Insectoids in science fiction and fantasy

The term insectoid denotes any creature or object that shares a similar body or traits with common earth insects and arachnids. The term is a combination of "insect" and "-oid" (a suffix denoting similarity).

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Insect-like extraterrestrials have long been a part of the tradition of science fiction. In the 1902 film A Trip to the Moon, Georges Méliès portrayed the Selenites (moon inhabitants) as insectoid.{{cite book|last=Creed|first=Barbara|title=Darwin's Screens: Evolutionary Aesthetics, Time and Sexual Display in the Cinema|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gTV9jLGsOFQC&pg=PA47|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2009|publisher=Academic Monographs|isbn=9780522852585|pages=47–}} The Woggle-Bug appeared in L. Frank Baum's Oz books beginning in 1904. Olaf Stapledon incorporates insectoids in his 1937 Star Maker novel.{{cite book |last=Prucher |first=Jeff |title=Brave New Words: The Oxford Dictionary of Science Fiction |date=2007-03-21 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=9780199885527 |pages=99–100 |chapter=insectoid |access-date=31 March 2014 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lJCS0reqmFUC&pg=PA99}} In the pulp fiction novels, insectoid creatures were frequently used as the antagonists threatening the damsel in distress.{{cite book|last=Caroti|first=Simone|title=The Generation Starship in Science Fiction: A Critical History, 1934-2001|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lKRN9pFu5lwC&pg=PA63|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2011-04-14|publisher=McFarland|isbn=9780786485765|pages=63–}} Notable later depictions of hostile insect aliens include the antagonistic "Arachnids", or "Bugs", in Robert A. Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers (1959){{cite book|last=Roberts|first=Adam|title=Science Fiction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RAaAAgAAQBAJ&pg=PT72|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2006-06-19|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781134211784|pages=72–}} and the "buggers" in Orson Scott Card's Ender's Game series (from 1985).{{cite book|last=Spinrad|first=Norman|title=Science Fiction in the Real World|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EvCsY3IEJ14C&pg=PA26|access-date=31 March 2014|date=1990|publisher=SIU Press|isbn=9780809316717|pages=26–}}

The hive mind, or group mind, is a theme in science fiction going back to the alien hive society depicted in H. G. Wells's The First Men in the Moon (1901). Hive minds often imply a lack, or loss, of individuality, identity, or personhood. The individuals forming the hive may specialize in different functions, in the manner of social insects.

The hive queen has been a figure in novels including C. J. Cherryh's Serpent's Reach (1981){{cite book|last=Westfahl|first=Gary|title=The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy: Themes, Works, and Wonders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3JXnz9x9sO4C&pg=PA538|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2005|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313329524|pages=538–}} and the Alien film franchise (from 1979).{{cite book|last=Csicsery-Ronay|first=Istvan Jr.|title=The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVYxl5ued-oC&pg=PA210|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2008|publisher=Wesleyan University Press|isbn=9780819568892|pages=210–}}

Insectoid sexuality has been addressed in Philip Jose Farmer's The Lovers (1952){{cite book|last=Mann|first=George|title=The Mammoth Encyclopedia of Science Fiction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lb5BwtDeXwwC&pg=PA1915|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2012-03-01|publisher=Constable & Robinson Limited|isbn=9781780337043|pages=1915–}} Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis novels (from 1987){{cite book|editor-last=Bould|editor-first=Mark|editor2-last=Butler|editor2-first=Andrew|editor3-last=Roberts|editor3-first=Adam|editor4-first=Sherryl |editor4-last=Vint|title=Fifty Key Figures in Science Fiction|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V-CNAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA44|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2009-09-10|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781135285340|pages=44–}} and China Miéville's Perdido Street Station (2000).{{cite book|last=Westfahl|first=Gary|title=The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Science Fiction and Fantasy: Themes, Works, and Wonders|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=M_3kNDKhxIcC&pg=PA1201|access-date=31 March 2014|date=2005-01-01|publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group|isbn=9780313329531|pages=1201–}}

The motif of the insect became widely used in science fiction as an "abject human/insect hybrids that form the most common enemy" in related media.{{Cite book |last=Budde |first=Larissa |url=https://brill.com/display/book/9789401210720/B9789401210720-s007.xml |title="Back on the menu": Humans, insectoid aliens, and the creation of ecophobia in science fiction |date=2014-01-01 |publisher=Brill |isbn=978-94-012-1072-0 |language=en}} Bugs or bug-like shapes have been described as a common trope in them, and the term 'insectoid' is considered "almost a cliche" with regards to the "ubiquitous way of representing alien life".{{Cite book |last1=Montin |first1=Sarah |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J98eEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA107 |title=Monstrous Geographies: Places and Spaces of the Monstrous |last2=Tsitas |first2=Evelyn |date=2019-05-15 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-39943-3 |pages=107 |language=en}}

In expressing his ambivalence with regard to science fiction, insectoids were on his mind when Carl Sagan complained of the type of story which "simply ignores what we know of molecular biology and Darwinian evolution.... I have...problems with films in which spiders 30 feet tall are menacing the cities of earth: Since insects and arachnids breathe by diffusion, such marauders would asphyxiate before they could savage their first metropolis".Sagan, Carl (1978), [https://www.nytimes.com/1978/05/28/archives/growing-up-with.html "Growing Up With Science Fiction"], The New York Times; May 28, 1978: Section SM, page 7.

