If you've seen it in a horror movie, an insect probably did it first. Some squirt acid from their butts, others liquify their victims, and then there are those that make zombies out of their prey to satiate their spawn. Bugs are multi-limbed architects of horror. And we're here for it.
To celebrate this most grotesque and gruesome of holidays, here's a look at some of nature's most marvellous insect doom-bringers.
The one with the butt acid
As far as beetles go, the bombardier looks relatively unremarkable, but its nondescript appearance masks a downright crazy defence mechanism. Typically found scurrying around moist woodlands or grasslands at night in search of tasty insects, the bombardier beetle looks an easy target for nocturnal hunters prowling for a snack. However, when threatened, these unassuming insects release a spurt of noxious chemicals ... from their butts. Glands in their abdomens produce an organic acid and a kind of homemade bleach, which are housed in separate reservoirs. When the chemicals are combined in a specialised chamber, they turn into a volatile, boiling-hot liquid that's squirted at any would-be attackers. Sound familiar, xenomorphs?
The one with the stabby face
Picture Gonzo from the Muppets. Now imagine he's red instead of blue. Next, visualise red Gonzo using that big ol' funny nose of his to stab his hapless victims, injecting them with a venomous cocktail that liquifies their insides. Demonic Gonzo ends the show by slurping up the sloshy bug soup using – yep, you guessed it – his comically crooked but surprisingly deadly schnozz. Childhood ruined? You can thank the assassin bug for that.
The one with the zombie corpse in its basement
Who doesn't love a good zombie flick, amiright? To survive the harsh winter, the thread-waisted wasp stashes 'undead' caterpillars in an underground tomb – a larder on which her youngsters can feast. The caterpillars are injected with a paralysing venom before being dragged into an underground lair where they'll remain alive for weeks to serve as fresh food for larvae. Lovely.
For more macabre insect stuff, check out Crazy Monster Bugs this weekend on our streaming channel, Earth Touch TV.