Nick Volpe

LOVE LOVE FIDDLER BEETLES!!

YESSSSSS CICADAS ARE THE BEST!

Show me your best bug of 2025! 🪲🎆

Another big year comes to an end and we found over 1000 different bug species between the Amazon & Australia! 🤯
Probably my favourite was this Giant Amazon Silkmoth from Peru! 🦋
I'm keen to see what beauties you guys found this year! 🥰🐝🐞

Bro is LOCKED IN! 🤠
Check this out! An inseparable mating pair of Leaf Mantids (Pseudoxyops perpulchra) from Ecuador! 💚

That small male at the back is hanging on for dear life! We all know what the female will do if she gets the chance! 😅😈

The Mimic Poison Frog! 🥰🐸
One of the world’s most special frogs, Ranitomeya imitator lives up to its name and mimics other Dart Frogs that are more toxic! 😮☠️
In this case here in the Peruvian rainforest it’s mimicking Ranitomeya summersi, a beautiful yellow & black frog! 💛🖤

TRILOBITE BEETLES!!! 😍🌿
Some of the coolest bugs in Asia’s rainforests are these female Lycid Beetles, that look like they’re from prehistoric ages!😱🦕

They retain their larval form as adults and feed on decaying matter in the leaf litter of the forest! 🍂
I get goosebumps every time I see them! 😁

Everyones favourite bees! 🐝
Did you know Australia has over 20+ species of Blue-banded Bees? 🥰

They are all so important for pollination of native flowers and are one of the main factors in our eco-systems being healthy! 🌳🌸
Make sure you are planting natives in your garden to attract these bees! 🌱🌼

ENOOOOORMOUS SNAIL!? 🤯🐌
PLEASE meet the Giant Amazon Land Snail (Megalobulimus popelairianus)! 🧡

These guys are the HEAVIEST terrestrial land snail and are just an all-round extraordinary critter! It was an absolute HONOUR bumping into this one on the beautiful paths of Maquipucuna’s forest! 🌳✨

These tarantulas are covered in urticating hairs, something that @nvolpe.bsky.social and @lucynak.bsky.social learned the hard way... The tarantula does not need to kick its urticating hairs for them to lift off. A small blow of air is enough to do that as well, so always be cautious around them!

MEET MR. MOSSY WEEVIL! 😍👋
This is the most ADORABLE little beetle strutting its mossy stuff around the Amazon! 🌳

LOOK at those adorable little antennas! 🥹💚
Measuring in at one centimetre long, I believe it is in the genus Ulocerus and it is another little GEM found at Manu Biological Station! 🪲💎

Woohoo! 😁
Last night Lucy and I braved the rain in Phuket to find this incredible Whip Scorpion (Catageus sp.) in the rainforest! 🌳

These incredible arachnids live and hunt on the massive boulder systems in the forest, scattering around like they are almost part of the rock!🪨

What a BEAUTY! 🤩
The Rothschildia Silkmoths from the neotropics are some of the most beautiful insects in the world! 🌳🦋
With over 30 species attaining a massive wingspan, they are absolute jewels to see in the dense rainforest! 💎
This one was found at around 1400m in elevation on Manu road in Peru!🌿

Pumpkin Patch Tarantula!🕷️🎃
One of the most incredible spiders in the world, this Tarantula (Hapalopus sp.) lives in the Ecuadorian Amazon!🌳

When people think of Tarantulas, we mainly think of large, plain coloured spiders, but in the neotropics we enter a world of colour!🧡🖤

The Blue Spotted Beauty! 😍🔵

One of the most STUNNING fish in the world, the Blue-spotted Fantail Ray has electric blue spots as a warning sign to predators of its venomous tail spines⚡

These rays patrol the sandy floors at night looking for crustacean and fish snacks! 🦀

It’s currently Australian Pollinator Week, where we celebrate our important pollinators!🐝
These bees are ecosystem heroes and found in every Australian street and it’s our job to protect them!🫡 🇦🇺
Keep planting native trees & say no to pesticides to keep native bees thriving!☀️

The Tiny Bees Powering Giant Eucalyptus Trees! 🐝🌳
Australia's best superheroes are often overlooked! ⭐

Euryglossinae Bees are only found in Australia where over 400 species are pollinating Eucalyptus trees every day! 👊🌸
The catch? They are TINY! Only 3-8mm big! 🤯 (1/2)

Thanks to @wizentrop.bsky.social for letting us know about their incredible specific diet!

