run. 

These are just photos and vids, they can't hurt us. Remember that. 

The peacock spider is probably the most beautiful spider out there, with its vivid colors, and disproportional huge eyes, you can't help but think, "OK, these guys can be cool." Much like peacocks, male peacock spiders are the most colorful of the sexes and have displayed their colors bolding when trying to attract a mate. 

As much as they make us squeamish, bugs can be quite cool looking!  

Talented photographer, Pavan Kumar, is able to capture what one might consider impossible... the beauty of insects. For many people, insects just make us feel squeamish. It's a fair assumption to say many people just don't like bugs. At all. And truth be told, I am one of those people. 

Yet, Pavan Kumar has somehow taken these mesmerizing images with such striking colors, you can't help but stop and marble at the beauty that is obviously there. It's a beauty you can't see until you see it. 

We had the opportunity to ask Kavan the simple question, "Why bugs?" Out of everything in the world to photograph, why these tiny creatures most don't care about? Pavan Kumar responded saying, "Insects are the most ignored creatures, thanks to their size. We see colourful birds, elephants, tigers, and lions in wallpapers and HD image galleries, but none of the insects! They're amazing creatures too. They look beautiful too. Let's show the world what is seldom seen!"

Pavan Kumar has accomplished just that, showing the world what is seldomly seen. See more of Pavan Kumar's insanely beautiful photographs on his Instagram! 

It's always fun when you come across something that usually looks a certain way and all of a sudden, you see a new shape within it. Remind us of staring up at the sky and coming up with shapes out of clouds. 

Except, these items really do look unusual to everyone and you don't have to explain what part of the cloud looks like what. Here are 16 different fruits and veggies that somehow grew to look like animals or mythical creatures. We have no idea how they came to look this way but we are grateful for it because they are all delightful. 

Yikes! For anyone who's ever had a wasps nest grow on or near their house -- you know how terrifying (and dangerous) that is. For those who don't know, consider yourself lucky. Wasp stings hurt. A lot. 

But, unlike those pesky mosquitos which serve no purpose but to spread disease, at least wasps contribute to the world by controlling pest insect populations. 

And even though they are beneficial to the human population, it's never a good sign to see these terrifying nests growing so close to home. Twitter user, @thegallowboob, had shared a terrifying image of a wasps nest growing around headlights of a garage, giving it a demonic-look whenever the lights are turned on. Other users began sharing the wasps' nest near them, as well as other creepy animals that hang around their house. 

All we can say is... thanks for the nightmares! 

We're here to teach you all about the birds and the bees! With bird and bee memes, of course! 

Why, what were you thinking? 

We have a deep love for birb memes, this you probably already knew but what about some appreciation for our honey-makers of the world? We do not see a bunch of bee-related memes out there (besides the 'Bee Movie', which shouldn't exist), and that needs to change!

Otherwise, how will the next generation know all about the birds and bees if not through memes? Luckily, that's a thought for another time. We've got a beautiful blend of screaming birds and sweet, sweet stinging bees. Enjoy!

While we do love our super floofy animals, we also have a love for the non-fluffy/furry animals of the world! 

Reptiles, hairless mammals, and maybe even insects? Maybe. We'll see on that one. 

This list is a celebration of all hairless animals in their true, adorable forms. Fur isn't the measure of cuteness when it comes to an animal -- it's all about personality! And these animals below are jam-packed with personality!  

Stop the presses, who in this universe would have thought that caterpillars have such cute feet? 

Not us, that's for sure! There's so much beauty in some insects (sorry roaches, we're just not ready for you yet), and sometimes that beauty isn't really noticeable to us at first. Then you see it in a new light, a fresh perspective, and all of sudden you're thinking the impossible --- bugs can be cute! Like, those tiny tarantula paws! Those were awwdorable!

The 'feet' seen down below are known as the caterpillar's 'prolegs,' "small, fleshy, stub structure found on the ventral surface of the abdomen of most larval forms of insects of the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)."

Well, like we said about the roaches, maybe not ALL bugs but definitely caterpillars and definitely their little feet! 

The eyes are the windows to the soul! 

It's quite bizarre-looking through all these animal and insect eyes and discovering how vastly different they are from one another. It's just mind-boggling to think there are so many different eye colors, shapes, uses, it's just too much to think about! 

Here is a huge list of numerous animals/insects and a close-up of what their eye looks like and what "special features" it may have. 

A majority of these incredible shots are taken by the incredibly talented photographer Suren Manvelyan! Check more of his amazing work here! 

A snail looking at its own reflection? Who knew a snail could be a creature of deep sentience?

Photographer Vyacheslav Mishchenko, that's who. 

This magical and microscopic world is captured by the talented Ukrainian photographer Vyacheslav Mishchenko, who has a gallery full of insects and beautifully shares their little/big world. . 

The photographs are crisp, colorful, heartfelt photos that look like it could be part of a fairy tale.

See the complete whimsical gallery that'll for sure leave you speechless. 

Get ready to dive in a small, but huge, world! The Annual Nikon Small World Contest features the best of the best when it comes to micro photography, all taken with a Nikon camera! And while there is so much beauty in the small details of nature, we've only gather the insects and animal photography below. 

If you wish to view even more spectacular photography, head over to Nikon Small World or you can follow them on Instagram! 

From handbags to ties and insects to sea dwellers, the Japanese artist, Amanoyakahu, has explored a plethora of accessories and creatures. With the inspiration of nature, the work took realistic shape and Amanoyakahu never looked back! You can follow all the new extraordinary work on Twitter or the website.

Who knew tarantulas had such tiny and dare we even say "cute" paws? It almost makes them slightly less terrifying. 

Almost. 

Meet Young-sung Kim, the extraordinary artist from Seoul, Korea, that is about to take your senses on a magic ride! Kim creates insane hyperrealistic pictures that look way too real for the mind to even comprehend that it's just a painting! 

His paintings, oil on canvas, look more realistic than actual photographs!

The Insider interviewed Kim on his process of what he calls, "an advanced, extreme hyperrealism that precedes any reality — more real than photographs and high-definition monitors." 

He continued describing the process and how planning each new piece involves, "collecting small animals, taking photographs, preparing a canvas, sketching, drawing, and painting with small brushes."

Kim also informed the Insider that he works 12 hours per day on creating these masterpieces.It can take anywhere from 3 to 10 months to complete one painting. 

Since Kim was a small child, he's been "collecting, observing, and studying .. I was amazed at the detail and the subtle colors that I saw in my work, just as I looked through a microscope." 

Why hyperrealism? Kim explains, "I have chosen my genre as hyperrealism because people in today's society think of animals and nature as methods of ornament, experiment, and edibility, My genre may be able to make the people think twice about the unintentionally abusive nature of their behavior towards animals and nature."

"Let's take care of small animals," Kim said. "If they cannot live, humans cannot live either."

We completely agree, Kim! Keep creating and loving life! 

Via The Insider