# Do insects sleep?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [September 25, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895 "2018-09-25T16:16:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895/1 "2018-09-25T16:16:42Z")

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The 1999 Staff Report: [Do insects sleep? - The Straight Dope](https://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1646/do-insects-sleep/)

Don’t know why the first four paragraphs are in italics; usually only the question and name of the person who asked it are in ital.

Off to take a nap with my pet stinkbug…

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**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895/2 "2018-09-25T18:18:33Z")

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From Google: “Most insects are either active only during the day or only at night. When they’re not active, they rest. This state of rest in insects is called torpor, and it’s not exactly like sleep as we know it. During torpor, insects remain very still and don’t respond much to stimuli around them.”

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**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895/3 "2018-09-25T18:19:41Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Off to take a nap with my pet stinkbug…

What if he “cuts one” while he’s lying next to your face on the pillow? There’s a reason they call them “stink bugs”, ya know. 😃

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**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2018, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895/4 "2018-09-25T23:08:38Z")

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“…even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.”

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**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2018, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-insects-sleep/821895/5 "2018-09-26T02:06:24Z")

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> [@Jasmine](#):
>
> What if he “cuts one” while he’s lying next to your face on the pillow? There’s a reason they call them “stink bugs”, ya know. 😃

I’ve trained him not to do that.