Mythology

Mytyl

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Tradition: Ossetian Mythology, Russian Mythology
Alternative Names: Mytyl
Category: Insect

The Myth

Mytyl is an unattractive and lazy patron spirit in Ossetian mythology who protects small reptiles and insects. Although these creatures are tiny and often overlooked, Mytyl is responsible for their welfare and serves as their appointed guardian.

According to the legend, when the Almighty assigned protective guardians to the creatures of the world, he forgot about the small reptiles and insects. Left without protection, thousands of them perished. Fearing that their kind would disappear entirely, the surviving creatures gathered together and sent representatives to complain to the Almighty: a mosquito, a butterfly, and a locust.

The Almighty listened to their plea and appointed Mytyl as their patron spirit. Despite his unattractive appearance and lazy nature, Mytyl became the guardian of the small creatures that had previously been neglected. His appointment ensured that even the smallest forms of life had a protector within the divine order.

Sources

“Mytyl.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/Mytyl

Kamakiri-zaka

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Praying Mantis Hill
Category: Insect

The Myth

Kamakiri-zaka is a haunted hill in Katagai-machi, Mishima District, Niigata Prefecture, associated with the curse of a gigantic praying mantis. According to local legend, a monstrous mantis once lived in the area, growing so enormous that it could devour human beings.

One winter, a severe snowstorm crushed the giant insect to death. However, its death did not end the danger associated with the creature. The hill became the site of a strange supernatural phenomenon believed to be caused by the dead mantis’s curse.

Ever since the creature’s death, anyone who falls on the hill is said to suffer sickle-shaped wounds that bleed black blood. These strange injuries resemble cuts made by a praying mantis’s sharp forelegs, suggesting that the enormous insect continues to exact revenge even after its death.

Sources

“Kamakiri-zaka.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010653961.html


Haakapainiži

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Tradition: Kawaiisu Mythology, Chemehuevi Mythology, American Mythology
Alternative Names: The Grasshopper; Aatakapitsi
Category: Insect

The Myth

Haakapainiži is a terrifying ogre from Kawaiisu folklore in Southern California, although he is said to live on a rock in a lake in Nevada. His most familiar form is that of a gigantic grasshopper walking upright on two canes, with a basket strapped to his back. His long legs are armed with viciously sharp spikes, and each stride carries him an extraordinary distance: his legs are said to be long enough for him to walk the twenty miles between Inyokern and Onyx in a single step.

Haakapainiži can assume several forms. Besides his giant grasshopper appearance, he may appear as an enormous humanoid, a harmless-looking old man, or an entire swarm of grasshoppers. He sings as he walks, concealing his wicked intentions behind a seemingly innocent tune. His favourite prey is children, whom he captures and stuffs into the basket on his back to devour later. Parents invoke his name to frighten misbehaving children, warning them that Haakapainiži is coming.

In one tale, Haakapainiži encounters a young girl and coughs mucus into his hand before offering it to her, calling it fat for his grandchild. When she reaches for it, he throws her into his basket and carries her away to Nevada, where he eats her. He attempts the same trick on a little boy, but the child manages to escape by grabbing an overhead branch before he can be carried off.

Haakapainiži’s deceptive nature also appears in a story about the Quail Sisters. He sleeps beside them and assures them that he will lie above their heads without stretching during the night. The sisters trust him, and when they awaken unharmed, they believe he is a kind old man. However, Haakapainiži then stretches his spiked legs and gouges out their eyes.

A parallel figure in Chemehuevi folklore is Aatakapitsi, whose stories closely resemble those of Haakapainiži. In one account, Aatakapitsi attacks the Yucca Date Worm girls in the same manner as Haakapainiži attacks the Quail Sisters. Their husband, Kwanantsitsi, the Red-Tailed Hawk, restores their eyes and sets out to avenge them. Yet whenever he approaches Aatakapitsi, the giant appears to shrink until he vanishes, leaving behind only a swarm of grasshoppers. Kwanantsitsi furiously strikes the insects with a stick until they are all dead. When he steps back, he discovers that the giant’s lifeless body has finally appeared.

