List of insect-inspired songs

"Kissing-Bug" rag by Charles L. Johnson, 1909

This is a list of songs inspired by insects.

Insects in music are known from everything from classical music and opera to ragtime and pop.

Rimsky-Korsakov imitates the quick buzzing vibrato of the bumblebee in his famous The Flight of the Bumblebee. Popular songs with an insect theme include "glow-worm", "Poor Butterfly", "La Cucaracha", "The Boll Weevil", and "The Blue-Tailed Fly". Operas like Puccini's Madam Butterfly and Rousel's Le Festin de L’Araignée similarly reference arthropods.^[1]

Pop groups named after insects include Buddy Holly and the Crickets, The Beatles, Adam and the Ants and many others.^[2] Songs named after or inspired by the sounds of insects are listed below.

List

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

References

1. Hogue, Charles (1987). "Cultural Entomology". Annual Review of Entomology (Insects.org) 32. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
2. "Insects in Music, Art and Poetry". Oregon State University. Retrieved 4 April 2016.
3. "Dance of the Honeybees". Tune Archive. Retrieved 6 April 2016.
4. "Renaldo and the Loaf - Songs for Swinging Larvae". www.renaldoloaf.com. Retrieved 2016-04-05.
5. "Sounds of System Breakdown". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
6. "Stuart Masters". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2016-04-06.
7. Vaughan Williams (1872-1958) - Overture: The Wasps MusicWeb International
8. "ACID BATH". www.acid-bath.com. Retrieved 2016-04-22.