Follow TV Tropes

Following

Context Main / LiteralSurveillanceBug

Go To

1[[quoteright:350:[[Film/SpyKids2IslandOfLostDreams https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/R_A_L_P_H__6200.jpg]]]]
2[[caption-width-right:350:Definitely one of the [[CuteMachines cuter examples]].]]
3
4->''"They had a bug in the appropriate conference chamber -- literally a fly on the wall."''
5-->-- ''Literature/UseOfWeapons''
6
7So, you know how we call the TrackingDevice a bug, since we all tend to speak American and are therefore too lazy to say more than one syllable?
8
9This 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 sci-fi with magic, if need be.
10
11All of this on top of the fact that bugs themselves are rather unobtrusive, and people don't usually shriek in horror when there's just a random bug hanging around, [[HiddenInPlainSight minding its own business]]. And whereas people might begin to get suspicious if the telephone sprouted helicopter blades and [[IncrediblyObviousBug followed them into the next room]], an insect flitting from wall to wall is entirely uninteresting. As a result, they tend to be both cool and practical. It's hardly surprising that this trope appears in ScienceFiction, {{Fantasy}}, and [[ScienceFantasy everything in-between]].
12
13If 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. In fantastic settings, the robot part may be entirely unnecessary if whoever deployed the bug has PestController or AnimalEyeSpy powers and can send a flesh-and-blood insect.
14
15This 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 [[MeatSackRobot 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.
16
17All of which gives a whole new meaning to the phrase [[{{Documentary}} "Fly on the Wall"]].
18
19Subtrope to AnimalEspionage and MechanicalInsects. Compare SurveillanceDrone.
20
21----
22!!Examples:
23
24[[foldercontrol]]
25
26[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
27* ''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).
28* 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.
29* ''Anime/YuGiOh'': There is one, property of bug-themed Weevil Underwood.
30* ''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''.
31* ''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]].
32* 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.
33[[/folder]]
34
35[[folder:Asian Animation]]
36* ''Animation/AgentAli'': Dos and Trez spy on the M.A.T.A. base with a hidden camera in a robotic cockroach.
37* In ''Animation/HappyHeroes'', the villains Big M. and Little M. occasionally spy on the Supermen using a little robotic fly.
38* In ''Animation/YoYoMan'', Baron Rose and his cronies frequently use a tiny surveillance drone with a slender body and dragonfly-like wings to spy on others.
39[[/folder]]
40
41[[folder:Comic Books]]
42* ComicBook/SpiderMan has spider-tracers (whose signal he picks up with his spider-sense, in fact).
43* 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.]]
44* In ''ComicBook/TheMightyThor'' #357-8, the villains' secret base has an insect infestation that's actually a swarm of Literal Surveillance Bugs created by their own GadgeteerGenius, who is working with them unwillingly and wants to know what they say when he's not around.
45* ''ComicBook/PS238'' student the Flea has a psychic link with insects which is powerful enough that he can and does get useful information from them, even at fairly considerable ranges.
46* ''ComicBook/TheSimpsons:'' An early issue has the FBI keeping watch on Mr. Burns via one of these, until Smithers notices it.
47-->'''Mr. Burns:''' Oh, worried about bugs, are we? I eat bugs for breakfast. ''Let them eat static!''\
48'''FBI Agent:''' It... it's still working. I can hear chewing and swallowing.
49* 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.
50-->'''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.
51* ''ComicBook/BlueBeetle'': Ted Kord has one called Snoopy, which he sends out from his airborne hovership the Bug to do surveillance.
52[[/folder]]
53
54[[folder:Fan Works]]
55* In ''Fanfic/{{Game Theory|LyricalNanoha}}'', Megane primarily uses her [[SummonMagic summoned insects]] for discrete surveillance.
56* ''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.
57* ''Fanfic/TheNewAdventuresOfInvaderZim'' features Zim spying on Dib with one of these in the first chapter.
58* ''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.
59* In ''Fanfic/RiskItAll'', some of the smaller and more expensive surveillance drones in Ren's prestige point shop are shaped like common insects like cockroaches and flies. He invests in some of these while trying to track down Black Mask.
60[[/folder]]
61
62[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
63* ''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).
64* One pops up in the 2008 remake of ''Film/GetSmart'', where Bruce and Lloyd capture a small robotic fly.
65* 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.
66* In ''Film/TheFifthElement'', one of [[TheDragon Zorg]]'s minions uses a cockroach fitted with a [[IncrediblyObviousBug hilariously conspicuous transmitter]] to spy on the president. The roach also seems to have a brain implant that allows it some rudimentary control over it. The president eventually notices the bug and squashes it, causing painful feedback for the listener. (Note that this is a parodical exaggeration. Despite the film being set a few centuries in the future, in real life the technology already exists to do this trick more effectively.)
