24 Unnerving, Close-Up Pictures Of Insect Faces

By Kirsty 2 years ago

1. Longhorn Beetle

Image Source/ RankerAs terrifying as this is, the longer you look, the more those 'horns' look more like cute dog ears and this one could possibly be kinda cute if you're willing to ignore, you know... How horrifying it actually is when you make eye contact.

2. Ant

Image Source/ Ranker
This is an ant viewed under a electron microscope - and we wish nobody had thought to do this, because look at it. Or maybe don't, because it's what nightmares are made of. The grainy black and white doesn't help, either. Definitely something out of a 80's horror movie.

3. Bedbug

Image Source/ Ranker
If you haven't washed your bed sheet recently, then now's the time to do it - or better yet, just burn them. They say 'don't let the bedbugs bite' and it's not even a joke anymore when they look like this.

4. Lasioglossum Oenotherae (A Species Of Bee)

Image Source/ Ranker
If you've been going around thinking that bees are actually fuzzy and adorable, you might not want to look at this, because it's going to ruin every single species of bee for you. Just everything going on in that hairy middle area is just... nope.

5. Cricket

Image Source/ Ranker
It's very rare you actually see a cricket out in the wild because usually it's just hearing them chirping in the grass, and this just proves why it's probably a good thing you don't see them that much. A face for radio, definitely.

6. Tiphiid Wasp

Image Source/ Ranker
Wasps are awful enough even when you see them from a distance, so getting a close-up is possibly the worst thing ever - and this photo just proves that it is. If you've been stung by a wasp, you know how much it hurts, but looking at this hurts even more.

7. Large Weevil

Image Source/ Ranker
As creepy as this is, there's something kind of satisfying about the way the black and white hairs on the body work so cohesively. But the shape of its head and those huge black eyes mean you'll definitely be leaving a night light on later.

8. Jumping Spider

Image Source/ Ranker
This view of a jumping spider under an electron microscope just proves why so many of us think spiders are so darn terrifying. Jumping spiders have to be the worst, too, because all you can think of is them leaping at your face.

9. Pompilid Spider Wasp

Image Source/ Ranker
What could be more terrifying than putting together the spider and the wasp in the same name? Oh wait, this picture! And why on earth does it have huge mandibles that look like they've been heated in lava just to add something even scarier?

10. Carpenter Bee

Image Source/ Ranker
The carpenter bee isn't nearly as cute or fuzzy as the bumble bee, and that's even before it's zoomed in to this monstrosity. Those holed patterns on its black skin is enough to trigger anyone's trypophobia - or maybe even cause it.

11. Horsefly

Image Source/ Ranker
Horseflies, as the name rightly suggests, are huge, which means they're going to look even more humongous when you zoom in. But you probably weren't expecting a massive creepy eye as big as that one there!

12. Spider

Image Source/ Ranker
If you didn't have a fear of spiders before, you probably will now. When before you might have been thinking those huge hairy black type of spiders are the worst, there's a new horror with this one that looks more bulbous skin than hair. Ew.

13. Broad-Headed Sharpshooter

Image Source/ Ranker
Broad-headed? You're not kidding! When you get over the absolute horror of looking at this, you start to appreciate the intricate orange and black patterns on that massive head of his. And the position of the eyes... chills.

14. Blue Bottle Fly

Image Source/ Ranker
I think we can all attest to how annoying bluebottles are when they get in your home during summer and start banging against a window. But prepare to have them be even more of a NOPE by seeing what they actually look like close-up. You're welcome.

15. Lasioglossum Eleutherense (Another Species Of Bee)

Image Source/ Ranker
There are many species of bee, and all this proves is that every single one of them looks terrifying close up. This particular species has fine white hairs across its face which actually makes it look like an old, greying beard on the close-up!

16. Stelis Foederalis (A Bee)

Image Source/ Ranker
Another species of bee that has more creepy white hairs, but this time these look a little longer and thicker and almost as though the bee has been rolling around in mud. This one has far too many limbs or things sticking out for my liking.

17. Melissodes Trifasciata (Puerto Rican Bee)

Image Source/ Ranker
This Puerto Rican bee has a set of very ominous looking mandibles sticking out in a sharp and pointy way from its face, which just means you don't particularly want to go anywhere near this one. It looks like an evil mastermind, in my opinion.

