Insect-inspired songs
Name of song |
Insect order |
Composer |
Performing artist |
Date |
Type of music |
Notes |
Ants Marching |
Hymenoptera |
Dave Matthews |
The Dave Matthews Band |
1994 |
Pop / Rock |
|
Bee in the Bottle |
Hymenoptera |
Sinead Lohan |
Sinead Lohan |
1995 |
Folk rock |
|
Dance of the Honeybees |
Hymenoptera |
Charlie Lennon |
De Dannan
Frankie Gavin
Sharon Shannon
Altan |
1986 |
Irish folk |
Said to be based on the honeybee's waggle dance.[3] |
Mosquito |
Diptera |
Yeah Yeah Yeahs |
Yeah Yeah Yeahs |
2013 |
Indie rock |
|
The Mosquito |
Diptera |
John Densmore / Robby Krieger / Ray Manzarek |
The Doors |
1972 |
Rock |
|
Flight of the Bumblebee |
Hymenoptera |
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov |
many artists |
1899-1900 |
Classical |
|
One Note Samba/Spanish Flea |
Siphonaptera |
Antônio Carlos Jobim |
Sergio Mendes-Brasil '66 |
1966 |
Bossa nova |
|
Fireflies |
Coleoptera |
Adam Young |
Owl City |
2009 |
Electronica |
|
Lady Bug |
Coleoptera |
Randy Rogers / Wade Bowen |
Randy Rogers |
2015 |
Country |
|
Mariposa traicionera |
Lepidoptera |
Fher Olvera |
Mana |
2003 |
Rock |
|
Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
John FruscianteB/ret Mazur,M / chael "Flea" Balzary / Seth "Shifty Shellshock" Binzer |
Crazy Town |
2000 |
Rap rock |
|
Caterpillar |
Lepidoptera |
Peter Albin |
Big Brother and the Holding Company |
1967 |
Rock |
This album was the studio debut for the band's lead singer, Janis Joplin. |
Grasshopper |
Orthoptera |
|
Soul Delavants |
|
Soul |
|
Grasshopper |
Orthoptera |
John Phillips |
The Mamas and the Papas |
1971 |
Folk rock |
|
The Grasshopper Unit (Keep Movin') |
Orthoptera |
|
Beastie Boys |
2000 |
Rap rock |
|
Grasshoppers |
Orthoptera |
Ryuichi Sakamoto |
Ryuichi Sakamoto |
1978 |
Jazz fusion |
|
Moth |
Lepidoptera |
Chad Gray / Kevin Churko / Tom Maxwell / Vinnie Paul |
Hellyeah |
2014 |
Heavy metal |
|
Moth's Wings |
Lepidoptera |
Michael Angelako |
Passion Pit |
2009 |
Indietronica |
|
That's the way love goes |
Lepidoptera |
Janet Jackson / Jam & Lewis |
Janet Jackson |
1993 |
R & B |
|
Mayfly |
Ephemeroptera |
Stuart Murdoch |
Belle and Sebastian |
1996 |
Indie pop |
|
Doin' the Cockroach |
Blattodea |
Modest Mouse |
Modest Mouse |
1997 |
Indie rock |
|
Lady bug |
Coleoptera |
|
Bumblebee Umlimited |
1978 |
Disco |
|
Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
Jason Mraz |
Jason Mraz |
2008 |
Pop / Rock |
|
Bugs |
Insects-general |
Eddie Vedder |
Pearl Jam |
1994 |
Rock |
|
Georgia Warhorse |
Orthoptera |
|
JJ Grey & Mofro |
2010 |
Funk rock |
Named after the Southern Lubber Grasshopper |
The Blackfly Song |
Diptera |
Wade Hemsworth |
many artists |
1949 |
Folk |
Inspired a short animated film, Blackfly. |
Mosquito Moan |
Diptera |
|
Blind Lemon Jefferson |
1927 |
Blues |
|
Termite |
Blattodea |
|
Young Thug |
2015 |
Hip hop |
|
Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me |
Diptera |
Thomas Brigham Bishop* |
many artists |
1869 |
Folk |