Orchid-eating Mossy Stick Insect (Taraxippus sp.) 💚
Another couple of photos of this all so incredible phasmid! 🌿

They live in the dense montane forests of South and Central America where they ONLY feed on orchids, making them even rarer to see in the forest! 🌸

NO WAYYYY! 🤯🤯🤯
Is this the COOLEST stick insect ever?? 💚

This mossy girl (Taraxippus sp.) from Peru was the most incredible phasmid I have ever seen, I could not get over how perfectly camouflaged it was on the mossy trees! 🌳
So in awe of our natural world! 🌿

Bugs of the steamy Mayan Jungle! 🌳🇲🇽
A collage of our BEST BUG finds from staying at @h2ojostulum in Tulum! 🦂🕷️
Who is your favourite bug from here? 🤩 Mine is the Yucatan Red-rumpled Tarantula! 🖤🧡
I wish we could spend more time in the future in Mexico, there is so much diversity to uncover! 📸

WHAT A SPIDER!!! 🤯🤯

BEHOLD, one of the coolest arachnids in the world, the Long-horned Spiny Orb Spider (Macracantha arcuata)! 🕷😍

Found in the rainforests of SE Asia, these magnificent beasts are found usually at head-height in a web they’ve made to catch flying prey!🐞🕸️

We are doing great!! Hope you are too!! ☺️

One of the most IMPRESSIVE snakes I’ve ever seen was this amazing 2m long Oxybelis fulgidus in Ecuador 🌳😍

The speed on these arboreal snakes is intimidating, as they use their rear-fanged toxic saliva to chase down birds, mammals and other reptiles in the treetops! 🐍⭐️

WHAT A BUG! 🤩❤️
Perfectly camouflaged in the mossy cloud forests of South America, this Lanternfly (Diareusa conspersa) flashes its bright red spotted underwings if disturbed! 🔥

This threat display is to make it look bigger and more menacing so predators like birds think twice! 🦜⁉️

It literally has ALL the cool stuff

An ALIEN on earth!? 🤯👽
CHECK OUT this insane Treehopper from the Peruvian Amazon! 🌳
Membracids are known for their bizarre shapes and protrusions, but this genus goes to a whole new level! It is thought this crazy C shape is to aid in camouflage to avoid predation from birds! 🐦😳

CYCLOPTERA!! 😍💚
The big leafy dream! 🍃
One of the most incredible leaf mimics in the Amazon, Cycloptera speculata is one special katydid! 🌳
Camouflaging as your food is one of the smartest ideas, especially when you’re so BIG! We were SO happy to see this BEAUTIFUL BUG!! 🤩

PONGO BOY!! 😍🐸
One of the most beautiful Poison Dart Frogs, Ameerega pongoensis is endemic to the San Martín & Loreto regions of Peru! 🌳🇵🇪

The yellow and blues on this guy are INCREDIBLE! 💛💙
An absolute highlight of our trip with @andes2amazon.expeditions ✨

Dead leaf or BUTTERFLY!? 🤯🍂
Zaretis sp. from the Peruvian Amazon! 🦋
This one got very comfortable on our sweaty clothes and hands! 😅 So lucky!

WHAT A BUTTERFLY! 🤯❤️🖤
One of the most striking insects in the world, the amazing Blood Red Skipper is found in the Amazon rainforest! 🌳

The males are this bold red & black colour whilst females adorn a similar pattern but with most of the wings shining white! 😮
JUST WOWWWWW! 😍🦋💅