18. Japanese Beetle

Image Source/ Ranker
The good thing about this Japanese beetle close up is that the metallic green shell is actually sort of pretty, so it's enough to cancel out the unnerving fine white hairs and all those legs and big black eyes...

19. A Mason Bee

Image Source/ Ranker
Here we have another scary bee-close up with more thick white hairs that stick up on top - apparently all species of bee go to the same hair salon. This one looks like it has rather sharp and strong mandibles at the front, which is an immediate nope from me.

20. Cuban Carpenter Bee

Image Source/ Ranker
This looks terrifying on so many levels. It looks like a mob boss or the leader of the insect cartel. It looks like a bee you definitely don't want to mess with, with those huge piercing black eyes and shiny black skin with black hairs.

21. Yellow Pollen Ball Bee

Image Source/ Ranker
This one probably looks the most non-bee-looking bee we've ever seen. But at least this one doesn't have any white or black hairs, it just has a striking yellow body and a scary looking mouthpiece sticking out the front. Great.

22. Honey Bee

Image Source/ Ranker
Probably the most well known species of bee, and mostly because it's the one that doesn't look too scary when you see it out and about with its furry little behind sitting on flowers, so you may be surprised that this is what it looks like close up - it doesn't feel like a honey bee really, does it?

23. Sweat Bee

Image Source/ Ranker
Have you ever heard of a sweat bee before? This bee definitely looks like it sweat and then decided to roll around in some yellow pollen or something. It's sort of adorable when you look at it - at the very least compared to some of the horrors on this list...

24. Peacock Spider

Image Source/ Ranker
As much as any close-up of a spider is unnerving and makes your fight or flight instinct kick in, this one is actually kinda cute when you look at the bright peacock colours and that face with the little legs. Definitely Disney animation material.

25. Yellow Ant

Image Source / The Guardian
You'd think something called a yellow ant would be more... well... yellow. But maybe it's just its head that's black and the rest of its body gives off more of a yellow hue. But needless to say that huge black head is actually terrifying, more so for those lifeless, black eyes.

26. Grasshopper

Image Source / The Guardian
The grasshopper is actually a very unique looking insect as far as the insect world goes, and its long bendy legs and long rectangular-shaped head are its most recognisable features. So how does its head look close-up? Here you go.

27. Brown Wasp

Image Source / The Guardian
If there's anything you don't want to see a close-up of more than once, it's a wasp. This species called the Brown Wasp shows once again some freaky illuminated antennae and mandibles that you definitely don't want to get involved with.

28. Tiger Dragonfly

Image Source / The Guardian
Dragonflies are definitely beautiful insects, so you'd expect something called the Tiger Dragonfly to have a unique pattern - and it definitely does. On its head you can see black and yellow stripes that make it a lot more cool than it is creepy.

29. Soldier Fly

Image Source / The Guardian
Any sort of fly is just an absolute pain, whether you're at home or out and about. And something called the 'soldier fly' just sounds like a much more organised and capable form of annoyance. But actually, the colours on this one look stunning.

30. Black Ant

Image Source / The Guardian
Why does this ant look like its questioning all of its life decisions? Never thought we'd be able to relate to an insect's expression quite as much, but there you go. And something about that whole black body with black eyes and a curved mouth is just a big no.

31. Housefly

Image Source / Wired
The housefly, something we are all more than familiar with. This is one of the most common species of flies. It originated in the Middle East however it has now become a common species all over the globe. They can often be found buzzing around places where people live.

32. Blue DragonFly

Image Source / Wired
The Blue Dragonfly (or the Acisoma panorpoides panorpoides) has this distinctive bright blue appearance. It belongs to the Skimmer family and it is most frequently found in the United Kingdom, particularly around areas of water such as ponds or rivers.

33. Yellow Jacket Wasp

Image Source / Wired
The Yellow Jacket wasp is so named, clearly, because of it's bright yellow appearance - much like it is wearing a yellow jacket. It is a predatory insect, and they are increasingly becoming a pest in many different countries over the world in the summertime.

34. Chrysops

Image Source / Wired
The Chrysops is also known as the Deer fly (and nicknamed the Scotch Cleg) and it is in the family of the Horse fly. It is beautiful appearance as it has these distinctive yellow black and green patterned markings. It is especially common in Western America.