Haakapainiži meets his end through the cleverness of Mouse. Mouse heats a stone used for sharpening arrows in a fire, then tricks the giant into opening his mouth by promising to feed him one of his children. Mouse throws the scorching stone into Haakapainiži’s mouth, burning his insides and killing him. According to the tradition, both Mouse’s home and the petrified remains of Haakapainiži can be seen at Inyokern.

Sources

“Haakapainizi.” A Book of Creatures, August 26, 2016. https://abookofcreatures.com/2016/08/26/haakapainizi/

Quvdlugiarsuaq

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Tradition: Greenlandic Mythology
Alternative Names: Giant Maggot
Category: Insect

The Myth

Quvdlugiarsuaq is a gigantic maggot from the folklore of Greenland, particularly tales associated with Aasiaat. It is so enormous that its body can provide enough blubber to sustain an entire dwelling through a long winter.

In the legend of Aqigsiaq, a dwelling place survives an entire winter on the blubber of a single Quvdlugiarsuaq. The story conveys the extraordinary size of this creature, which is far larger than an ordinary maggot.

Another creature from Greenlandic tradition, the Auseq, is described as a gigantic caterpillar. Unlike the account of Quvdlugiarsuaq, which emphasizes its immense size and the quantity of blubber it provides, the Auseq is specifically said to be dangerous to humans.

Sources

“Quvdlugiarsuaq.” A Book of Creatures, July 8, 2019. https://abookofcreatures.com/2019/07/08/quvdlugiarsuaq/

Scorpion People

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Tradition: Sumerian Mythology, Iraqi Mythology
Alternative Names: Girtablilu, Girtablilu People, Aqra-buamelu, Aqra-buamele, Girtabullu
Category: Insect

The Myth

The Scorpion People are fantastical hybrid beings in Akkadian mythology, born from the goddess Tiamat to serve as warriors in her battle against the gods. Their bodies combine human and scorpion features, with the lower part formed from a scorpion’s body. They are formidable fighters, carrying weapons such as bows, darts, and spears. In depictions, they appear as human figures with scorpion tails and powerful, imposing forms.

Their origin lies in the conflict between Tiamat and the younger gods. According to the myth, the ancient inhabitants of the area between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers disturbed Apsu and Tiamat by making too much noise. Tiamat gave birth to younger gods, but their behaviour eventually angered their father, Apsu, who planned to destroy them. Although Tiamat initially tried to reason with him, the conflict escalated after Apsu was killed. Seeking revenge, Tiamat created an army of monstrous beings, including the Scorpion People, to fight against the gods.

The Scorpion People were associated with the gates of the mountains, where they guarded the passage between the human world and the realm beyond. In the Epic of Gilgamesh, they appear at the gates of Mount Mashu, where the sun rises in the morning and sets in the evening. Their appearance is terrifying, and their gaze is described as deadly. When Gilgamesh encounters them, their brilliant appearance and fearsome presence fill him with dread.

The Scorpion People are described as a race of nomadic beings living in the desert. They are characterized by their sharp stingers and their skill with weapons. Some accounts describe them as wearing camouflage-like clothing suited to their surroundings, while others emphasize their strength and skill in battle. They are sometimes portrayed as guardians who protect dangerous mountain passages, making them both formidable warriors and sentinels of the boundary between worlds.

The source also compares the Scorpion People with other mythological traditions. Their combination of human and animal features resembles other hybrid beings, while their role as guardians of a passage between worlds gives them a place among the supernatural gatekeepers of ancient mythology. A related modern interpretation appears in The Mummy Returns, where a centaur-like Scorpion King is depicted as a demonic figure associated with the god Anubis.

Sources

“Ljudi Skorpiony.” New Bestiary (Bestiary.us). https://www.bestiary.us/ljudi-skorpiony


Xuánfēng

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Tradition: Chinese Mythology
Alternative Names: Black Bee; Dark Bee
Category: Insect

The Myth

The Xuánfēng is a gigantic bee-like creature recorded in ancient Chinese literature. It resembles a large grasshopper, with an enormous abdomen as big as a pot. Despite its unusual appearance, it is a dangerous insect that attacks people with its sting.

