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Guy Raz
Grown Ups Wondery subscribers can listen to wow in the World early and ad free right now. Join Wondery in the Wondery App or Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts.
Mindy Thomas
Hey wowzer Fams. Mindy and Guy Raz here. And before we start the show, did you hear that we are on YouTube.
Guy Raz
That's right Mindy Wowzer fams. You can find full episodes of wow. In the World and more of your favorite Tinkercast podcasts on our YouTube channel WowTube.
Mindy Thomas
Plus on WowTube you can also watch me explode some watermelons and test out Bonkerball's experiments in the laboratory of bad ideas.
Guy Raz
Or you can dance along with Dennis for music videos featuring music from WEW on the weekend.
Mindy Thomas
There is so much in store made just for you on WowTube. Visit Tinkercast.com YouTube to watch. Now that's Tinkercast.com YouTube.
Narrator/Advertiser
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Dennis
Slimy squiggly little icky buggies Flies and beetles and ants are so yucky Nasty critters scurrying and squirming and wriggling and slithering and I'm gonna barf black Creepy Crawly Weak Creepy Crawly Week Things with wings and too many legs Creepy Crawly Week Creepy Crawly Week Crawly Week Crawly Week Crawly Week hello and welcome to day five of Wee Wow. Creepy Crawly Week. I'm your host Dennis and that's my co host Reggie. This week is all about icky gross bugs and it's also about Mindy's pet cockroach Smokey McDougal, who turns out is surprisingly not that gross. No, no, no, no, no, no, Reggie. I don't like Smokey McDougal. He's a bug. But he's kind of nice and smart and not disgusting. For a bug. Speaking of which, it's time for Smokey McDougal's deep tissue massage. Oh, Smokey McDougall, time to work the tension out of your thorax. Reggie, why is the lid of Smokey McDougal's tank open? He can climb out. He's very athletic. We gotta find him. Smokey. Smokey McDoo, where are you? He couldn't have gotten far. Reggie. I'm gonna search the basement. I know. I need to look in all the nooks and the crannies. If there's one thing I know about Smokey, it's that he loves those crannies. Smokey. Here, boy. I've got some cheese puffs for you, Smokey. Come out, come out, wherever you. Ah. Smokey. Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no. I didn't mean to step on him. Oh, please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay. Speak to me, Smokey. Speak to me. Oh, thank goodness you're okay. Don't scare me like that, Smokey. Oh, if anything happened to you, I don't know what I'd do. You're safe now, little Smokey. There, there. Papa Dennis is gonna put on a podcast and rock you to sleep. Okay, fine, Reggie. I like him, but only a little. Don't worry, little Smokey. Here's Wow in the World, Season 5, Episode 2 called so you've been swallowed by a frog. Reggie, shush. This episode's only a little creepy crawly. It's not that bad. Okay, it's kinda bad. Okay, Smokey, here we go and play.
Mindy Thomas
Wee. Wow. We'll be right back, grown ups. This message is for you. Hey, grown Ups, what happens when you bring a great white shark and a baby octopus to your house? A whole lot of wow. Hey, it's me, Mindy from Wow in the World, the number one science podcast for curious kids and their grownups. And we are so excited to bring the wows of sharks and sea creatures to your home without having to turn your house into an aquarium. Our jumbo great white shark is 24 inches long and comes with an exclusive wow fact card. Our baby ocean animals are perfect for the little ones in your life. Featuring exclusive audio that will leave the whole family saying, aw. These wow in the World toys make for fun, fantastic gifts for the kids in your Life who love science, and even the ones who don't. Yet grown ups. Visit Tinkercast.com Toys to shop the wow. Now that's Tinkercast.com Toys. That's it. Now back to the show.
Dennis
Wow in the world.
Mindy Thomas
Rising Shine. Friends and neighbors, it's your old pal Mindy with your Saturday morning wake up call.
Guy Raz
Ah, Mindy in her ice cream truck. This early in the morning.
Mindy Thomas
Now, who's feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed this morning? Not me. I was up all night counting sheep. Get outta here, sheep. Don't count yourselves. Now, who's ready to attack this day with fem and vigor?
Reggie
You're attacking my constitutional right to a peaceful sleep.
Mindy Thomas
If you're with me, let me hear you more.
Dennis
I'm with you, Mindy. S N O R E. Let me hear you breathe loudly. Scarf. Snarf. Yay. Scarf.