67* ''Film/TheMatrix'' has the tracking device Smith places in Neo's body. When it's about to be surgically removed from Neo's body, Trinity explains to him, "We think you're bugged."
68* Mooch the Fly from ''Film/GForce'' (2009).
69* ''Film/GIJoeRetaliation'': Firefly's robo-fireflies, which also double as anti-personnel explosives.
70* ''Franchise/SpyKids''
71** R.A.L.P.H., (imaged above) Juni's ''Robotic Arachnid Lithium Photo Helper'' from ''Film/SpyKids2IslandOfLostDreams''.
72** In ''Film/SpyKids3DGameOver'', [[BigBad the Toymaker]] spies on the heroes in his virtual reality game with a blue butterfly.
73[[/folder]]
74
75[[folder:Literature]]
76* The Literature/{{Animorphs}} would frequently morph bugs for surveillance purposes.
77* 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.]]
78* The ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series has [=ARClights=], genetically-engineered dragonflies carrying biotech cameras, created by [[GadgeteerGenius Foaly]].
79* ''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.
80* 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).
81* ''Literature/DeceptionPoint'' by Dan Brown has the spy bugs used by Delta Force.
82* [[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.
83* In ''Literature/HeavenOfficialsBlessingTianGuanCiFu'', Hua Cheng can see and hear through the wraith butterflies he creates and controls and can also use them to make recordings that he can show to other people. He uses this ability to keep informed of the goings-on in Heaven, allowing him to give Xie Lian helpful exposition. During the Mount Tonglu arc, he uses the butterflies to mitigate the difficulties caused by the group getting separated.
84* The clockwork "spy fly" in ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials.''
85* 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").
86* One features in the opening chapter of Creator/RogerZelazny's ''Literature/LordOfLight''
87* ''Literature/MrsSmithsSpySchoolForGirlsDoubleCross'': [[TheProtagonist Abby]] starts encountering robotic butterflies on the Briar Academy campus. Turns out, Jane Ann had a couple of Briar kids build them to spy on the Smith kids.
88* 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.
89* 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.
90* Rune uses the magical variety in the ''Literature/{{Relativity}}'' story "Rune Returns... Again".
91* In the first ''Literature/StarTrekTitan'' book, the Romulan Tal Shiar (their state intelligence agency) use tiny crawling robotic bugs to eavesdrop on a closed meeting of Romulan and Federation dignitaries. The devices are discovered only afterwards, but do prove useful in a later mission (in the next book of the series).
92* In ''Literature/TheStormlightArchive'', the Dysian Aimans are {{Hive Mind}}s controlling hundreds or thousands of small arthropods they call hordelings (small arthropods in general are usually called 'cremlings in universe). [[TheWormthatWalks They can form them into a surprisingly convincing human shape]] but they can also use some of them as remote observation agents. An unknown number of Dysians have taken an interest in the series main characters and apparently are the in-universe authors of the back cover blurbs for the novels. The exact nature of their interest is currently unknown. Since this was revealed fans have made a bit of a game of trying to spot the Dysian spies. One is confirmed, the cremling that appears in the epilogue of ''Literature/WordsOfRadiance''.
93* ''Literature/WhateleyUniverse'':
94** Not only bug-shaped but also with a cloaking field in "Ayla and the Tests".
95** Cyber-Swarm specializes in them.
96* ''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.]]
97[[/folder]]
98
99[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
100* ''Series/GetSmart'': In "Double Agent", there is a fly "bug" in development, but Max (of course) thinks it's a real fly and swats it.
101* ''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.
102* ''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.
103* Flying robotic bugs are used by MegaCorp Vex-Cor in ''Series/CharlieJade''.
104* Skylar in ''Series/{{Alphas}}'' makes these.
105* 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.
106* ''Series/StarTrekDiscovery'': After their Klingon captors mockingly repeat information from a private conversation between Captain Lorca and Lieutenant Tyler, Lorca realizes that their fellow captive, Harry Mudd, uses a listening bug attached to his spider-like pet, Stuart, to gather potentially valuable intel and then feeds the information to the Klingons to ensure his own safety.
107* ''Series/StarTrekVoyager'': In "[[Recap/StarTrekVoyagerS6E24LifeLine Life Line]]", 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).
108-->'''Barclay:''' Oh, that's Roy.\
109'''EMH:''' Don't tell me -- another hologram?\
110'''Barclay:''' It was developed for Starfleet Intelligence; an experiment in micro-surveillance.
111* ''Series/VeronicaMars'': Veronica once planted a bug inside a paperweight of a beetle.
112* ''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.
113* ''Script/{{Powerpuff}}'': Henrietta's wooly bear caterpillar robots are used as surveillance drones in addition to their bigger purpose of mind control.
114[[/folder]]
115
116[[folder:Podcasts]]
117* The Scuttle Buddy from ''Podcast/TheAdventureZoneBalance''.
118[[/folder]]
119
120[[folder:Puppet Shows]]
121* ''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.
122[[/folder]]
123
124[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
