BUGS!!!🐛🐞🦗🦟 I recently started a minor in entomology (study of insects) admittedly for the sole purpose of gaining background knowledge for research in the future, but insects (not just true "bugs") have totally captivated me since. Insects are the most diverse group of animals on the planet, and yet we pay relatively no mind to the incredible little worlds they live in or the critical ecological functions they dutifully perform. All of these pictures were taken within a 5-meter radius just outside my back porch in less than 30 minutes, and there were so many more that I missed as well. I encourage you to take a bug break every once in a while and keep track of how many new species you can "discover" in your own backyard. 1. Order: Hemiptera (true bugs) 2-3. Order: Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, and relatives) 4-6. Order: Coleoptera (beetles), including a predatory larva (5) 7-8. Order: Diptera (flies)