The Xuánfēng’s sting is poisonous and can kill a person, making the creature a deadly monster rather than an ordinary bee. It appears in two classical Chinese works: the Classic of Mountains and Seas (Shanhaijing), in the section known as Hainei Beijing, and the Songs of Chu (Chuci), in the poem Zhaohun.

Sources

“玄蜂.” 维基百科，自由的百科全书. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8E%84%E8%9C%82


Mukade

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Giant Centipede; Ōmukade
Category: Insect

The Myth

The Mukade is a monstrous centipede appearing in Japanese folklore, often described as growing to an enormous size. Some traditions speak of giant centipedes more than ten jō long, large enough to attack and devour cattle. Their tough hides were reportedly used to make drums, while their flesh served as food for local people. In other accounts, centipedes longer than one shaku could fly through the air and threaten dragons, which retaliated by striking them down with lightning.

Giant centipedes are frequently portrayed as enemies of dragons and great serpents. In Konjaku Monogatari-shū, seven fishermen from Kaga Province are swept away by a storm and stranded on an island. There they meet a well-dressed young man who reveals that he caused the storm to bring them there. He asks for their help in defeating the ruler of another island, who threatens his domain. The fishermen agree, bringing their bows and arrows into battle.

Near dawn, two strange lights appear offshore as powerful winds rise and the waves churn. The fishermen discover that the lights belong to a gigantic centipede and an enormous serpent locked in combat. The battle is so fierce that clouds scatter and the sea becomes turbulent. The centipede’s many legs give it the advantage, and the serpent begins to lose. The fishermen shoot arrows into the centipede and then attack it with their swords, eventually killing the monster. The wounded young man appears afterward to thank them, revealing that he is a dragon who had taken human form. At the dragon deity’s request, the fishermen bring their families to the island, where they live peacefully.

Another famous tale concerns Tawara Tōta, also known as Fujiwara no Hidesato, who defeats a giant centipede living on Mount Mikami in Ōmi Province. A great serpent or dragon, impressed by Tōta’s courage, asks him to destroy the monster. The story reinforces the traditional enmity between giant centipedes and dragons.

Giant centipedes also appear in legends surrounding Mount Akagi in Gunma Prefecture. The mountain’s deity, or one of its attendants, is said to take the form of a centipede. People living on the southeastern slopes traditionally avoided killing ordinary centipedes, instead releasing them with the words, “Go to Akagi.”

According to another legend, the deity of Mount Akagi once fought the serpent deity of Mount Nikkō over possession of Lake Chūzenji. The battle took place at Senjōgahara in present-day Tochigi Prefecture. In a version preserved in Akita tradition, Nikkō Gongen enlisted the help of Mantsu Saburō, a renowned archer from the foothills of Mount Nikkō. Akagi Myōjin appeared as a giant centipede so immense that it could cross mountain peaks. Armed with a white wooden bow and sacred arrows, Mantsu Saburō shot out both of the creature’s eyes and defeated it. In gratitude, Nikkō Gongen secured permission from the imperial court for him to hunt in the mountains. Mantsu Saburō later travelled to the mountains of Ani in Dewa Province, where he became regarded as an ancestor of the matagi, traditional Japanese mountain hunters.

Sources

“Mukade.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1010654236.html

Pelesit

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Tradition: Malaysian Mythology
Alternative Names: Palasik
Category: Insect

The Myth

The Pelesit is a familiar spirit from Malay folklore that usually takes the form of a cricket, although it may sometimes appear as a grasshopper. Its name is associated with the buzzing or whizzing sound made by an insect. Unlike an ordinary insect, the Pelesit is a supernatural companion that can be kept by a human owner.

