Buzz
Explore the internet’s obsession with this unforgettable tattoo
If you've seen the merch, the jokes, or the original ink, chances are you’ve come across the phrase “Shrimps is bugs.” This meme, born from a Reddit post, quickly exploded in popularity online. Dive in to uncover its origins—and finally get to the bottom of the burning question: are shrimps actually bugs?
The Meaning and Origin of Shrimps Is Bugs
The phrase “Shrimps Is Bugs” comes from a viral tattoo shared on Reddit by user u/Lewbular, who was looking for ideas to cover it up. Its humor comes from both the visual resemblance of shrimp to insects and the quirky, incorrect grammar—permanently inked on someone's skin. The internet couldn’t resist turning it into a full-blown meme.
How It All Unfolded
What’s the meaning behind “Shrimps Is Bugs”?
“Shrimps is bugs” is a bizarre and funny phrase that originated on Reddit. This meme took off after appearing in a viral post, partly because it feels oddly accurate—shrimp do resemble insects. The humor also lies in the grammatically incorrect wording and the small, lowercase text style seen in many versions of the meme.
- Technically, since it refers to shrimp as a group, the correct grammar should be “shrimps are bugs.”
- The meme gained extra traction because it was originally seen as a tattoo—yes, someone actually chose to ink this on their body.
- Though some dig for hidden meaning, the original poster clarified it was simply “a dumb inside joke.”
Where did the “Shrimps Is Bugs” meme originate?
The meme “Shrimps Is Bugs” came from a Reddit post featuring a tattoo. In May 2023, Redditor u/Lewbular shared an image of a tattoo just above his knee that read “shrimps is bugs” (alongside a small hand tattoo above it) on r/tattoodesigns, asking for “Cover up suggestions?”
- In the post, he wrote: “I need ideas for a horizontal design for this dumb tattoo I got above my knee when I was 19. I like American traditional/black and grey type stuff but I haven’t been able to find any designs that would cover it and look good. Any ideas are appreciated. P.s. the little guy above it can stay or go as long as shrimps is bugs is covered.”
- The thread blew up, racking up more than 2,000 comments, many pleading with him to keep it because it was just too funny to erase.
- The top comment, from a now-deleted user, said: “This may be the best tattoo I’ve ever seen. It would be a travesty to get it covered. Now, what you should do is get a frame tattoo around it.”
- On the subreddit r/ShrimpsIsBugs, created the next day, u/Lewbular later posted: “...holy sh*t. Alright fine I’ll keep it.”
How “Shrimps Is Bugs” Took Over the Internet
The phrase “Shrimps Is Bugs” exploded into memes and merchandise. Just a day after the tattoo appeared online, r/ShrimpsIsBugs was flooded with memes featuring real shrimp and photos of pets curled up like shrimp. The viral quote has since been plastered on everything from shirts to hats and more.
- In the subreddit, u/g0back2bed shared a cake decorated with two shrimp and the iconic phrase written in icing.
Fans started creating their own Shrimps Is Bugs tattoos. After w/Lewbular’s post went viral, others followed suit, uploading their own tattoo designs to r/ShrimpsIsBugs. Redditor u/TyrannosaurusWreckd shared a shrimp tattoo with the phrase wrapped in banners above and below it, captioned “Looking for cover up suggestions,” in a nod to the original thread.
- u/Fl1pper_ also posted a version of the tattoo with the line, “Never get drunk around someone with a tattoo machine.”
Is it true that shrimps are bugs?
Technically, no—shrimp are crustaceans, not insects. Shrimp belong to the Crustacea class, while bugs fall under the Insecta class. However, both shrimp and bugs evolved from a shared ancestor over 500 million years ago and share some key features—like having exoskeletons and lacking backbones.
- Not every insect is a “bug.” True bugs are part of the Hemiptera group, which includes cicadas, plant hoppers, and bed bugs.
- Both bugs and shrimp are classified under the Arthropod phylum, which includes creatures with segmented bodies, exoskeletons, and jointed limbs—like arachnids, insects, and crustaceans.
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Scientifically speaking, true bugs are set apart by a straw-shaped mouth. Insects like ants, butterflies, beetles, and bees aren’t considered true bugs.
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Research shows that some crustaceans, including shrimp, and insects share similar mushroom-like brain structures.
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Insect wings are believed to have evolved from a leg-based growth on ancient crustaceans.
