10 Pests with Cool Superpowers

Happy National Superhero Day! It’s no secret that insects and arachnids of all kinds have incredible abilities that humans do not. Flight, web-building, bioluminescence, and various breathing methods abound in the animal kingdom. However, there are some insects and arachnids that possess what we can only call superpowers that allow them to survive and thrive in this predator-eat-prey world.

Aphids

Aphids are extremely small pests that can destroy a garden if they are left there for too long. But they seem to have a power that keeps them going strong: bodies that act as solar panels. This is still being studied, and they may not have this power to the extent that we originally thought, but the idea is that they get energy from the sun as it is processed through their bodies. Aphids produce carotenoids, pigments that help their immune system stay so strong. This is also what is manufactured to help plants during photosynthesis, which similarly uses the sun to absorb and retain energy. The sun gives a lot of insects the natural drive to hunt and eat, so most of them naturally thrive under the sun’s rays anyway. But it makes sense that aphids would use the sun for energy, since they seem to need a lot of that to eat our plants! 

Bark Spiders

The superpower of these spiders isn’t their alarmingly large size, but rather, the insane amount of webbing that they produce in the wild. The webs from these spiders are known to be about thirty square feet wide and eighty feet long. The strands are one-inch thick, so you would definitely know if you accidentally walked into one of these. The web is estimated to be about 10 times stronger than Kevlar, the material used for heat- and cut-abrasive clothing! It is said to be the strongest natural substance on Earth, which makes sense given those statistics. These spiders are found in the complete wilderness, mainly in Madagascar, so we don’t have to worry about them inhabiting our backyards. Some scholars believe that the webs of bark spiders can catch birds and bats, though this has not been scientifically proven. But given the measurements and strength, it’s easy to believe. 

Bees

Although bees are known to communicate with one another through a form of dance, that is not the superpower we are talking about. Rather, it is the directions behind the dance that seems to be beyond our natural understanding. In short, it is assumed through testing that bees know the earth is round and use the sun’s angles to tell their fellow bees where the best source of nectar and pollen is. The speaker will wiggle its body in the direction of the source, and use angles and size to dictate the exact location. A smaller dance means the source is further away from the hive. Bees can also fly for a wild amount of time, and are believed to travel around five miles if the nectar and pollen are strong enough! Since a lot of foraging and gathering only produces small amounts of honey, bees need to find the best sources possible in order to maximize their output. Bees are hard workers, but it’s amazing to learn that they are also unknowingly very scientific. 

Bombardier Beetles

These strange beetles have the superpower of naturally producing a substance that has the ability to harm or kill their prey! They have chambers within their abdomen that contains a boiling and corrosive liquid. When they are threatened or hunting, they will spray the victim with this dangerous substance through the tip of their abdomen. The chambers actually serve a higher purpose than just holding the liquid. They also protect the bombardier beetle from being killed by its own weapon. They can also rotate the tip of their abdomen to about 270 degrees, so they have mobility in range. This liquid is detrimental to small creatures, but won’t kill us since the beetle is so much smaller and likes to stay hidden anyway. Since they live in the woods and eat small insects, it is fortunately unlikely that we will stumble across bombardier beetles in a suburban backyard. 

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are one of the most despised common pests out there, but they also have an annoyingly impressive superpower. They can hold their breath for up to forty minutes, and can be submerged in water for up to thirty minutes! This is partly how they have obtained the reputation of being indestructible and surviving anything. This is also why it’s basically impossible to drown them or wash them away with water if you find one in the shower or sink. Cockroaches actually hold their breath in general life in order to regulate their loss of water. So cockroaches are constantly having a hold-your-breath contest with themselves, and they always come out on top. Another superpower to note is that they can run up to three miles per hour, which is not something that you want to hear. But it’s good information to have in case you come across one. A good rule of thumb is to call in pest control as soon as you think you have a cockroach problem since these superpowers give them a high advantage in avoiding any type of homemade pest control remedies. 

Diabolical Ironclad Beetles

The ironclad beetle in general has a tough exterior, but the diabolical ironclad beetle is even more impervious to all kinds of outside attacks. Its exoskeleton can’t be squished, run over, or cracked except for very extreme drilling that lasts for a long time. Considering it can withstand up to 39,000 times its own weight, it makes sense that they seem even more indestructible than cockroaches. The exoskeleton is connected by impact-absorbing and interlocked structures, which is how it can hold its own against most outside forces. The protrusions, or blades, within the shell fit together perfectly and absorb the impact of pretty much everything. So the diabolical ironclad beetle may feel the force of an impact, but it won’t buckle or crack under the literal pressure of it. If there are any cracks, they will basically self-heal with the help of the structures and blades. This tank-like beetle is one insect that we’re very glad they aren’t found in our backyards. 

