History Main / LiteralSurveillanceBug

* There's a bard in ''Literature/ScrappedPrincess'' who learned to control swarms of robotic bugs running on LostTechnology and uses them, among other things, for spying on people.

* ''Soreike! Literature/{{Anpanman}}'': Baikinman's team uses a spider-shaped electronic bug in an movie (it was either ''Ruby no negai'' or ''Yumeneko no kuni no Nyanii''). Apparently Baikinman got over his hatred of spiders when he transformed into one in ''Baikinman no Gyakushuu''.
* ''Franchise/DragonBall'': After Goku defeated the Red Ribbon Army, Doctor Gero had tiny robotic ladybugs running surveillance on all Goku's battles except for those on Namek. This allowed Gero to a) calculate the growth of Goku's abilities so he knew how strong to make the androids, and b) collect DNA samples from human and alien fighters [[LegoGenetics to make Cell]].
* Tiny robot bugs with a large field of vision show up in both ''Manga/{{Arachnid}}'' and its spinoff ''Caterpillar'' to spy on the ongoing battle royales. This is but a sample of the setting's fixation on bugs.

* ComicBook/SpiderMan has spider-tracers (whose signal he picks up with his spider-sense, in fact).
* In ''ComicBook/AstroCity'', although Jack-In-The-Box [[PassingTheTorch trains a replacement]] due to familial obligations, he follows the new Jack with a remote-controlled flying spy camera and provides him with [[VoiceWithAnInternetConnection real-time situational updates.]]

* ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons:'' An early issue has the FBI keeping watch on Mr. Burns via one of these, until Smithers notices it.

* In ''ComicBook/{{Supergirl}}'' storyline ''ComicBook/DeathAndTheFamily'', S.T.A.R. Labs sends a spy robot into the Insect Queen's hive to gather information. It is called a Batesian Universal Ground retcon unit (or "B.U.G."), is modeled after a termite, and it fits in the palm of one hand.
-->'''Dr. Light:''' ''"In the thick of things, we released this. A Batesian Universal Ground Recon Unit. "B.U.G." for short. A branch of S.T.A.R. Labs has been developing these to mimic the qualities of South African termites and infiltrate their mounds. I co-opted one of the prototypes and sent it in to get whatever information it could.
* ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'': Ted Kord has one called Snoopy, which he sends out from his airborne hovership the Bug to do surveillance.

* In ''Fanfic/{{Game Theory|LyricalNanoha}}'', Megane primarily uses her [[SummonMagic summoned insects]] for discrete surveillance.
* ''Fanfic/StarlightOverDetrot'' has the Ladybugs -- magically constructed out of parasprites and a host of other things, they can telepathically share information across their HiveMind, and to anyone wearing one of the bugs.

* ''Fanfic/PeterParkersFieldTripOfCourseItsToStarkIndustries'': One of the more recent inventions Tony and Peter made together is a remote-controlled bug - or "SPI-DER" ([[FunWithAcronyms System for Portable Information, Data Extraction and Retrieval]]) - designed to look like a Black Widow spider meant for Natasha to use. It is nearly indestructible and is programmed to bite anyone who tried to squish it, injecting them with a toxin that can knock anyone unconscious. Peter's contribution was a built-in microphone half a millimeter big that could pick up sounds up to ten-yards away.

* One pops up in the 2008 remake of ''Film/GetSmart'', where Bruce and Lloyd capture a small robotic fly.
* The Spyders in ''Film/MinorityReport'' are four-legged robots which invade people's homes to do a retina scan for identification. Those who don't open willingly will be shocked until they comply.