Belief in the Pelesit originated in Malay animistic traditions, before the introduction of monotheistic religions. It was said to be particularly prevalent in Kedah and was generally believed to be owned only by women. The spirit could be passed down through generations, making it part of a hereditary tradition.

The Pelesit is associated with another hereditary familiar spirit, the Bajang, which is considered its male equivalent. Because of their similarities, the two spirits are sometimes confused in folklore, although they are recognised as distinct beings.

Sources

“Pelesit.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 18, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelesit

Musca Macedda

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Tradition: Sardinian Mythology, Italian Mythology
Alternative Names: Musca Manchèdda da Mancu; Fly of the Left Hand
Category: Insect

The Myth

The Musca Macedda is a monstrous fly from Sardinian folklore, resembling an ordinary fly but growing to an enormous size. Some accounts describe it as being as large as a sheep, while the specimen reported at Nuchis was said to have been as big as an ox’s head. It possesses powerful wings and a gigantic, deadly stinger. Its infernal buzzing can supposedly be heard in places where these creatures lie buried, warning people of the terrible danger beneath the ground.

The Musca Macedda is associated with destruction, slaughter, and the devastation of entire communities. According to Sardinian legends, a terrible treasure lies hidden in many locations across the island. It consists of two identical barrels: one contains unimaginable riches, while the other holds deadly flies. Anyone who opens the wrong barrel unleashes the Musca Macedda, bringing death not only upon themselves but also threatening the destruction of the entire world. The treasure is said to exist in numerous places, including near Alghero, Esterzili, Sorgono, and the Church of Valenza, yet nobody has dared to open the barrels.

The creature’s name is associated with massacre and slaughter. It is also called the musca manchèdda da mancu, meaning the fly of the left hand. This name reflects the belief that the right hand belongs to God, while the left belongs to the Devil, linking the fly to demonic forces and destruction.

Local legends tell of entire settlements devastated by these monstrous insects. At Iglesias, a holy man was said to have delivered the country from demonic flies that had already destroyed towns and villages, including Galte in Nuorese, Ilani near Orotelli, Oddini, and Thiddorai. Another Musca Macedda ravaged the region around Nuchis before finally dying between the Church of San Cosimo and the Parish of the Holy Spirit, near two black volcanic boulders.

The Musca Macedda may represent an ancient fear of epidemics and widespread disease. Some traditions connect the flies with the Spanish invasion of Sardinia, and one story claims that they emerged from the tomb of a Spanish saint. Another interpretation sees them as personifications of the devastating illnesses that repeatedly afflicted the island. Whatever their origin, these legends portray the Musca Macedda as a demonic force whose release could bring death and ruin on an immense scale.

Sources

“Musca Macedda.” A Book of Creatures, May 4, 2020. https://abookofcreatures.com/2020/05/04/musca-macedda/

Hiru-onna

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Tradition: Japanese Mythology
Alternative Names: Leech Woman
Category: Insect

The Myth

Hiru-onna is a female leech yōkai depicted as a large, leech-like creature with her hair tied up. She is said to inhabit muddy water, where she waits for humans to approach. Anyone who shows her warmth becomes her target, and she immediately latches on to suck their blood. Her attacks are so dangerous that people may even lose their lives to her.

Hiru-onna first appeared in 1908 in the opening installment of Shinsen Yōkai Zukushi (New Selection of Yōkai), published in Tokyo Puck, a satirical cartoon magazine founded during the Meiji era. Rather than simply presenting a monstrous insect, the illustration uses the leech as a metaphor for a ruthless woman who drains other people of their money, exploiting them until they are financially ruined.

The muddy water in which Hiru-onna lives is a euphemism for a red-light district, revealing the satirical intention behind the creature. The accompanying Chinese text states that courtesans can be considered a type of yōkai, making the comparison explicit. Hiru-onna thus embodies the idea of a woman who clings to her victims and drains them of their resources just as a leech sucks blood.

Sources

“Hiru-onna.” 新版TYZ 妖怪図鑑 (New TYZ Yokai Encyclopedia). https://tyz-yokai.blog.jp/archives/1084324737.html