The writer of the song is somewhat contentious (see Shoo Fly, Don't Bother Me) |
Killa Beez |
Hymenoptera |
|
Killa Beez |
2002 |
Hip hop |
|
Wu Killa Beez: The Reemergence |
Hymenoptera |
|
Remedy |
1998 |
Hip hop |
|
Dragonfly |
Odonata |
Ziggy Marley |
Ziggy Marley |
2003 |
Reggae |
|
The King Beetle on the Coconut Estate |
Coleoptera |
mewithoutyou / Aaron Weiss |
mewithoutyou |
2009 |
Indie rock |
|
Fireflies |
Coleoptera |
Harmony SamuelsD/awn Richard, d/rew Scott |
Zendaya |
2013 |
Electronica |
|
The Cricket Song |
Orthoptera |
|
Rich O'Toole |
2011 |
Country |
|
Frass |
Insects-general |
|
Renaldo and the Loaf |
1981 |
Experimental |
The whole album, Songs for Swining Larvae, is inspired by insects.[4] |
There Ain't No Bugs On Me |
Insects-general |
(Traditional folk song) |
(Traditional folk song) |
Unknown |
Folk |
There is a popular recording of this song by Jerry Garcia and David Grisman on the album, Not for Kids Only. |
Dog and Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
Ann WilsonN/ancy Wilson, / e Ennis |
Heart |
1978 |
Folk rock |
|
Hive |
Hymenoptera |
Sexton / Nick Hexum / Martinez |
311 |
1995 |
Rap rock |
|
Red Mosquito |
Diptera |
Jeff AmentS/tone Gossard, c/k Irons, Mi /McCready, Eddi /Vedder |
Pearl Jam |
1996 |
Rock |
|
The Bug |
Insects-general |
Mark Knopfler |
Dire Straits |
1991 |
Rock |
|
I am the Fly |
Diptera |
Graham Lewis / Colin Newman |
Wire |
1978 |
Punk rock |
|
Human Fly |
Diptera |
Lux Interior, Ivy Rorschach |
The Cramps |
1979 |
Punk rock |
|
Fly on the Wall |
Diptera |
Miley CyrusA/ntonina Armato,T /m James, v/rim Karaoglu |
Miley Cyrus |
2009 |
Pop rock |
|
Fly on the Wall |
Diptera |
Malcolm YoungA/ngus Young /Brian Johnson |
ACDC |
1983 |
Rock |
|
Fly on the Wall |
Diptera |
The Jesus Lizard |
The Jesus Lizard |
1994 |
Rock |
|
Insect Hospital |
Insects-general |
|
They Might Be Giants |
2013 |
Rock |
|
March of the Fire Ants |
Hymenoptera |
Mastodon |
Mastodon |
2002 |
Heavy metal |
|
Beetle |
Coleoptera |
|
Mooi Wark |
|
Rock |
|
Beetle in the Box |
Coleoptera |
Louis Abbott |
Admiral Fallow |
2012 |
Indie pop |
|
Black Beetle Pies |
Coleoptera |
Trad / arr Flood |
Bellowhead |
2012 |
Folk |
|
Dragonfly Keeper |
Odonata |
Phildel |
Phildel |
2010 |
Neoclassical |
Instrumental |
Durability |
Insects-general |
|
Tribes of Neurot |
2002 |
Experimental |
The entire album Adaptation and Survival, on which this track is found, is composed entirely of manipulated insect sounds. |
Silverfish |
Thysanura |
|
Sounds of System Breakdown[5] |
2013 |
Electronic music |
Instrumental |
Pediculosis (Mommy, I Have Lice) |
Phthiraptera |
|
Fumigation |
2015 |
Metal |
|
The Dreaded Sea Lice Have Come Aboard |
Phthiraptera |
|
Guttermouth |
1999 |
Rock |
|
Rats and Mice and Swarms of Lice |
Phthiraptera |
|
Thou |
2014 |
Sludge Metal |
|
Love Lice |
Phthiraptera |
|
Fake Shark - Real Zombie! |
2009 |
Rock |
|
Earwigs To Eternity |
Dermaptera |
|
Alice Cooper |
2009 |
Rock |
|
Catfood On The Earwig |
Dermaptera |
|
Guided by Voices |