* Mooch the Fly from ''Film/GForce'' (2009).
* ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'': Firefly's robo-fireflies, which also double as anti-personnel explosives.
* ''Franchise/SpyKids''

* The Literature/{{Animorphs}} would frequently morph bugs for surveillance purposes.
* This is part of the PalantirPloy in ''Literature/{{Abarat}}''--the Midnightian Royal Family has robot spy-bugs and spy-birds and spy-who-knows-what all over the place. Candy actually beats one up once, to prevent it from hurting [[MamaBear the child of the kind lady who gave her shelter.]]
* The ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series has [=ARClights=], genetically-engineered dragonflies carrying biotech cameras, created by [[GadgeteerGenius Foaly]].
* ''Literature/ConsiderPhlebas''. Horza swats away an insect that has somehow made its way onto the spaceship. The insect lands on his hand for a moment, and Horza only realises later (when agents from Special Circumstances try to detain him) that it was a tiny surveillance drone confirming his identity by sampling his DNA.
* A Danny Dunn book (science fiction for '60s youngsters) has this for a plot -- the eccentric scientist invents a dragonfly that can be remote-controlled by virtual reality, and three kids get hold of it and use it for their own purposes (mostly tormenting the local bully, but also spying on crooks).
* ''Literature/DeceptionPoint'' by Dan Brown has the spy bugs used by Delta Force.
* [[spoiler: Rita Skeeter]] in the ''Literature/HarryPotter'' books can actually transform into a bug, and uses said ability for exactly this purpose. In this instance, it's a learned skill, albeit one that is supposedly regulated by wizarding law. Hermione was set on the path to discover this fact by Harry talking about "bug" in the usual surveillance sense.

* In the Literature/LiadenUniverse novel ''Fledgling'', Win Ton catches an insect-like device spying on the Delgado party (though it is referred to as a "spying device" as the parties discussing it apparently do not use the colloquialism "bug").
* One features in the opening chapter of Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Literature/LordOfLight''

* In ''[[Literature/TheNightsDawnTrilogy The Neutronium Alchemist]]'' by Creator/PeterFHamilton, an intelligence agency is using biotech spiders to spy on a radical group. Realising what's happening the group arranges for gangs of local kids to squash every spider in sight as a game.
* In ''Literature/PandorasStar,'' also by Peter F. Hamilton, [[AlwaysGetsHisMan Paula Myo]] and her team use modified insects to spy past privacy shields that scramble any electronic attempts at spying.

* ''Literature/{{Worm}}'''s main character Taylor has the power to control insects, spiders, and other creepy-crawlies. She really wants to learn to see and hear through them, as this would massively expand the utility of her power. [[spoiler:She eventually pulls it off, making her a surveillance nightmare for the heroes and villains she opposes.]]

* ''Series/LoisAndClark'' season 2 has Intergang using robotic beetles to investigate the Daily Planet, as well as using them to help target heat seeking missiles.
* ''Series/TheXFiles'': In the episode "[[Recap/TheXFilesS03E12WarOfTheCoprophages War of the Coprophages]]", Mulder stumbles upon a swarm of methane-powered robotic alien space probes disguised as roaches who have been conducting research on a small town in New England. Because they have a tendency to swarm over the recently-dead in order to collect samples, the townsfolk erroneously believe them to be responsible for the deaths and mass hysteria over killer cockroaches ensues.
* Flying robotic bugs are used by MegaCorp Vex-Cor in ''Series/CharlieJade''.
* Skylar in ''Series/{{Alphas}}'' makes these.
* In one episode of ''Series/TheDresdenFiles'', Harry uses a spell to make some wasps into these: it involves having them sting his ear so he can hear what they hear, and [[EyeScream sting his eye]] so he can see what they see.

* ''Series/VeronicaMars'': Veronica once planted a bug inside a paperweight of a beetle.
* ''Series/AlteredCarbon'': A surveillance drone that looks like a metal fly is used by the Ghostwalker to record Takeshi Kovacs having sex with Miriam Bancroft, the wife of his wealthy and powerful employer. The next day a couple of them are shown to Takeshi by Poe (the avatar of the hotel's ArtificialIntelligence) pinned like butterflies. Unfortunately, Poe says that he detected them too late to stop them transmitting what they saw.
* ''Script/{{Powerpuff}}'': Henrietta's wooly bear caterpillar robots are used as surveillance drones in addition to their bigger purpose of mind control.

