# What is the most intelligent insect? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 31, 2004, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171 "2004-10-31T17:08:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/21 "2004-11-01T08:10:49Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > I vote for the [Portia spider](http://www.uga.edu/srel/ecoview8-12-02.htm). OK, so it’s not an _insect_, but it’s still an arthopod. Oh, come on. You don’t have to be _that_ smart to pass as a lawyer. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/22 "2004-11-01T08:20:02Z")
Don’t be insulting my wife’s profession dude. Let’s see you try to pass the California Bar Exam. Come on, I dare ya. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/23 "2004-11-01T16:25:29Z")
> [@Boyo Jim](#): > > I’d have to go with Africanized killer bees, cause they kick the honey bees asses and take over. That makes them smarter, right? I didn’t think pollitical stuff was allowed in GD 🙂 Insects and most backboneless creatures are much closer to machines than intelligent. They are well programmed or simply programmed, but not intelligent. (cuttlefish, squid and octopi are on the other hand quite possibly as inteligent as some vertibrates [site](http://www.fortunecity.com/emachines/e11/86/cephpod.html) ) ---
**Author:** ![snailboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/97f17d/32.png) [@snailboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snailboy)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/24 "2004-11-01T16:53:18Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > I vote for the [Portia spider](http://www.uga.edu/srel/ecoview8-12-02.htm). OK, so it’s not an _insect_, but it’s still an arthopod. I was going to say the same. I believe it’s the only arthropod with complex hunting behavior. I watched a documentary on them on NGC and they showed one hunting a garden spider. First, it went to the edge of the web and started drumming it acting like a trapped insect. The garden spider responded by shaking it’s web in a defensive manner, so portia left, or seemed to… It moved in a position above the garden spider and lowered itself on a line of silk. It bit the garden spider and then waited for it to die. I can barely imagine a reptile using such complex hunting behaviors, much less an arthropod. If it must be an insect though, I second the honey bee. ---
**Author:** ![Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/779978/32.png) [@Amazon\_Floozy\_Goddess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amazon_Floozy_Goddess)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/25 "2004-11-01T17:11:23Z")
When I was a kid I had a pet praying mantis that I had rescued when it was little more than a hatchling, drowning in a rain barrel. I kept it in an aquarium and fed it crickets. It was smart as hell - recognized me and approached me with unmistakable happiness, and loved to snuggle - I kid you not, it would hop up and down against the glass until I let it out, where it would scuttle up my arm and lean up against my neck. His/her name was Green Bean. Lived a couple years. I cried when it died. But I would definitely put mantids as one of the smartest insects. ---
**Author:** ![RunSilent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e0b2c6/32.png) [@RunSilent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RunSilent)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/26 "2004-11-01T18:00:31Z")
Gregor. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/27 "2004-11-01T18:59:54Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > Don’t be insulting my wife’s profession dude. Let’s see you try to pass the California Bar Exam. Come on, I dare ya. No insult intended-- just a jokey reference to _The Merchant of Venice_. _That_ Portia didn’t pass _the bar_, she just passed _as_ a lawyer. Not the same thing at all. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/28 "2004-11-01T19:24:31Z")
If we’re going to involve arachnids, what about crustaceans? They’re sorta buglike as well–exoskeleton, antennae, lots of legs, they go squish when you step on them–and I bet there are lobsters more intelligent than any spider… ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/29 "2004-11-01T19:57:28Z")
> [@Amazon Floozy Goddess](#): > > When I was a kid I had a pet praying mantis that I had rescued when it was little more than a hatchling, drowning in a rain barrel. I kept it in an aquarium and fed it crickets. It was smart as hell - recognized me and approached me with unmistakable happiness, and loved to snuggle - I kid you not, it would hop up and down against the glass until I let it out, where it would scuttle up my arm and lean up against my neck. His/her name was Green Bean. Lived a couple years. I cried when it died. But I would definitely put mantids as one of the smartest insects. A pet praying mantis??!?!! A PET PRAYING MANTIS!!! AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!! You ‘snuggled’ with a PRAYING MANTIS!!! That is the freakiest thing I’ve ever heard of, and let me tell you, I’ve heard of some pretty freaky things in my day. Back to the OP. Aren’t there some ants that ‘grow’ their own food. They put leaf cuttings underground and keep their temp regulated so that they can decompose and grow some sort of mold that the ants eat. That’s a pretty complex activity for ants. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/30 "2004-11-01T20:14:23Z")