1994 |
Rock |
|
Earwig Town Lyric |
Dermaptera |
|
Chairlift |
2008 |
Rock |
|
Earwig |
Dermaptera |
|
The Dead Milkmen |
1986 |
Rock |
|
The Louse House of Kilkenny |
Phthiraptera |
|
The Dubliners |
1978 |
Irish folk |
|
Earwig |
Dermaptera |
|
Public Memory |
2016 |
Electronic, Music |
|
Lacewing |
Neuroptera |
|
Lacewing |
1970 |
Rock |
|
Lacewings |
Neuroptera |
Alasdair MacLean and The Clientele |
The Clientele |
2014 |
Indie Pop |
|
Head Lice |
Phthiraptera |
18 |
Razor Jane |
2008 |
Pop |
|
Locust |
Orthoptera |
Robb Flynn/ Philip Demmel |
Machine Head |
2011 |
Thrash |
|
Cricket Orchestra |
Orthoptera |
Smallpeople |
Smallpeople |
|
techno |
|
Crickets |
Orthoptera |
Damon Thomas Santo/ Allan Craig Iida/ Christopher Daniel Goodman/ Jonathan Rotem/ Anthony Vincent Cozzo/ Christian Scott Condo |
Drop City Yacht Club |
2013 |
Hip hop |
|
Crickets |
Orthoptera |
Jaron Boyer/ Colt Ford/ Jeffery Don Hyde |
Colt Ford |
2014 |
Country |
|
Cricketz |
Orthoptera |
Earl Benjamin/ Keith Brown/ Dominic Thomas/ Michael Stevenson |
New Boyz |
2009 |
Hip hop |
|
Cricket On A Line |
Orthoptera |
Christopher Wongwon/ Jared Sciullo Riley/ Luther Roderick Campbell/ Justin N. Spillner/ Rhett Akins/ Colt Ford |
Colt Ford |
2010 |
Country |
|
Crickets |
Orthoptera |
Brent Baxter/ Lisa Shaffer/ Bill Whyte |
Joe Nichols |
2013 |
Country |
|
Bug Rain |
Insects-general |
|
Looper |
|
Hip Hop / Rap |
|
Cicada |
Hemiptera |
|
Liam Titcomb |
2012 |
Rock |
|
Sicka Cicadas |
Hemiptera |
|
Kathy Ashworth |
2011 |
Country |
|
Sassy Cicada |
Hemiptera |
Kristin Jerger |
Kristin Jerger |
|
Kids |
English & Spanish language |
Stick Insect Song |
Phasmatodea |
|
The Stick Insects |
2009 |
Electronica |
Instrumental, stick insect animation |
Song to the Cicadas |
Hemiptera |
|
The Greenhouse Culture Band, CS Luxem |
2015 |
|
Collaboration to celebrate the cicada |
Aphids |
Hemiptera |
|
Hum |
2010 |
|
lyrics |
Night of the Cicada |
Hemiptera |
|
The People's Republic of Europe |
2014 |
Electronic |
Netherlands |
Mayfly |
Ephemeroptera |
|
Belle & Sebastian |
2003 |
Indie pop |
|
Mayfly |
Ephemeroptera |
|
Rasputina |
1998 |
Rock |
|
Mayfly |
Ephemeroptera |
|
Ben Winship & David Thompson |
2009 |
Acoustic Folk |
|
Mayfly |
Ephemeroptera |
|
Andrew Chalk & Tom James Scott |
2013 |
Electronic |
|
Mayfly Waltz (for Dilly) |
Ephemeroptera |
Michael Hoppe |
various artists |
2013 |
New Age |
|
Flea |
Siphonaptera |
|
Clazziquai |
2008 |
Pop |
|
Flea Brain |
Siphonaptera |
|
Vincent Gene |
2005 |
Country |
|
Flea Fly |
Siphonaptera |
Red Hot Chili Peppers |
Red Hot Chili Peppers |
1994 |
Rock |
|
Flea Versus MIte |
Siphonaptera |
The Presidents of the United States of America |
The Presidents of the United States of America |
2014 |
Alternative Rock |
|
Sabrina Sabrina, Flea Ballerina |
Siphonaptera |
Mr. Billy |
Mr. Billy |
2008 |
Children's Music |
|
Fifi the Flea |
Siphonaptera |
Mary Black |
Mary Black |
2011 |
New Age |
|
Fifi the Flea |
Siphonaptera |
The Hollies |
The Hollies |
