Things that eat other things tend to quickly lose interest in dead prey, so some insects that employ the strategy of playing dead (thanatosis) can often escape unharmed. Threatened insects simply let go of whatever they happen to be hanging on to and drop, motionless, to the ground where they put on the performance of a lifetime. Certain caterpillars, ladybugs, many beetles, weevils, robber flies, and giant water bugs all employ this technique. Guess what Death-feigning beetles do to protect themselves, Some bugs release irritants so awful that it automatically makes "get it off! get it off!" the only thing a predator thinks. It's not the most romantic defense mechanism, but it gives the insect time to escape. Some blister beetles produce a blistering (hmm, I think I know how they got their name) agent. Droplets of this will ooze from the beetle's leg joints when it is disturbed or threatened -- an adaptation known as reflex bleeding. Some termites, cockroaches, earwigs, stick insects, and beetles will literally spray acid at attackers. The (fantastic) bombardier beetle stores chemicals in specialized glands, and when threatened, mixes them together to produce a forceful discharge of boiling hot quinone and water vapor (steam). Seriously. That is @$#% awesome.
Some caterpillars have hollow body hairs that contain a painful irritant. Simply brushing against the pretty, soft-looking fluff will cause them to break and get all over your skin, resulting in an intense burning that may last for several hours. Many ants, bees, and wasps deliver venom to their enemies by means of a formidable stinger (modified ovipositor). The venom is a complex mixture of proteins and amino acids that not only induces intense pain but may also trigger an allergic reaction in the victim. Some insects don't have fancy weaponry or acting chops and have to rely on speed to get away. For many insects, a quick escape by running or flying is the primary mode of defense.
Sure, Mr. Miyagi can catch flies with chopsticks, but can you? House flies have an insanely fast reaction time when you try to swat them. They can fly away 30-50 milliseconds after sensing a threat! And a cockroach? Those nasty things have tiny, super-sensitive hairs that are acute enough to detect the change in air pressure that might occur right before you try to step on them. It can react in less than 50 milliseconds. Just try and hit them with a newspaper. You can't do it.
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