Feb 14, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: The Strange World of Bug Sex, in Pictures

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Weevils (*Curculionidae*) mating, while their little friend hitches a ride on the male.
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Damselflies (*Zygoptera sp*.). Aww.

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NBD, nothing to see here, just us beetles.
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True weevils (*Curculionidae sp.*).

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Crab spiders (*Thomisus sp.*). Note the size difference between the reddish male and yellow female).
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Stick insects (*Phasmatodea sp.*), looks like twigs but have more fun.

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There are legs all over the place in this photo of striated Tylorida spiders (*Tylorida striata*) mating.
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Treehoppers (*Membracidae*) are among the more ornately ornamented of insects. Often found with crazy horns or helmets, this mating pair has bunny-ears instead.

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An orange male huntsman spider attempts to mate with the green female. This pair began their courtship on the underside of a leaf, then fell off, and continued going. Ultimately, he didn't succeed.
Image: Steffen Richter (Harvard University)
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These earwigs (*Dermaptera sp. *) have formed a nice sinusoidal shape while mating.

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Assassin bugs (*Reduviidae*)...because THAT's what we need more of.
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Longhorn beetles (*Cerambycidae*).

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Tiger beetles (*Cicindelinae*) in silhouette.
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Ground beetles (*Carabidae*).

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Tiger beetles (*Cicindelinae*) are among the fastest animals on Earth, for their size.
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Intimate yellow-spotted millipede (*Anoplodesmus*) moment.

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Net-winged beetles (*Lycidae*).
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This orange emigrant butterfly (*Catopsilia scylla cornelia) is mating while airborne. *

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Big-jawed spider (*Tetragnathidae*).

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