Why are Dead Bugs Always on Their Backs?

You've probably noticed that dead or dying bugs end up on their backsides, and that's not just your imagination! It turns out there are some physics at play here.

Hosted by: Olivia Gordon

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Dooblydoo thanks go to the following Patreon supporters: Lazarus G, Sam Lutfi, D.A. Noe, الخليفي سلطان, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, Scott Satovsky Jr, Charles Southerland, Patrick D. Ashmore, charles george, Kevin Bealer, Chris Peters
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Sources:

[cosmodewit]

Maybe they waited for a belly rub that never came.

[CookingLessonsforDad]

I had to watch this when I saw the title. If I didn't I would always wonder even if I never wondered about this before.

[fabianthegreat]

A question I didn't know I wanted the answer to until now.

[spicyweinerjohnson]

When I was little my mom told me that little magical elves came to roll them over but I was terrified of the fact that little people snuck into my house so I started breaking down crying everytime I saw a dead bug and my mom was confused af

[hhughes]

SciShow somehow answering the questions that I'm unconsciously asking :')

[checkmyplaylist]

It's because they just lay down thinking about everything they've done in their life

[YormanGina]

I always wondered this, especially whenever I'd wake up in the morning and find the odd roach laying on its back, motionless. I knew they weren't dead because they'd freak out as soon as I nuked them with Raid, but I just didn't know what to make of it. I guess maybe they were just getting old an unable to stay upright as much anymore. It sure made sending them back into the pits of Hell they came from much easier.

[beckiewelch]

I have a new found respect for insects leg muscles now...

[allanrichardson]

I remember a classic cartoon in the Far Side series, in which the police open the door of a lab and see several gentlemen in lab coats liying on the floor with their arms and legs in the air. The caption was "When entomologists die."

[RangerRuby]

I never know I wanted to know that, but now I do! Thank you for this cool video! It is so interesting that bugs work that way, both through physics and biology!

[NotVeryRandomDude]

They beg for mercy but I'll show them none.

[federicomarconi]

hey scishow, i have one question that i was asking myself since a lot: why do we get dark circles under our eyes when for example we don't sleep enough or we do something stressing? where do they come from?

[qarsiseer]

Does this mean that insects who can crawl on celings can hang out there to rest their legs? :O

[Mickyboi]

So this is where you end up at 3am when you can’t sleep with a hangover…

[just-a-silly-goofy-guy]

Because they just roll over and say “take me now”

[glemmstengal]

I love when SciShow answers stuff like this, stuff we have always wondered about but never asked or looked up

[rickandrygel]

Somehow, most of the bugs stuck to my flypaper are on their backs too. Like, how did they land on the paper on their back?

[LinkCanBackflipYAY]

What i love about these videos is that at the beginning of the day, This topic is no where near our mind, But we end up learning about it at the end of the day ❤️

[PaleGhost]

*Ooo, a bug video! That means more Olivia!*
#SciShowBaby

[tigertalar]

The lighting is so good now. Almost zero glare. Thanks.