[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
* ''Film/TheDarkCrystal'' has surveillance ''bats''. They have a magic crystal set in the chest area that transmits what it's aimed at. They're not very smart; one gets smacked by an oar because it got too close. In broad daylight.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' adventure ''Deathstroke'' (1983). The villain group The Destroyers use spy devices disguised as insects to guard their hidden base.

* In one mission of ''VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves'', the team rigs a beetle into a survailance bug, with LampshadeHanging.
* The Humongous Entertainment ''VideoGame/SpyFox'' games have Walter Wireless the Tracking Bug, a Walter-Cronkite-impersonating bug whom Spy Fox drops into the bad spy's purse, or whatever. He gives news reports on the villain's status while riding with them.
* In the ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam & Max]]'' games by Telltale, one of the overpriced but necessary items Bosco sells the titular duo is a "high tech listening device" that turns out to be a talking cockroach that can perfectly memorize and play back any conversation it hears. When not imitating the voices of other characters, it speaks in a DrillSergeantNasty voice and looks back on its many traumatic war experiences.

* ''VideoGame/TooHuman'': a CyberPunk adaptation of Myth/NorseMythology, turns [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huginn_and_Muninn Huginn and Muninn]] into robotic birds with zoom-lens eyes.
* James Bond's Q-Spiders in ''VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing''. They're variously equipped with explosives, tranq-darts, invisibility cloaks, and missiles (used only once).
* ''VideoGame/RatchetAndClankGoingCommando'' has the Spider-Bot, a remote controlled drone that Ratchet can use to survey areas outside of his line of sight, flip switches out of his reach, or [[BreadEggsMilkSquick blow up]] [[ActionBomb unsuspecting enemies]].
* ''VideoGame/RedAlert3'': The Empire's detector unit is the Burst Drone, a dragonfly-shaped drone that can attach itself to vehicles to slow them down and self-detonate to damage them.

* Part of LBB's function in ''Webcomic/AgentsOfTheRealm''. LBB stands for Ladybug Bot and Jade uses it to search for both Agents and bleeds.

* Mechanicles made some of these in ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries''. The steampunk beetles couldn't transmit, and had to fly back to the nutty inventor to relay their information.
* [[ParodiedTrope Parodied]] in ''WesternAnimation/{{Chowder}}'' when [[ItMakesSenseInContext Chowder runs away and Mung, Truffles, and Schnitzel go search for him]] in the episode Apprentice Appreciation Day. Mung remembers he had Chowder "bugged" [[CrazyPrepared just in case of this]]. The bug is literally a [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant insect]] (as in bigger that Chowder) underneath the kid's hat that shouts to Mung and company, "He's right here!" before flying off.
* The Monarch uses butterflies like this in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', although you can't help but wonder why no one notices that butterflies are, in fact, The Monarch's whole supervillain theme. It helps, of course, that as far as Dr. Venture is concerned The Monarch is an UnknownRival.
* Vlad Plasmius uses mechanical bugs that resemble him to spy on the Fentons in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'', [[BigBad Nox]] uses the "Noxines" clockwork bugs for both surveillance and to gather [[LifeEnergy wakfu]] from all over the world.

* One of the later Creator/{{DiC|Entertainment}}-season episodes of ''WesternAnimation/GIJoe'' had many high-ranking Joes under suspect for being TheMole since Cobra always seemed to have strategic intel that was only discussed in very confidential meetings. After investigation, none of the Joes present was found to be a spy, but General Hawk always brought his favorite cookies to the meetings and Cobra programmed a collection of robotic cockroaches to seek these cookies out.

