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PODCAST

Bugs Need Heroes

On each episode of Bugs Need Heroes, an ecologist and an illustrator team-up to create a new insect-inspired super hero. The finished characters are posted to our social media pages and at BugsNeedHeroes.com Email us questions about bugs at BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly Zimmerman. Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman. Edited by Derek Conrad. Character artwork by Amanda Niday. ”Ladybug Castle” by Rolemusic is licensed under a Attribution 3.0 International

science nature

All Episodes

66:04

Springald (SPRINGTAILS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/10/05

Amanda and Dr Kelly Z talk about springtails, which are not insects but are still very bugs. They are their own thing and they are a lot.Bug discussion begins at 8:25 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/springald Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes Hosted by Amanda

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69:50

The Elated Skip Jack (CLICK BEETLES)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/09/21

Amanda and Dr Kelly Z talk about click beetles. These classic beetles deserve a classic superhero look. Tangents include Disney, dinosaurs, and social media (we prefer reddit).Bug discussion begins around 11:00 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/skip-jack Thank you to listener Maria for this suggestion! Editor's Note: episodes may be out of order while we wrap up things from summer. Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on

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71:51

Honey, I Shrunk The Podcast (GROUNDED!)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/09/07

Amanda and Dr Kelly Z review the movie Honey, I Shrunk The Kids and the video game Grounded.Note: episodes may be out of order while we wrap up things from summer. Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad and Camazotz. Created by

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0:32

Whoops!

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/07/13

Producer Derek messed up the summer schedule so things will be intermittent until everyone gets back from family/travel/bug related adventures.

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59:44

Dr Kelly Zimmerman on Spooko Podcast

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/07/06

Kelly guests on Spooko Podcast to talk about the film Prince of Darkness and discuss bug wranglers, 'pre'-biotics, and why so many horror movies about satan assume bugs are bad guys.Follow Spooko on Insta: @_spooko_ Join the Feel Bad Club on our discord: https://discord.gg/mJAJYCChGy And if you're keen for more Peach and Shag, check out our OTHER pod (it's about Gordon Ramsay): @peachandshagsnightmaremethod

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97:17

The Vampire Hunters? (LOVEBUGS) with Ellen Weatherford

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/06/29

Dr Kelly Z is out today and filling in for her is Ellen Weatherford of Just The Zoo of Us podcast to discuss lovebugs (Plecia nearctica). Many tangents in this episode including Florida mullets, Pablo Escobar's cocaine hippos, "shadow daddies," and a history of Batman's sidekicks. Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes Join us on Reddit:

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82:51

A Bug's Life Needs Heroes?

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/06/15

Amanda and Kelly share their thoughts about the 1998 Disney/Pixar movie A Bug's Life.Movie discussion begins at 5:30 Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek Conrad and the darling Clementine. Created by Derek Conrad and Kelly

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73:41

99 Episodes But an Itch Ain't One (FLEAS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/06/01

Amanda and Dr Kelly Z talk discuss the order Siphonaptera. They talk about all the things fleas are famous for: jumping on cats, giving rats the plague, and singing about California. Tangents include Elvira, circuses, and orcas.Bug discussion begins at 8:29 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/99-episodes-but-an-itch-aint-one Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter:

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63:10

Bug Heroes: Joey Santore

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/05/18

This episode we are joined by Joey Santore of Crime Pays But Botany Doesn't.Joey's website: https://www.crimepaysbutbotanydoesnt.com/ Joey's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crime_pays_but_botany_doesnt Joey's YouTube: https://www.instagram.com/crime_pays_but_botany_doesnt Joey's TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@crimepaysbutbotanydoesnt Joey's Book (pre-order link): https://www.crimepaysbutbotanydoesnt.com/concrete-botany-pre-order Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com

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60:45

The Poultry P.I. (CLOWN BEETLES)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/05/04

Send in the clown beetles! Amanda thinks they are the most beetle you can be! Dr Kelly Z thinks they are cute! This episode is not for the coulrophobic! Tangents include Jason Bateman, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and isopods!Bug discussion begins around 9:30 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/clown-detective Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter:

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81:29

The Larva Face (IRONCLAD BEETLES)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/04/20