Fishing Spiders

These nightmare-inducing crawlers unfortunately have the ability to do what we can’t: walk on water. Well, sort of. Similar to water striders, fishing spiders use surface tension of the water molecules to glide across the surface of the water. Since the molecules are more chemically attracted to each other on the top of the water, fishing spiders can stay on top and move quickly and almost effortlessly. They don’t walk on the surface for no reason, though. They only really walk on the surface to escape predators and hunt their own prey. They have tiny leg hairs that can sense vibrations underneath the surface, so any kind of small aquatic creature that moves will be immediately sensed by the fishing spider. They use their monstrously-long legs to snatch their prey and move away to enjoy their meal. Fishing spiders don’t produce webs and their lungs are below their abdomen, so they can also stay submerged for several minutes as they choose. Luckily, they are basically harmless to us, but most people won’t stick around to find out based on their appearance alone. 

Fleas

Fleas are one of the more common pests on this list, but they also have a superpower that gives them the advantage in pestering us and our pets. It is known that fleas can jump relatively high, but in reality, they can jump more than 100 times their own length! This means that they can jump about seven inches in the air and thirteen inches over, since they’re so small. So, unfortunately, they can jump ship easily unless the problem is treated completely and effectively. Shockingly, fleas don’t typically jump from dog to dog like we may think. They tend to stick to their original host, especially when the thousands of eggs are laid. Fleas will start feeding within five minutes of landing on a warm-blooded host, so they start causing problems from day one. Fleas are difficult to see with the naked eye, but that might be good since it would be alarming to see them jumping so high in our homes. 

Locusts

This insect, famous for plaguing farmers and field-owners alike, has a flight-related superpower. While flight is in itself a notable superpower in comic books, locusts make flying more efficient than ever. They extend their middle legs and hind legs back, giving them the best chance of having good flight dynamics. They also twist their wings mid-flight to get them to their destination as quickly and easily as possible. Locusts use wing deformation in their flight, giving them the best direction and momentum possible. Because of this, they use less energy and thrust in flying. They use their conserved energy to ravage crops and fields instead. Most flying insects don’t use all of these fancy tricks in their flights, but that is what sets locusts apart as the most notorious flying pests around. 

Pest Control is the Best Superpower

Although many of these super insects live in the wilderness and won’t come near your home by choice, pest control is still an important power to have on your team. Our experienced team can tackle the toughest of pests, inside or outside. We may not have superpowers, but pest control treatments are super at getting the job done. 

Citations

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Bombardier beetles. (n.d.). National Wildlife Federation. Retrieved on April 19, 2022, from https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Invertebrates/Bombardier-Beetles 

Bushwick, S. (2012, August 20). Aphids may harvest solar energy like plants. Discover. Available at https://www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/aphids-may-harvest-solar-energy-like-plants (Accessed on April 19, 2022). 

Doyle, L.R. (2009, August 27). Bee celestial navigation and non-human intelligence. Space. Available at https://www.space.com/7190-bee-celestial-navigation-human-intelligence.html (Accessed on April 19, 2022). 

Keim, B. (2010, September 20). Gigantic spider webs made of silk tougher than kevlar. Wired. Available at https://www.wired.com/2010/09/super-strong-spider-silk/ (Accessed on April 19, 2022). 

Temming, M. (2020, October 21). The diabolical ironclad beetle can survive getting run over by a car. Here’s how. ScienceNews. Available at https://www.sciencenews.org/article/diabolical-ironclad-beetle-exoskeleton-armor-impossible-squish (Accessed on April 19, 2022).

The desert locust shows the importance of wing deformation in insect flight. (2012, December 4). BU Blog. Retrieved on April 19, 2022, from https://blogs.bu.edu/bioaerial2012/2012/12/04/the-desert-locust-shows-the-importance-of-wing-deformation-in-insect-flight/ 

The problem with fleas. (n.d.). My Pet. Retrieved on April 19, 2022, from https://www.mypet.com/fleas-and-ticks/facts-about-fleas.aspx 

The science behind a fishing spider’s superpower. (2020, October 13). Willy’s Wilderness. Retrieved on April 19, 2022, from https://www.willyswilderness.org/post/the-science-behind-a-fishing-spider-s-superpower