125* ''TabletopGame/{{Champions}}'' adventure ''Deathstroke'' (1983). The villain group The Destroyers use spy devices disguised as insects to guard their hidden base.
126* The Loyalty Roaches from ''TabletopGame/FengShui'''s 2056 juncture are how the Buro keeps its eye on its citizens. The watered-down "environment-safe" insecticides common in 2056 don't do dick to them, but the ones in the contemporary juncture, which are obviously banned by the Buro, do a bang-up job on them.
127* House Dimir of ''TabletopGame/MagicTheGathering'' uses these as part of its omnipresent surveillance network across Ravnica. As GameplayAndStoryIntegration, the more information you gather with the 'surveil' mechanic, the more lethal the bugs get.
128-->''Just assume every conversation is on record.''
129* In the ''TabletopGame/TranshumanSpace'' setting, microbots can be and sometimes are used for espionage or surveillance, and doubtless often pass as insects, at least to casual observation.
130[[/folder]]
131
132[[folder:Video Games]]
133* In one mission of ''VideoGame/Sly2BandOfThieves'', the team rigs a beetle into a survailance bug, with LampshadeHanging.
134* 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.
135* 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.
136* ''VideoGame/CallOfDutyBlackOpsII'' has you deploy a spider-like bug named Ziggy during the Colossus mission, [[DoAnythingRobot equipped with a camera, microphone, wall-climbing capabilities, hacking equipment and a short ranged stun device]].
137* 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, beehives etc.), and subsequent upgrades provide it a longer range and the ability to accelerate.
138* ''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.
139* James Bond's Q-Spiders in ''VideoGame/EverythingOrNothing''. They're variously equipped with explosives, tranq-darts, invisibility cloaks, and missiles (used only once).
140* ''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]].
141* ''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.
142[[/folder]]
143
144[[folder:Webcomics]]
145* Hinted at in ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' #770 when a prisoner in the Empire of Blood says about having been captured after escaping:
146-->'''Ian:''' I don't know what tricks they're using to find me yet... my current theory is that they've bugged my bugs.
147* Part of LBB's function in ''Webcomic/AgentsOfTheRealm''. LBB stands for Ladybug Bot and Jade uses it to search for both Agents and bleeds.
148* ''Webcomic/WildeLife'' has spiders act as watchers, heralds, and if need be defenders, in the name of [[spoiler:the White Faced Bear]].
149[[/folder]]
150
151[[folder:Western Animation]]
152* 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.
153* [[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.
154* 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.
155* Vlad Plasmius uses mechanical bugs that resemble him to spy on the Fentons in ''WesternAnimation/DannyPhantom''.
156* The Predacons in ''WesternAnimation/BeastWars'' sometimes use these.
157* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Wakfu}}'', [[BigBad Nox]] uses the "Noxines" clockwork bugs for both surveillance and to gather [[LifeEnergy wakfu]] from all over the world.
158* When spying on Global Justice and ''WesternAnimation/KimPossible'', Gemini uses robotic Fly-On-The-Wall cameras, which often lose signal because people keep swatting and breaking them. When interrogating his underlings about the signal loss, they mention that when people see things that look like flies, they swat. Gemini [[YouHaveFailedMe never takes this advice reasonably]].
159* 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.
160* In ''WesternAnimation/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles2012'', Donatello has been known to make "spy roaches" by outfitting ordinary cockroaches with cameras and somehow controlling their actions via remote control. Raphael, who hates cockroaches, [[WhyDidItHaveToBeSnakes doesn't approve]], especially after one of them [[OhCrap mutates and holds a grudge against one of Raphael's freak-outs]].
161* ''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.
162* ''WesternAnimation/InchHighPrivateEye''. In "Super Flea" the invention of this trope [[JobStealingRobot threatens to put the miniscule private detective out of a job]].
163* ''WesternAnimation/SpecialAgentOSO'' has a tiny ladybug-like robot called Shutterbug.
164* ''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.
165* 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.
166* 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.
167* ''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.
168* 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.
169[[/folder]]
170
171[[folder:Real Life]]
172* For those interested in how this trope is being applied in RealLife, [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMhrSwatSiE some]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSCLBG9KeX4 YouTube]] [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l_n8SgfwL4 links]] for your perusal.
173* Alleged first example of some kind of this trope would be CIA's project to implant a microphone and a radio in a cat (fun fact: the antenna was going through the tail). Thus created spy-cat would have been given to persons of interest as a inconspicuous gift. Then, during field tests, first ever spy-cat was run over by a car in minutes since its release, and the project was scrapped.
174* The [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insectothopter Insectothopter]], a 1970s bug disguised as a dragonfly.
175[[/folder]]

Top