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Hey there,
What’s Halloween without costumes? Humans throw on fangs, cloaks, and glittery wings. But bugs? They’ve been running the disguise game for millions of years.
Take the death’s-head hawkmoth. Yes—that’s a real name. On its back: a perfect skull-shaped pattern, like nature’s own skeleton emoji. Legend has it, people once saw these moths as omens of death. (Hard to blame them—the moth even squeaks when disturbed, like a tiny, winged banshee.)
But the real trick? This moth raids beehives for honey. It doesn’t fight the bees. It smells like them. Chemical camouflage. The bees think, “Oh, just another coworker,” while the moth guzzles their pantry stockpile. Parasite chic.
Here’s the October wisdom hiding in those wings
🦇 Costumes aren’t just for show. Sometimes they’re protection, sometimes they’re persuasion. What mask are you wearing today—and is it working for you, or against you?
🍯 Don’t get fooled by sweetness. Just because something “smells right” doesn’t mean it is. Trust your gut over your nose.
👻 Even the scary ones are misunderstood. The death’s-head hawkmoth isn’t bad luck—it’s just hungry.
Costumes fool bees. Myths fool wallets. Red paint ≠ higher premiums.
Do red cars cost more to insure?
You may have heard the myth that red cars cost more to insure, often with varying reasons why. The truth is, the color of your car has nothing to do with your premium. Insurance companies are more interested in your vehicle’s make, model, age, safety features, and your driving history. What’s not a myth, though — is that people really can save a ton of money by switching insurers. Check out Money’s car insurance tool to see if you could, too.
Home Tip: The Yellow Lantern Trick
October nights are peak moth season. Love them or not, they’re pollinators too. Instead of zapping them, swap your porch light for a yellow “bug light”—less confusing for moths, and less bug traffic for you.
Nature doesn’t wait for Halloween to put on a mask—it’s been rehearsing all year.
Until next week,
Gabi & Bea