terrandispatches asked: What are your top 5 cutest arthropods?

Goodness. Mmk.

• Any jumping spider (family Salticidae). Some are extra cute, but they’re all super adorable. Here’s a picture of  Opisthoncus polyphemus as an example:

• Basically any moth in the family Saturniidae because they’re all fuzzy with big eyes. They also are generally easily held and not as skittish as other moths, so you can bond with them for a bit and that ups the cute factor. A luna moth for you:
• Aphids, because they’re tiny and squishy looking with innocent little eyes. They’re also tended to by ants who harvest their sugary wastes, so they’re kind of like miniature cattle which is cute. They’re also gregarious and have nymphs instead of full blown larvae, so you can see large numbers of them together of all ages
• Female dwarf flightless scelionid wasps, which I just recently learned about. No explanation needed
• Bess beetles, because they’re also docile and slow moving and easy to bond with. Plus, they live in rotting wood in colonies and care for their young. Perhaps cutest of all, they can squeak when handled as a warning to other beetles in their colony of a potential threat
• Weevils. Pretty much any weevil is cute with their rostra and big eyes. A lot also have cute, flat looking feet

Whoops. That’s six.