The Picasso bug measures only 8 millimeters in length. And like everything in nature, the intricate patterns on the tiny insect’s shell are not there by chance, but are a warning to its predators; anyone who ventures to disturb these insects will smell the consequences. When they feel threatened, they emit a noxious odor that helps scare off predators.

The Picasso bug lives mainly in tropical and subtropical Africa, so it can be found in countries such as Nigeria, Sudan, and Ethiopia, to Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful insects in the world, revealing how intricate nature can be, regardless of its small size.

This insect also goes by the alternate common name of the Zulu Hud Bug.