* ''WesternAnimation/YogisTreasureHunt'': One episode features Dick Dastardly using one to find out where the good guys will go to search for the treasure of the week. Someone swats it without realizing what it was but Dick is satisfied because it at least lasted long enough to fulfill its purpose.
* ''WesternAnimation/InchHighPrivateEye''. In "Super Flea" the invention of this trope [[JobStealingRobot threatens to put the miniscule private detective out of a job]].
* ''WesternAnimation/SpecialAgentOSO'' has a tiny ladybug-like robot called Shutterbug.
* ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' episode "Repairanoid", Dexter sends out a fly bot to find out why his lights are flickering. The electrician sees the fly but assumed it to be a ordinary fly and squashes it.
* An episode of ''WesternAnimation/CodenameKidsNextDoor'' ends on the twist that a fly that made its way into the treehouse and put up with the main characters' antics was actually a robot sent by the Delightful Children From Down The Lane.
* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AaahhRealMonsters'', Simon the Monster Hunter tricks [[BigEater Krumm]] into eating a cockroach-shaped listening device, allowing him to listen in through Krumm's stomach and learn the trio's every move. At first, they suspected that one of their fellow students betrayed them by telling Simon, and even began to turn on each other. Once they learned about the bug inside Krumm, however, they used it against Simon and lured him into a fighting ring with a wrestler.
* ''WesternAnimation/DuckTales2017'': At the end of "Challenge of the Senior Junior Woodchucks!", it's revealed that the mosquito that's been pestering Donald throughout the episode is actually a F.O.W.L. drone that was sent to spy on the [=McDuck=] family.
* In ''WesternAnimation/WildKratts'', both hero-scientist Aviva and villain-robotics expert Zack Varmitek have created bug-size robots for various purposes. Aviva uses hers for watching wildlife and getting the data she needs to create new gadgets and creature-suit programs, while Zack uses his in his endless schemes to infiltrate Wild Kratts HQ and steal Aviva's inventions.

This trope isn't just restricted to fiction, either--it turns out that [[http://www.technologyreview.com/computing/22039/?nlid=1733&a=f actual beetles]] can be manipulated in such a way that they work as great surveillance, although full applications of this are still in the works. These studies also discredit one common appearance of this trope--robotic bugs. It turns out that they're CoolButImpractical, since making them work pretty much requires that scientists make them as much like actual beetles as possible.

* ''Film/TheFifthElement'': A cockroach with a really obvious set of surveillance gear strapped on its back. Leading to a hilarious moment when the President squashes it (thinking it is just a bug) and the man listening receives the noise of the strike many times louder plus feedback.

* ''Series/GetSmart''. In "Double Agent", there was a fly "bug" in development, but Max (of course) thought it was a real fly and swatted it.

* Flying robotic bugs were used by MegaCorp Vex-Cor in ''Series/CharlieJade''.

* In one episode of ''Series/TheDresdenFiles'' TV series Harry used a spell to make some wasps into these: it involved having them sting his ear so he could hear what they heard, and [[EyeScream sting his eye]] so he can see what they see.

* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager''. In "Lifeline" the EMH goes to visit his creator, hologram expert Dr Zimmerman, and finds himself being bothered by a buzzing fly (as per usual for this trope, he ends up swatting it despite being a hologram himself).
-->'''Barclay:''' Oh that's Roy.\\

* ''Series/AlteredCarbon''. A surveillance drone that looks like a metal fly is used by the Ghostwalker to record Takeshi Kovacs having sex with Miriam Bancroft, the wife of his wealthy and powerful employer. The next day a couple of them are shown to Takeshi by Poe (the avatar of the hotel's ArtificialIntelligence) pinned like butterflies. Unfortunately Poe says that he detected them too late to stop them transmitting what they saw.

This is what happens when a clever writer realizes that hey, maybe it actually ''can'' be a bug! A [[NinjaPirateZombieRobot robot]] bug, with cameras and [[EnergyWeapon laser beams]]! Awesome! You can even replace the SciFi with {{Magic}}, if need be.

* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectothopter Insectothopter]], a 1970's bug disguised as a dragonfly.

* A cockroach (with a really obvious set of surveillance gear strapped on its back) in ''Film/TheFifthElement''. Leading to a hilarious moment when the President squashes it (thinking it is just a bug) and the man listening receives the noise of the strike many times louder plus feedback.

* There's a bard in ''LightNovel/ScrappedPrincess'' who learned to control swarms of robotic bugs running on LostTechnology and uses them, among other things, for spying on people.