Mindy Thomas
Aw, Dennis, get out of the road. You're gonna get run over. Ah.
Dennis
Morning, Mindy. Care for a cup of decaffeinated espresso? I call it a depresso.
Mindy Thomas
No, thanks a lot, tay, Dennis, but I'm trying to cut back. I'm just out here to wake up the neighborhood for a little early morning mindfulness sesh. Ooh.
Guy Raz
Good morning, Mindy. Morning, Dennis. Did I hear someone say mindfulness? I love mindfulness. Breathing, meditation, relaxation, guided imagery.
Reggie
What in the world Wide web is all this racket? And which one of you just said they're imaginary?
Mindy Thomas
He's not imaginary. Fingerling. He's a real boy. Look.
Reggie
Ow.
Guy Raz
Why did you just pinch me?
Mindy Thomas
Grandma G Force.
Dennis
Well, someone better pinch me. Cause this is a dream come true. I've never had the whole neighborhood here in front of my house before.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, well, I'll pinch you too.
Dennis
Ow. Hey. Wow, that pinch was as good as a cup of coffee. I'll call it a compresso. Do it again.
Mindy Thomas
Okay. No, no, Grandma G. Forrest, there is no pinch pinching in mindfulness.
Reggie
What about imaginary ones? You know, pinches of the mind.
Mindy Thomas
No, no pinching.
Guy Raz
Actually, practicing mindfulness helps you to focus on being aware of what you're sensing and feeling in the moment.
Mindy Thomas
Why don't you sense this fingerling?
Reggie
Gee. Force. Would you quit it? I'm mindful enough.
Mindy Thomas
Okay, no more pinching. Okay, no more pinching.
Guy Raz
Mindy, Mindy, when are we gonna start this morning mindfulness exercise?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, I don't know. What about now?
Guy Raz
Now?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah. No better time to be in the present than the present, right?
Dennis
Oh, speaking of presents, that reminds me, I have to conduct roll call.
Reggie
Now.
Dennis
When I shout your name, yell present. Dennis. Rez it. Very good, Dennis. Reggie. Reggie. Just say your name, please. No one likes a smarty pigeon.
Guy Raz
So should we just take a seat where we're standing?
Mindy Thomas
Oh yes. I need everyone to just get situated on the ground in a comfortable seated position. Okay.
Reggie
Okay, there we are.
Guy Raz
What in the.
Reggie
Don't mind me. That's just all my bones.
Dennis
Ooh, gross.
Mindy Thomas
Now what? All right, now I'm just gonna run back to my ice cream truck to turn on some mindful music. So just sit there and breathe or something, okay?
Guy Raz
Excuse me, I choked on my spit.
Mindy Thomas
What?
Guy Raz
What in the.
Mindy Thomas
Sorry, wrong song. There we go. Now I want everyone to close your eyes and take a deep breath in. Hold it. Now take a deep breath out.
Guy Raz
I love breathing.
Mindy Thomas
Today I want you to focus your intention on allowing yourself to receive the gift of a little self scare. What she say? Self scare.
Dennis
Oh, I get it. Like self care but spooky.
Mindy Thomas
That's right, a little self scare. And as you're breathing, imagine that you are a tiny water beetle scampering through a field of lily pads when. Oh. What is that? You see?
Dennis
I don't know. What is it?
Mindy Thomas
It's a frog.
Dennis
Oh, a frog.
Mindy Thomas
I'm gonna kiss it.
Reggie
Come here, froggy G force. Don't do that. You'll get rabies.
Dennis
Actually frogs can't get rabies. But one time I got rabies when I ranjay. Don't interrupt me. Sorry baby.
Mindy Thomas
The frog looks hungry and she's got her big bulging eyes set on you.
Reggie
Man. That's exactly pigeon. This self scare meditation is free Freaking me out, dude.
Guy Raz
Stay in the present. Just stay in the present.
Dennis
Oh, good idea Guy Raz. We should all hide from the frog inside of a present. It'll never find us in there.
Mindy Thomas
You can run from this frog, but you can't hide. Oh yeah? Watch me.
Dennis
Ah no. Those are my prize winning azaleas.
Mindy Thomas
Shh.
Dennis
Oh, sorry.
Mindy Thomas
You stop dead in your tracks, paralyzed by fear. When this frog opens her mouth wide and she's pulled you in with her long sticky tongue.
Reggie
Heavens.