> [@mitchythekid](#): > > I believe the question was a insect,plural? > A honey bee would’nt be close to that by itself,maybe the hive,yes. > I read an artical a ways back about the Dung bettle,it actually uses shit from other animals to lure their pray to them,dont remember which pray it was.But some insect guy decided to take all the piles of shit away from around there burrows.The bettles went back out to collect more,bring it back,and start over.Any bug that goes to that lenth to roll some shit from who knows where,back to home,deserves a second thought. > Dung Bettle 🙂 Aw, shucks…t’weren’t nothin’. :o ---
**Author:** ![slortar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@slortar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slortar)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/31 "2004-11-01T20:50:46Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > A pet praying mantis??!?!! > A PET PRAYING MANTIS!!! AAAAAUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!!! > You ‘snuggled’ with a PRAYING MANTIS!!! > > That is the freakiest thing I’ve ever heard of, and let me tell you, I’ve heard of some pretty freaky things in my day. > Back to the OP. > > Aren’t there some ants that ‘grow’ their own food. They put leaf cuttings underground and keep their temp regulated so that they can decompose and grow some sort of mold that the ants eat. That’s a pretty complex activity for ants. Actually, sounds kinda cute. Much cooler than a puppy. ---
**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/32 "2004-11-01T21:18:31Z")
> [@Dragwyr](#): > > I’m surprised nobody has mentioned fleas. There have been countless fleas that have been trained to perform in flea circuses throughout the ages. 😃 > > What? DRAGWYR Speaks the truth. Here’s a web site I found, and, lo and behold, our own CECIL can be found two paragraphs down. [http://www.karljones.com/drama/circus/fleacircus.asp](http://www.karljones.com/drama/circus/fleacircus.asp) ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/33 "2004-11-01T21:24:45Z")
_BZZZ… BZZZ… BZZZ…_ “_OW!_ What’s that? _OW!_ What? Little Timmy is in trouble? _OW!_ Little Timmy has fallen down the well again?” _BZZZ… BZZZ…_ “Oh my gosh, I’ll go get Pa!” ---
**Author:** ![t-keela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a3d4f5/32.png) [@t-keela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/t-keela)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/34 "2004-11-01T23:52:43Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > _BZZZ… BZZZ… BZZZ…_ > > “_OW!_ What’s that? _OW!_ What? Little Timmy is in trouble? _OW!_ Little Timmy has fallen down the well again?” _BZZZ… BZZZ…_ “Oh my gosh, I’ll go get Pa!” I saw **MEB** had posted and I figured he’d moved this thread to another forum. I see now he’s just being a pest. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/35 "2004-11-02T00:36:37Z")
New York newspaper columnist and published poet Archy the Cockroach. [http://www.donmarquis.com/archy/index.html](http://www.donmarquis.com/archy/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/36 "2004-11-02T00:42:27Z")
Then there’s the whole Kafka thing: “One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin. He lay on his armour-like back, and if he lifted his head a little he could see his brown belly, slightly domed and divided by arches into stiff sections. The bedding was hardly able to cover it and seemed ready to slide off any moment. His many legs, pitifully thin compared with the size of the rest of him, waved about helplessly as he looked.” [http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/etext04/metam10.txt](http://www.gutenberg.net/dirs/etext04/metam10.txt) ---
**Author:** ![xash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c6cbf5/32.png) [@xash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xash)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/37 "2004-11-02T16:42:56Z")
Moved to IMHO. - **xash** General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/38 "2004-11-03T06:26:14Z")
> [@Larry Mudd](#): > > No insult intended-- just a jokey reference to _The Merchant of Venice_. _That_ Portia didn’t pass _the bar_, she just passed _as_ a lawyer. Not the same thing at all. Yeah, I know. It’s just that I have this stick up my ass. Sitting down is difficult at times. ---
**Author:** ![kniz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c37758/32.png) [@kniz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kniz)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/39 "2004-11-03T07:27:10Z")
> [@Gary T](#): > > For “intelligent” as normally defined and understood, you might as well ask “What’s the most intelligent rock?” The concept doesn’t apply to anything we know about insects. If you do a **google** there are several references to **insect intelligence** , such as: [**bbc.co.uk**](http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/hottopics/ai/) > [@](#): > > **Since the early 1990s, researchers have concentrated on developing smaller, independent robots instead of trying to recreate human intelligence. The model for many of these machines is insect intelligence, which is - in its own way - very sophisticated.** and [**ebtx.com**](http://ebtx.com/nman/nman14e.htm) > [@](#): > > **What is described by theorists now is a very intelligent self-aware insect which would view man in general as a “food source”.** ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2004, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171/40 "2004-11-03T10:41:52Z")
Hail, Ants! I for one welcome our new insect overlords. {Come on, somebody had to say it} [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-intelligent-insect/272171.md?page=3)