{{in popular culture|section|date=March 2024}}

A wide range of different fiction has featured different insectoids ranging from characters and races:

• Science fiction writer Bob Olsen (1884–1956) wrote a sequence of short stories, two of which involve humans experiencing the life of ants ("The Ant with the Human Soul", Amazing Stories Quarterly, Spring/Summer 1932 and "Perils Among the Drivers", Amazing Stories, March 1934) and one ("Six-Legged Gangsters", Amazing Stories, June 1935) told from the ants' point of view.
• L. Sprague de Camp's novel Rogue Queen (1951), describes the methods of procreation and social mores in a humanoid society patterned after bees.

• The Arthrosians
• The Brood
• Bug
• The Chr'Ylites
• The Horde
• Human Fly
• The Klklk
• The Kt'kn
• The Sakaaran Natives
• Miek
• The Sligs
• The Sm'ggani
• The Vrellnexians

• The Bugs of New Genesis
• Forager
• Mantis
• Charaxas
• The Circadians
• The Freshishs
• Hellgrammite
• Insect Queen
• The Kwai
• The Progeny
• Red Bee II
• The Tchk-Tchkii
• The Tyreans

• The Thraxans

• The Tyranids from Warhammer 40,000{{cite book |last=McCrea |first=Christian |editor1-last=Chan |editor1-first=Dean |editor2-last=Hjorth |editor2-first=Larissa |date=2009 |title=Gaming Cultures and Place in Asia-Pacific |publisher=Taylor & Francis |page=188 |chapter=Watching StarCraft, Strategy and South Korea |isbn=9781135843175 |quote=the insectile and swarm-like Tyranids}}
• The Grekka Targs and Skrashers from StarTopia
• The Thri-kreen from Dungeons & Dragons and especially the Dark Sun{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2010/08/dd-dark-sun-revamp-honors-a-classic/ |title=D&D Dark Sun Revamp Honors a Classic |last=Baichtal |first=John |date=2010-08-30 |magazine=Wired |access-date=2018-10-19}} and Spelljammer settings,{{cite web |url=https://www.thegamer.com/dungeons-and-dragons-playing-thri-kreen-dnd-guide/ |title=Dungeons & Dragons: Everything You Need To Know About Playing A Thri-Kreen |last=Disalvo |first=Paul |date=2022-09-05 |website=The Gamer |access-date=2024-03-22 |quote=the Thri-Kreen, a four-armed people with insectile features}}{{cite book |title=Dungeons & Dragons Lore & Legends - A Visual Celebration of the Fifth Edition of the World's Greatest Roleplaying Game |last1=Witwer |first1=Michael |last2=Newman |first2=Kyle |last3=Peterson |first3=Jon |last4=Witwer |first4=Sam |date=2023 |isbn=9781984859693 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |page=375}} "praying mantis man"{{cite conference |title=Panel Discussion |first=Casey Jex |last=Smith |date=2011-11-06 |conference=D&D in Contemporary Art |conference-url=https://muleabides.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/dd-in-contemporary-art-video-of-the-panel-discussion/ |editor-last=Tavis |editor-first=Allison |location=New York}} appearing as antagonists and a player character race.
• The Rachni from Mass Effect
• The Zerg from StarCraft
• The Bugs from Helldivers and the Terminids from Helldivers 2.{{cite web |last1=Harper |first1=Lauren |title=Helldivers 2 Terminids Enemy List |url=https://www.ign.com/wikis/helldivers-2/Helldivers_2_Terminids_Enemy_List |website=ign.com |publisher=IGN |access-date=7 December 2024 |date=5 April 2024}}

• The Bugs from Men in Black
• The Bugs from Starship Troopers
• The Wasp Woman from Monkeybone
• The Xenomorph from the Alien franchise

• Beetlemon and Stingmon from the Digimon franchise
• Buzz-Off and Webstor from Masters of the Universe
• The Empress of the Racknoss, the Malmooth, the Time Beetle, the Vespiform, the Viperox, the Wiirn, and the Zarbi from Doctor Who
• The Irkens from Invader ZIM
• Stingfly from A.T.O.M.
• Sweet-Bee from She-Ra: Princess of Power
• The Xindi-Insectoids from Star Trek: Enterprise{{Cite web |date=2017-09-22 |last=Howell |first=Elizabeth |title=15 of the Most Bizarre Alien Species Featured in 'Star Trek' |url=https://www.space.com/38243-wildest-aliens-of-star-trek/2.html |website=Space.com |access-date=2024-04-08}}{{Cite web |date=2017-10-12 |last=Buxton |first=Marc |title=Star Trek: The 50 Best Alien Races |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/star-trek-the-50-best-alien-races/ |website=Den of Geek |access-date=2024-04-08}}

• Bug-eyed monster
• Insects in mythology
• Insects in religion
• List of fictional arthropods
• List of reptilian humanoids
• List of piscine and amphibian humanoids

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Category:Science fiction themes

Category:Insects and humans

Category:Fiction about creatures