Mindy Thomas
Now egg, exhale. And before you can even digest the idea that you are inside of her big toothless frog mouth, she takes one big gulp and she swallows you alive.
Dennis
Ah, Medte, no. I want out of this meditative, self sufficient.
Reggie
Calm down fella. It's not even that scary. Why look at Mr. Rozzy over there.
Guy Raz
I am swallowed alive. I am inside of a frog. I am still in the present.
Dennis
Oh fine. What happens next?
Mindy Thomas
Mindy, you realize that you must get your tiny beetle body out of this frog. You ask yourself, what would a bombardier beetle do?
Dennis
What would a bombardier beetle do?
Mindy Thomas
A bombardier beetle would surely let out a toot so powerful it would force the amphibian to barf you up. Ah. What?
Reggie
Oh, now I'm listening.
Mindy Thomas
But you, you are not. Not a tooting bombardier beetle.
Dennis
I'm not.
Mindy Thomas
You are a Japanese water beetle who goes by the scientific name Reganbartia attenuata. And you, you like to do things the hard way.
Reggie
You know, that is so like me.
Guy Raz
Just stay in the present. Stay in the present.
Dennis
No, Guy, remember, you're not in a present. You're in a fr.
Mindy Thomas
Using your tiny beetle legs to brace you, you begin to crawl and swim your way through the frog's digestive tract. And as you work your way through its guts, its powerful and corrosive stomach juices threaten to break you down.
Reggie
Well, that is just disgusting.
Mindy Thomas
But you keep on going, squeezing your way through the frog's intestines.
Guy Raz
I think I can. I think I can. I think I can.
Reggie
Attaboy, Rousey.
Mindy Thomas
At this point, you realize you've gone as far as you can ride down the digestive slide, and there is only one way out.
Dennis
Oh, look, everyone, a way out. What is it, like a secret door on the side of the frog or something?
Reggie
Uh, well, I don't think it's on the side of the frog, if you know what I mean.
Dennis
Um, no, I actually don't know what you mean.
Mindy Thomas
Well, looks like somebody's gonna make an exit out the old poop chute.
Dennis
Oh, no.
Mindy Thomas
You find what appears to be an opening of sorts, but it's closed tightly shut. You knock three times.
Guy Raz
Knock, knock, knock.
Mindy Thomas
Suddenly the opening releases and you come spilling out into the world in a flood of fresh wrong feces. What? Colit.
Reggie
That is really gross.
Mindy Thomas
What did I say?
Dennis
So disgusting.
Guy Raz
Mindy, what kind of guided meditation was that?
Mindy Thomas
A defecation meditation.
Reggie
If you'll excuse me, I need to go wash out my mind's eye.
Dennis
Yuck. Me, too.
Reggie
You got any soap?
Dennis
Well, let's see. I've got hand soap, bar soap, body soap, soap on all.
Mindy Thomas
Good job, everyone. Now give yourselves a round of applause.
Guy Raz
Mindy, where in the world did you get the idea for that horrifying guided meditation?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, well, I got the idea from science.
Guy Raz
Science?
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, specifically this bonker balls new study that I just read from Kobe University in Japan. It was led by this biologist named Shinji Sugira.
Guy Raz
Wait a minute. I've read about him. He's been studying the strange behaviors of insects and predators for years.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, and he's seen a lot of weird stuff in his day.
Guy Raz
Yeah, like bugs who, when eaten by a frog, make the frog vomit so they can avoid being swallowed and escape alive.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, and the bombardier beetle is a pretty good example of that. After a frog gobbles it up, it tooths out this hot chemical spoon that is so gross and so foul, it makes the frog puke all over the place, allowing the beetle to escape the frog and live to tell the tale.
Guy Raz
Oh, right, you mentioned that in your defecation meditation.
Mindy Thomas
Anywho, this study was about a completely different beetle. A Japanese water beetle who goes by the super long scientific name Regenbardia attenuata.
Guy Raz
Whoa, that's a mouthful even for a frog.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, I thought about calling Reganbardia reggi for short. But. So, anywho, Dr. Sugira had been noticing these beetles and frogs hanging out together around the lily pad fields in Japan. So he brought one beetle and one frog back to his lab so he could study how they interacted with each other.
Guy Raz
And was he surprised when the frog ate the beetle?
Mindy Thomas
Well, he was surprised that when the frog ate the beetle, it didn't spit it right back out. Live beetles are not exactly known for their flavor. That tastes like chicken.
