History Main / LiteralSurveillanceBug

* Baikinman's team uses a spider-shaped electronic bug (ehh... right) in an ''Soreike! Franchise/{{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''.

* In ''Fanfic/RiskItAll'', some of the smaller and more expensive Surveillance Drone 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.

* 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 PowerTrio'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.

* In ''Fanfic/RiskItAll'', some of the smaller and more expensive Surveillance Drone 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.

* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/AahRealMonsters'', 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 PowerTrio'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.

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]].

All of which gives a whole new meaning to [[{{Documentary}} "Fly on the Wall"]].

* [[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.
* ''Literature/DeceptionPoint'' by Dan Brown has the spy bugs used by Delta Force.

* 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.

* The ''Literature/ArtemisFowl'' series has [=ARClights=], genetically-engineered dragonflies carrying biotech cameras, created by [[GadgeteerGenius Foaly]].
* Rune uses the magical variety in the ''Literature/{{Relativity}}'' story "Rune Returns... Again".

* 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''.
* ''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.

Subtrope to AnimalEspionage. Compare SurveillanceDrone.

* In one episode of ''Series/TheDresdenFiles'' TV series Harry used a spell to make some bees into these: it involved having them sting his ear so he could hear what they heard.

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 [[FrickinLaserBeams laser beams]]! Awesome! You can even replace the SciFi with {{Magic}}, if need be.

* R.A.L.P.H. (imaged above) the ''Robotic Arachnid Lithium Photo Helper'' from ''Film/SpyKids2IslandOfLostDreams''.

* ''Film/AntMan'': 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).

* We have these to thank for the entire Android / Cell Saga in ''Anime/DragonBallZ''. After Goku defeated the Red Ribbon army, Doctor Gero had bee-sized robot bugs 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]].

[[folder:Web Comics]]

* One of the later DIC-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.

Subtrope to AnimalEspionage.

* ''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.

* 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.

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

* Mechanicalles made some of these in WesternAnimation/AladdinTheSeries.