The uncrushable beetle has arrived in all his bedazzlements. Tangents include America's Next Top Model, Frankenstein, and a lot of wrestling talk. And Amanda picked a name that was already a superhero, so I had to choose a different title.Bug discussion begins around 9:00 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/larva-face Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter:

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70:43

Attaantium (LEAFCUTTER ANTS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/04/06

Amanda and Dr Kelly Z talk about leaf cutter ants. This is an iconic ant. 'Nuff said!Bug discussion begins around 6:00 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/attaantium Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/bugsneedheroes Join us on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/BugsNeedHeroes Hosted by Amanda Niday and Kelly Zimmerman with editing by Derek

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62:11

Bug Hero: The Bee Babette (Dr KIT PRENDERGAST)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/03/22

This episode we are joined by Dr Kit Prendergast to talk about wild bees! How do we protect these important pollinators from the many threats and what exactly are those threats? And what the heck is a lek? We talk about naming an undescribed species after Tom Ellis, costuming, and the challenges of science outreach when discussing honeybees. Unfortunately this is an audio medium so you'll have to go to her socials to see pictures of her dog Zephyr, who has a species named after them now!Facebook

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0:19

Off This Week

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/03/05

At Emerald City Comic Con. Back again soon!

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64:53

Bringing Home a Baby Butterfly (LARGE BLUE BUTTERFLY)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/02/23

There are only seven basic plots: Overcoming the monster, Rags to riches, Voyage/Return, Comedy, Tragedy, Rebirth, and the Quest. The Very Hungry Caterpillar is all seven. Eric Carle himself said its "a book of hope... a way about growing up, how scary it is, but how you can fly into the world with your talents." He is wrong. It is a book of conquest.Amanda and Dr Kelly Z discuss the large blue butterfly (Phengaris arion) which is neither large nor especially blue. This species was once

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59:41

The SciComm Spectre (PHASMIDS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/02/09

Amanda and Dr Kelly Z discuss a popular family of insects and one in particular that is very popular in zoos and museums, the giant-australian-prickly-walking-stick-insect (Extatosoma tiaratum). Tangents include Indiana Jones, pirates, and the weather.Bug discussion begins around 9:00 Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/scicomm-spectre Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bugsneedheroes/ Join us on

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75:56

The Admiral's Insect (TREE LOBSTERS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/01/26

This week Amanda and Dr Kelly Z discuss the Lord Howe Stick Insect (Dryococelus australis). This species was presumed extinct until a small extant population was found and efforts from captive breeding programs in zoos brought them back. It's not quite Jurassic Park but we like it. Tangents include carnivorous deer, ecological niches, and hit musicals.Bug discussion begins around 12:00 Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on Instagram:

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75:12

Bug Hero: Dr Nina Jenkins (BED BUGS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2026/01/13

This episode we are joined by Dr Nina Jenkins of ConidioTec to talk bed bugs and how a fungal treatment called Apprehend she developed can be used to control them. We discuss how a biocontrol agent for aphids, whiteflies, and thrips went through the shark tank and regulatory agencies to your bedroom. Tangents include tarantula people, vampire entomology, and Jurassic Park (always!) Bug discussion begins around 4:50 Send us questions and suggestions! BugsNeedHeroes@gmail.com Join us on

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79:45

Auntie Spider (SOCIAL AND SPITTING SPIDERS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2025/12/29

We take another dip into our spider-verse with a discussion of spitting spiders and spider sociality. Tangents include parenting and homework advice, hamster cannibalism, Superman, Fionna and Cake. It takes a friendly neighborhood to raise a spider (aka a crawl space).Bug discussion begins around 7:10 Kevin's Spider Video: Spitting Spider (Scytodes longipes) exhibiting its "spitting" behavior. Kelly's Field Notes: https://www.bugsneedheroes.com/episodes/auntie-spider Send us questions and

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80:05

The Rising of the Stink Hero (SHIELD BUGS)

Bugs Need Heroes ·

2025/12/15

This week Amanda and Dr Kelly Z discuss the family Pentatomidae, also known as shield bugs but more commonly known as stink bugs. You may have fought them in the video game Grounded. Special attention is given to the Brown Mamorated Stink Bug (Halyomorpha halys) for being an agricultural pest and seasonal nuisance in winter. Tangents include children's names, eating bugs, and how Kelly was married by a sea captain.Bug discussion begins around 10:30 Kelly's Field Notes:

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111 results

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