35. Hoverfly

Image Source / Wired
The Hoverfly has a fairly bulbous head as we can see, as well as characteristic black spots. They are also known as flower flies or syrphid flies. They are very good insects to have in your garden and around the world because they are brilliant pollinators.

36. Praying Mantis

Image Source / Wired
The praying mantis is another surprising creature up close. It has a very unmistakable face, with it's characteristic bright green/yellow skin. A praying Mantis is known for being a predatory insect which will hunt and kill others. They are named after the appearance that the insect is praying.

37. Tiger Beetle

Image Source / Wired
The Tiger Beetle is named after the Tiger die to the fact that this species of beetle is known for being the predator among beetles, and for being able to run faster than most of its kind. It has this blue/green colour to it and the unmistakable beetle head.

38. Golden Ant

Image source/ dailymail
The Golden Ant, in all its glory. This is definitely one of the nicest looking ants in terms of beauty. It's golden skin is unusual amongst the species and amongst insects in general. And, the species of the golden ant is exclusive to Hong Kong Island.

39. Camponotus Ant

Image source/ Reddit
The Camponotus Ant looks totally terrifying. In fact, this exact photo won an award in 2022 due to it's horrifying and monstrous appearance. It gave us an insight into the close up features of an ant's face. Ants are creatures so small that we never get to see them with this persepctive ithout the use of microscopic lenses.

40. Mosquito

Image source/ smallworld
Mosquitos are pretty much the most dangerous insect in the world because of the way they transmit different dangerous diseases to many people. And so they have taken the most lives of any other insect. This is not what we expected them to look like up close at all!

41. Thistle Tortoise Beetle

Image source/ smallworld

The Cassida rubiginosa, or otherwise known as the Thistle Tortoise Beetle is native to Eurasia. It has now spread far and wide. This close up almost makes this little guy look like he's frowning right at as. They used to be ised in the States to control the growth of thistles.

42. Earwig

Image source/ smallworld
Earwigs are found on every single continent apart from Antarctica. Meaning, they are very resilient to different climates and weathers, apart from the extreme cold. There are around 2,000 different kind of Earwig species. They live together outside in large numbers.

43. Fiji Wasp

Image source/ smallworld
This kind of wasp is especially found in Fiji, where it is present in huge numbers. And it is considered a huge pest. In the photo the wasp looks almost ethereal and it has a strange kind of beauty to it, with its bright coloured face and delicate antennae.

44. Parasitic Larva

Image source/ smallworld
Parasites live off another creature, by feeding off their blood. And, this parasite is in the form of larvae so it is not yet born. This photograph is extremely close up because to the naked eye this would be imperceptible. Only through a microscope can we see it.

45. Flea

Image source/ smallworld
Nobody wants to get THIS close to a flea. If you've had pets you'll have experienced these little creatures which live off sucking the blood from animals. They are extremely common, and they can survive very easily as well as multiply very fast - making them a pest.
46. Chrysopetalid annelid worm
Image source/ smallworld
Chrysopetalid annelid worms are not common at all and they only live in specific places such as shells, wood or dead corals found in tropical waters such as the Mediterranean ocean. They are referred to as a segmented worm and the bristles we can see are all moveable.

47. Mite

Image source/ smallworld
Mites...these are yet another insect that we would rather not come into contact with. And yet, one of the most common insect ever. Nobody thought this would be pretty close up since they're bad enough when you can't even see them. And we'd be right...
48. Midge Larvae
Image source/ smallworld
Midge larvae. If there's one creature in the world which has to be on the top 10 most annoying it would have to be up there. And this is the larvae of the very common midge fly so it is unborn. And, there's something eerily beautiful about it and the way the vivid colours have been captured.
49. Caterpillar
Image source/ smallworld
Now when we think of caterpillars we think of a cute little creature don't we? At least those of us who read the famous children's story A Very Hungry Caterpillar do. This is not what we expected. At all. The close up reality is terrifying. We'll never look at these creatures the same again.
50. Stick insect
Image source/ DKflickout
Who knew that a stick insect would look like this face front zoomed in? It's surprisingly quite monster like from the front. These little insects are fairly common but they are of course very hard to spot due to their uncanny ability to resemble a tree.
 
 

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