If someone does -- usually out of sheer force of habit, rather than suspicion -- swat the bug in question, expect anyone in headphones on the other end to get a [[SensoryOverload painful dose of screeching feedback]]. Sure enough, it will prompt the one spying to deploy another bug.

[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
* The bird in ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles''.
[[/folder]]

* In ''Series/TheXFiles'' episode "War Of The Coprophages", Mulder stumbles upon a swarm of methane-powered robotic alien space probes disguised as roaches who have been conducting research on a small town in New England. Because they have a tendency to swarm over the recently-dead in order to collect samples, the townsfolk erroneously believe them to be responsible for the deaths and mass hysteria over killer cockroaches ensues.

* R.A.L.P.H., (imaged above) Juni's ''Robotic Arachnid Lithium Photo Helper'' from ''Film/SpyKids2IslandOfLostDreams''.
* In ''Film/SpyKids3DGameOver'', [[BigBad the Toymaker]] spies on the heroes in his virtual reality game with a blue butterfly.

* ''Film/AntMan1'': Unsurprisingly, Hank Pym uses ants carrying micro-cameras to spy on Scott (before recruiting him as Ant-Man) and to follow him on missions (afterward).

* Mechanicalles made some of these in ''WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries''. The steampunk beetles couldn't transmit, and had to fly back to the nutty inventor to relay their information.

* The Beetle serves this function in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword''. Not only does it allow you to retrieve small items and press unreachable switches, an upgrade also allows it to carry larger objects (pots, bombs, etc.), and subsequent upgrades provide it a longer range and the ability to accelerate.

* In the ''[[VideoGame/SamAndMaxFreelancePolice Sam & Max]]'' games by Telltale, there was a literal talking bug with a DrillSergeantNasty voice. Apparently he was in Vietnam too.

* ''Animation/EjenAli'': Dos and Trez spy on the M.A.T.A. base with a hidden camera in a robotic cockroach.

* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', Shino Aburame gives orders to the bugs that live in his body, and can have them perform surveillance (they communicate with him by flying in pattern to form words) or track (he puts a female bug on his target and then has male bugs find it by scent).

* There is one in ''Anime/YuGiOh'', property of bug-themed Weevil Underwood.
* Baikinman's team uses a spider-shaped electronic bug (ehh... right) in an ''Soreike! Literature/{{Anpanman}}'' movie (it was either ''Ruby no negai'' or ''Yumeneko no kuni no Nyanii''). Apparently Baikinman got over his hatred of spiders when he transformed into one in ''Baikinman no Gyakushuu''.
* We have these to thank for the entire Android/Cell Saga in ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. After Goku defeated the Red Ribbon Army, Doctor Gero had tiny robotic ladybugs running surveillance on all Goku's battles except for those on Namek. This allowed Gero to a) calculate the growth of Goku's abilities so he knew how strong to make the androids, and b) collect DNA samples from human and alien fighters [[LegoGenetics to make Cell]].

* Comicbook/SpiderMan has spider-tracers (whose signal he picks up with his spider-sense, in fact).

* The Ted Kord version of the ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'' has one called Snoopy, which he sends out from his airborne hovership the Bug to do surveillance.

* [[ParodiedTrope Parodied]] in ''WesternAnimation/Chowder'' when [[ItMakesSenseInContext Chowder runs away and Mung, Truffles, and Schnitzel go search for him]] in the episode Apprentice Appreciation Day. Mung remembers he had Chowder "bugged" [[CrazyPrepared just in case of this]]. The bug is literally a [[BigCreepyCrawlies giant insect]] (as in bigger that Chowder) underneath the kid's hat that shouts to Mung and company, "He's right here!" before flying off.

* The Monarch uses butterflies like this in ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', although you can't help but wonder why no one notices that butterflies are, in fact, The Monarch's whole supervillain theme. It helps, of course, that as far as Dr. Venture is concerned The Monarch is an UnknownRival.

* Comicbook/SpiderMan's spider-tracers. Whose signal he picks up with his spider-sense, in fact.

* In the ''TabletopGame/TranshumanSpace'' setting, microbots can be and sometimes are used for espionage or surveillance.