1998 |
Rock |
|
Spanish Flea |
Siphonaptera |
|
Allan Sherman |
2005 |
Miscellaneous |
|
Spanish Flea |
Siphonaptera |
|
Herb Alpert and The Tijuana Brass |
1965 |
Jazz |
|
Flea in Your Ear |
Siphonaptera |
|
Simian Mobile Disco |
2008 |
Electronic |
|
Madama Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
Giacomo Puccini |
|
1903 |
Opera |
|
Butterflies and Hurricanes |
Lepidoptera |
Muse |
Muse |
2004 |
Alternative Rock |
|
Butterfly Kisses |
Lepidoptera |
Bob Carlisle |
Bob Carlisle |
1997 |
Contemporary |
|
Cockroaches |
Blattodea |
Necro |
Necro |
2000 |
hip-hop |
|
I Hate Cockroaches |
Blattodea |
Bananas at Large |
Bananas at Large |
1993 |
Parody |
|
Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
Bassnectar |
Bassnectar |
2012 |
Electronic |
|
Termite |
Blattodea |
Jungle by Night |
Jungle by Night |
2011 |
instrumental |
|
The termite song |
Blattodea |
The Woodbox Gang |
The Woodbox Gang |
2001 |
Bluegrass |
|
Odonata |
Odonata |
|
Stuart Masters[6] |
2013 |
Folk |
Instrumental |
Oh, Odonata |
Odonata |
|
The Brave Optimistic |
2015 |
Indie rock |
Title track of album |
The Wasps |
Hymenoptera |
Ralph Vaughan Williams |
|
1909 |
Incidental music |
For Aristophanes' play The Wasps[7] |
Mosquito |
Diptera |
Ingrid Michaelson |
Ingrid Michaelson |
2005 |
Pop |
|
Mosquito |
Diptera |
Bomfunk MC |
Bomfunk MC |
2004 |
Electronic |
|
Mosquito |
Diptera |
Franck Langolff |
Vanessa Paradis |
1988 |
French Pop |
Butterfly Bleu |
Lepidoptera |
Iron Butterfly |
Iron Butterfly |
1970 |
Rock |
|
Iron Butterfly Theme |
Lepidoptera |
Iron Butterfly |
Iron Butterfly |
1968 |
Rock |
|
Springtail Boogie |
Collembola |
Kenneth Johnston |
Instrumental Music from the Horsehead Point Community |
2007 |
Rock |
|
Snow Fleas' Dance |
Collembola |
David Archibald |
Park Songs |
2009 |
Children's |
|
Thrips |
Thysanoptera |
Egret Sylvie |
Carpe Diem |
2016 |
Electronic |
|
Airplane Mode |
Collembola |
Flobots |
Survival Story |
2010 |
Rock |
|
Intro with Cicadas |
Hemiptera |
The Firefly Choir |
The Insect Songbook Vol. 1 |
2016 |
Electronic |
Entire album is inspired by various orders of insects. |
Flea Bitten Annie |
Siphonaptera |
|
The A-Bones |
1993 |
Garage rock |
|
Dropping Like Flies |
Diptera |
|
The Accüsed |
1990 |
Thrash metal |
|
Scream of the Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
|
Acid Bath |
1994 |
Sludge metal |
|
Cassie Eats Cockroaches[8] |
Blattodea |
|
Acid Bath |
1994 |
Sludge metal |
|
Ants Invasion |
Hymenoptera |
Adam Ant/Marco Pirroni |
Adam and the Ants |
1980 |
New wave |
|
Antmusic |
Hymenoptera |
Adam Ant/Marco Pirroni |
Adam and the Ants |
1980 |
New wave |
|
Ant Rap |
Hymenoptera |
Adam Ant/Marco Pirroni |
Adam and the Ants |
1981 |
New wave |
|
King Wasp |
Hymenoptera |
|
Add N to (X) |
1998 |
Electroclash |
|
Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
|
Admiral Bailey |
1992 |
Dancehall |
|
Joanie's Butterfly |
Lepidoptera |
Steven Tyler/Jimmy Crespo/Jack Douglas |
Aerosmith |
1982 |
Hard rock |
|