Reggie
Gee, force, ain't nobody want to know that.
Guy Raz
But according to that disgusting, gross mindset exercise you just put me through, the frog must have swallowed the beetle, giving it a journey through its intestines.
Mindy Thomas
You know it. And just a couple of hours later, the beetle, having taken a little ride down the frog's digestive slide, shot right out of the frog's cloaca, covered in poop. You mean it shot out of its butt? Well, not just a butt. The cloaca is kind of a one stop shop that frogs and other animals use for pooping, peeing, laying eggs.
Dennis
Whoo.
Reggie
Now that sounds like a handy little multi tool. Where can I get one?
Guy Raz
What?
Mindy Thomas
Sorry, Mr. Fingerling, cloacas are not for most mammals.
Reggie
Rats.
Dennis
Oh.
Mindy Thomas
A. Reggie would like everyone to know that he has a cloaca. In fact, all birds do.
Dennis
Sheesh, Reggie, no need to brag about it.
Guy Raz
Excuse me, can we get back to this study, please? Mindy, you were saying that after the beetle worked its way through the frog's digestive tract, it shot out of the same hole that the frog uses to defecate.
Mindy Thomas
What'd he say?
Guy Raz
Well, defecate is a more polite way of saying poop.
Dennis
Wow. Oh, no, guy, not you too.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, what goes in must come out. And when you're this particular beetle, you're using the back door. And that is not even the most amazing part.
Guy Raz
It's not?
Mindy Thomas
Nope. What Dr. Sugira discovered was truly bonkerballs. When the frog pooped out the beetle. Yes, the beetle was still alive.
Dennis
What?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, no.
Dennis
I will not stand by listen to nonsense.
Mindy Thomas
That's right. The frog eats the beetle. The beetle emerges from the frogs behind in a pile of poop and survives. Like that death defying journey never even happened.
Guy Raz
Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on a second. That's impossible. I mean, first of all, how would a beetle survive being chewed up by a frog?
Dennis
Yeah.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, well, that's easy. See, these pond frogs don't have teeth, so they just have to gobble and swallow their prey whole.
Guy Raz
Okay, okay, well, how could the beetle possibly survive the frog's corrosive stomach acids? Yeah, I mean, the whole purpose of these digestive juices is to tear apart and break down anything that the frog eats.
Reggie
Yeah, what about that?
Mindy Thomas
Well, Dr. Sugira had the same question, and he thinks that the exoskeleton, or protective outer shell of the beetle is probably strong enough to withstand being digested by a frog. But he'll need to do more research before he can say for sure.
Guy Raz
Okay, but how was it able to breathe that whole time it was swimming through the frog's digestive tubes? I mean, I know it's a water beetle, but still.
Mindy Thomas
Well, Dr. Seguira suspects that since this aquatic beetle can trap air under its wing cases to breathe underwater, well, it could probably do the same to breathe in inside of a frog.
Reggie
Well, that checks out. No further questions, you, Honor.
Mindy Thomas
Now get to the part where the bug starts knocking on the back door, if you know what I mean. Oh, yeah. So once the beetle reaches the end of the, you know, tunnel, it's gotta find a way back out. But the problem is, there's an obstacle in its way. And that obstacle is a little ring of muscle holding that cloaca hole closed. Sort of like a drawstring on a bag, cinching it shut.
Reggie
Or like the drawstring on my hoodie. There. Now I'm cool.
Guy Raz
So wait a minute, Mindy. Are you saying that the beetle has to get that muscle to loosen up before it can escape from the frogs behind?
Mindy Thomas
You know it. And after some poking and prodding and maybe a little knocking, the muscle loosens, the cloaca opens, and out pops the beetle in a flood of fresh frog poop.
Dennis
Er, oh, that's nasty.
Guy Raz
And what about the beetle? What happens after it's pooped out alive?
Mindy Thomas
Well, from what Dr. Segura could tell, the beetle just goes on to live like it never even happened. It pulls itself out of the poop and goes back to swimming around and living its little beetle life midday.
Reggie
Come on, lady. I just washed my mind's eye.
Mindy Thomas
Anything for science.
Guy Raz
So, Mindy, are we sure that this wasn't just a one time thing? I mean, scientists have to conduct their experiments more than once to make sure that their findings are consistent.
Mindy Thomas
Oh, yeah. After this, Dr. Segiro went on to conduct this experiment five more times, including some different beetle species and different insect eating frogs.
