Welcome to the Fall 2025 issue, where we focus on insects, “the little things that run the world” (E.O. Wilson, 1987). Insects are virtually impossible to avoid in daily life — some we like, some we don’t! But before we dive into this issue about these fascinating creatures, I want to say a few words about some of the catch-all terms we use in common speech to describe so-called “bugs” and “creepy-crawlies.” The word “insect” is often used as a blanket term, with many people including spiders, centipedes, or even slugs under it — even though those are not technically insects. And in this issue about insects, we will include poems about spiders.

some common terms

• Bugs — Probably the most widespread generic word. Technically, it refers only to “true bugs” (order Hemiptera), but in everyday speech it means any little crawling or flying creature.
• Creepy-crawlies — A playful or slightly squeamish way to lump insects, spiders, worms, and anything small and wriggly together.
• Critters — Folksy, broad term that can include insects, spiders, lizards, rodents, etc.
• Pests — Usually used when insects are seen as bothersome (flies, mosquitoes, ants, roaches).
• Bities/biters — Informal terms people use for mosquitoes, midges, or anything that bites.
• Gnats — Commonly used for any small flying insect, whether or not it’s actually a gnat.
• Flies — Used broadly (“fruit fly,” “mayfly,” “dragonfly”) even though most of those aren’t true flies.

creepy, crawly, and misunderstood: insects, arachnids, and true bugs

Walk into any garden or peek under a rock, and you’ll likely spot something skittering. Most people would call it a “bug,” whether it’s a beetle, a spider, or even a tick. But here’s the twist: in biology, not all bugs are bugs, and some bugs aren’t insects at all! Let’s untangle the mystery.

Insects rule the animal kingdom. Scientists estimate there are 10 quintillion of them alive at any moment — that’s a 10 followed by 18 zeros. Compare this number to those of other animals on our planet:

• reptiles: 1 billion
• amphibians: 2 billion
• humans: 8 billion
• birds: 50 billion
• mammals (excluding humans): 130 billion
• fish: 1 trillion

Nevertheless, insects rule! There are over 8 million insects for every one of those 1 trillion and 191 billion creatures listed above!

Notice the tiny wings on this termite. photo by John F. Williams

A grasshopper, for example, is a textbook insect. It has two antennae that sense the world, a thorax that powers its jumping legs, and a pair of wings folded neatly along its back. Beetles, flies, butterflies, ants — thousands of species, all of which are insects.

True Bugs: Within insects, there’s a special category called “true bugs.” In entomology — the scientific study of insects, focusing on their behavior, classification, life cycles, and ecological impact — that term is reserved for members of the order Hemiptera, which have piercing-sucking mouthparts for tapping plant juices or, in some cases, animal fluids. True bugs include stink bugs, aphids, cicadas, and water striders. They differ from beetles, flies, or grasshoppers in how they feed and in their distinctive “half-wings,” leathery at the base and membranous at the tips. While we might label any small insect a bug, only a select group earns this official title.

Spider with prey. photo by John F. Williams

Beyond insects and arachnids, there’s a whole suite of non-insect arthropods people encounter. Millipedes and centipedes, for instance, are not insects. Millipedes have long, segmented bodies with two pairs of legs per segment and are slow-moving recyclers of dead plant matter. Centipedes are flatter, faster, and have one pair of legs per segment — plus venom-tipped fangs for catching prey. Neither has wings, and their body plans are entirely different from those of insects.

And then there are crustaceans — the group that includes crabs and lobsters. In northwest Washington, you might bump into their land-dwelling relatives: woodlice, often called “pillbugs” or “roly-polies.” These little armored crawlers aren’t insects either. They’re more closely related to shrimp than to beetles.

Next time you see a tiny creature, pause and look closely: count legs, note body shape and sections, check for wings or antennae. These simple clues unlock the hidden identities of the creatures that scurry, crawl, and fly around us. Even the smallest visitor is part of the garden’s invisible workforce, carrying millions of years of evolutionary history in its tiny frame. Observing them can reveal a thriving ecosystem hiding in plain sight.