This is Spike. Spike is a Silent Spiny Katydid. Spike only wants to say hello. He’s not going to hurt you. He just wants a friend.

But everyone keeps running away from Spike. He can’t work out why. Did he say something wrong? Does he smell bad? Or is it because he looks like a spiky death alien?

Spike hopes it’s not the latter. Spike can’t help that. It’s just who he is.

Spike the Silent Spiny Katydid is the perfect example of why I’m glad bugs aren’t gigantic…

You’re walking home from the bar on a Saturday night. You’re a little tipsy and you turn the corner down a dark alley.

You look up and there’s Spike, staring blankly at you.

“Hello,” he murmurs quietly.

You scream, turn on your heels, and sprint away as fast as you can.

Spike cocks his head to one side like a confused puppy. That’s the third one tonight. He reminds himself to smile next time, like he read in his book – How to Interact with Humans.

Spike isn’t even a predator. He mainly eats plant matter. Sure, he’ll have a nibble if he comes across something dead – better to not let it go to waste. But he’s certainly not going to hurt you.

He just can’t seem to get it right though. He’s beginning to wonder if perhaps the problem isn’t with him.

Maybe, just maybe, it’s the humans who should learn not to be so scared of Spike.

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Silent Spiny Katydid (Phricta tortuwallina), Mount Hypipamee, Australia

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If you’d like to read about another bug that I’m glad isn’t gigantic, check out the Net-Casting Spider.