Guy Raz
And what did he find?
Mindy Thomas
Well, he found that over 90% or most of the time, the Regenbardia beetle made it out alive and went on to live happily ever after. But the other beetles weren't so lucky.
Guy Raz
So besides the protective exoskeleton or shell on the Regenbardia beetle, were there any other clues to how it was able to survive?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, yeah. And those clues lie in the legs.
Guy Raz
The legs?
Mindy Thomas
Yep. When the Regenbardia beetle had full use of its legs, it managed to pop out the other end between six minutes and six hours after it was swallowed by a frog. Okay, but when Dr. Segira made it difficult for the beetle to use its legs by covering them with wax, well, the digestion took days. And the beetle did not make it out alive. So by conducting this experiment, he was able to determine what?
Guy Raz
He was able to determine that the beetle was using its legs to crawl through the frog's intestines.
Mindy Thomas
Exact oritos. That beetle was plotting its escape route from the very beginning.
Guy Raz
But I guess it's kind of hard to know for sure without seeing inside the frog's intestines.
Mindy Thomas
Yeah, sometimes even scientists have to use their imaginations.
Guy Raz
Hey, speaking of imagination, Mindy, do you mind if I lead us all through a little mindful guided meditation?
Mindy Thomas
Oh, yeah, sure. But do you think you're gonna be able to corral everyone else pooped out by a frog finger?
Reggie
No, you get pooped out by a frog.
Mindy Thomas
You get pooped out by a frog.
Reggie
G force.
Guy Raz
And let your breath drown out the noise.
Dennis
Actually, you know what? I think I need another depresso.
Mindy Thomas
No, you get pooped out by a frog. Grown ups if you like. Wow. In the world. You can listen early and ad free right now on Wondery.
Guy Raz
Join Wondery in the Wondery app or on Wondery Kids plus on Apple Podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music.
Mindy Thomas
And before you go, tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey@wondery.com.
Dennis
Thanks for joining us for this edition of Wewow on the weekend. Our show is written by Ruth Morrison and Jed Anderson. The role of Baby Dennis is played by Jed Anderson. Ah, well then who plays the role of Big Dennis? Never you mind. Tee hee. Original sound design and production is done by Henry Moskal with contributions from Jed Anderson and Tyler Thol. Original music for wewow is composed and performed by Tyler Thole. Special thanks to Jessica Bode, Rebecca Caban, Dr. Natasha Crandall, Kenny Curtis, Lizzie Froehlich, Kristin Yang, Meredith Halpin, Ranzer Thuy Mac, Erica Medina, Henry Muskill, Jody Nussbaum, Ali Paksima, Guy Raz, Linda Rothenberg, Steph Sosa, Mindy Thomas, Joanna Weber, Anna Zagorski, and all of the other tinkerers at Tinkercast HQ. Be sure to visit tinkercast.com where you can become an official member of the World Organization of Wowzers. Learn about upcoming events, shop our wow Shop, find our best selling books, and learn about all the other amazing podcasts from Tinkercast. Thanks again for hanging out in the basement this weekend. Be sure to check out Epic of Wow in the World every Monday and remember who wows I wow. No, Baby Dennis. We wow.
Mindy Thomas
All right.
Dennis
Wee wow.
Mindy Thomas
Wow in the World was made by Tinkercast and sent to you by Wondery.
Episode: WeWow Creepy Crawly Week – Day 5: Roach Revue
Date: October 31, 2025
Hosts: Mindy Thomas & Guy Raz (+ friends Dennis, Reggie, and more)
In this fun and science-packed finale to "WeWow Creepy Crawly Week," Mindy and Guy Raz take listeners on a wildly imaginative—and surprisingly icky—journey through the digestive system of a frog from the perspective of a brave beetle. The episode blends guided "mindfulness" meditation with real scientific discoveries, centering on a study about the Japanese water beetle and its astonishing escape from inside a frog. Listeners learn how some beetles survive being eaten and pooped out, all while laughs and memorable moments abound.
This episode skillfully combines hilarious storytelling, immersive imagination, and real-entomology science. Kids (and their grown-ups) come away saying “WOW,” having learned how nature’s “creepy crawlies” can pull off astonishing survival tricks—even making it through a frog’s gut and coming out alive and undigested! The science is memorable, and so are the giggles.
Perfect for: Fans of fascinating animal survival strategies, listeners who love gross-out humor, and anyone curious about the wildest wonders of the natural world.