Twiddlebugs

The Twiddlebugs in a recent appearance on Elmo's World

The Twiddlebugs in CGI form as seen in Episode 4125

The Twiddlebugs' updated computer-animated home

Twiddlebugs are a species of colorful insects who live in Ernie's window box.

The Twiddlebugs seen most frequently on Sesame Street are a family of four. These Twiddlebugs often find themselves facing difficult challenges, such as taking their car to the zoo or hanging a postage stamp on the wall. Presented with such daunting situations, it would an easy thing for them to simply give up, and indeed they express despair when their initial attempts at solving these problems meet with agonizing failure. However, the Twiddlebugs persevere in the face of adversity, and through collective brainstorming and cooperation, they always manage to overcome even the most seemingly insurmountable tribulations, such as figuring out how to exit a roller rink. These moments of triumph are cause for celebration for the Twiddlebugs, who remain blissfully unaware that their ultimate solution is rarely the most logical.

A secret of Twiddlebug reproduction is revealed in the Sesame song "Let's Lay an Egg". "Snails do it, slugs do it," two gastropods sing. "Even tiny Twiddlebugs do it!" the Twiddlebug family (only without Timmy) chirps. "Let's do it! Let's lay an egg!"

Characters

The main Twiddlebug family consists of:

• Thomas Twiddlebug (Papa Twiddlebug), performed by Jim Henson
• Tessie Twiddlebug (Mama Twiddlebug), performed by Frank Oz
• Timmy Twiddlebug (son), performed by Richard Hunt
• Tina Twiddlebug (daughter), performed by Jerry Nelson

Other Twiddlebugs have appeared in books, including Mayor Thaddeus Twiddlebug. The Twiddlebug species is seen in great numbers and a wider variety of colors, and different aspects of Twiddlebug life and culture are examined therein. Other Twiddlebug homes and communities exist in other windowboxes on Sesame Street. Twiddlebug Town is located in Elmo's windowbox. The CGI versions of the Twiddlebugs are performed by Rickey Boyd.

Performing the Twiddlebugs

The high-pitched effect of the Twiddlebugs' voices was accomplished by recording the performers at slow speed, then playing the vocal tracks back at normal speed. The characters' very deliberate enunciation is a result of the performers' attempts to keep the dialogue comprehensible after it was sped up.

In addition to being Muppets, the Twiddlebugs first appeared in computer-generated form in Sesame Street 4-D Movie Magic. Additionally, a new computer-generated Twiddlebug sketch premiered on the show in season 37's episode 4125. Magnetic Dreams animation studio , Nashville, adapted the Twiddlebugs to CGI. There are curently plans for a computer-animated Twiddlebugs series. The CGI versions of the Twiddlebugs also made a cameo in an advertisement for Sesamestreet.org.

Sketches

Muppet Sketches
Picture	Theme	Earliest Known Appearance	Description
	Counting Six Twiddlebugs	Episode 0280	Kermit counts six happy little Twiddlebugs, and when he is finished, the Twiddlebugs have a party.
	Going to the Zoo	Episode 0693	The Twiddlebugs try to get to the zoo.
	Hanging a Picture	Episode 0961	The Twiddlebugs get a new postage stamp portrait of George Washington, but have trouble getting it to stick to the wall. They finally get it to work, but it is upside down.
	Finding the Door	Episode 1576	The Twiddlebugs try to find a way out of the rollerskating rink. After their attempts to smash through the wall with their bodies fails, they find the door... and use it to break down the wall.
	Out of the Rain	Episode 2124	The Twiddlebugs don't understand why they are getting all wet, while Mommy Twiddlebug isn't. They soon learn it's because she's inside the house. After they all huddle inside, Ernie finishes watering his plants.
	Close	Episode 2837	On a cold day, the Twiddlebugs try to figure out what they should close to make themselves warm. After they try closing a book, a lunchbox and their mouths, Tina sees they must close the door. Once they're warm, they decide to go outside, but can't find what they should open.
	The Beach Umbrella	Episode 2977	At the beach, the Twiddlebugs notice that only Thomas has a beach umbrella, which they decide to share. They soon notice that they have no idea where the ocean is.
	Cutting Down Flowers		Ernie watches as the Twiddlebugs cut down the pretty flowers in their yard. Once they've realized the environmental mistake they've made, they undo their action by creating giant flowers from wrappers.
	Rainy Day		Ernie watches as the Twiddlebugs head for Hooper's Store in the rain, but they need something to keep themselves dry. The then take the umbrella with them.
	The Mulberry Bush		The Twiddlebugs find a mulberry bush, and try to figure out if they should go under it, on it, or around it.
File:Portal-noimage.jpg	Get Along	Episode 2600	The Twiddlebugs are background singers for the Song, Get Along. As it was sung by Kermit the Frog, A Cow, The Yip Yip Martians, and some Anything Muppet greasers. In the tune of The Silhouettes hit song "Get a Job"
Computer-Generated Sketches
Picture	Theme	First Appearance	Description
	Family Photo	Episode 4125	The family tries to take a family photo, but someone is always missing (as they are operating the camera). When they all try to take the picture they finally get it to work, by photographing themselves in the mirror.
	Caterpillar	Episode 4152	The Twiddlebugs take a caterpillar in, thinking at first that it's a cat. After it doesn't drink any milk, and proves to have more than four legs, Tessie consults a book to discover that it's a caterpillar. They decide to name it "Cat."
	Missing Snowshoe	Episode 4153	Thomas Twiddlebug is missing a snowshoe (a paper clip), and tries to find it. However, Tina uses the paper clip as a music stand, and Timmy uses it as a backscratcher, and Tessie uses it to mix her batter for a cake. When everything is back to normal, Thomas prepares to go out, only to find that it's a nice sunny summer day.
	Flat Tire	Episode 4160	The Twiddlebugs are off to Uncle Ollie's surprise birthday party, when they suddenly get a flat tire. Now they have to search for something to replace it. Thomas suggests that either a triangle-shaped nacho or a square-shaped cheese cracker would work, but the cracker gives a bumpy ride, which breaks the nacho. But a red checker does work, and they're off - not realizing they left the cupcake behind.

Twiddlebug books

• When Oscar Was a Little Grouch ("Tina Twiddlebug's Big Adventure")
• Big and Little Stories ("Betty Lou's Twiddlebug Story") (1982)
• Sherlock Hemlock and the Great Twiddlebug Mystery
• The Adventures of Ernie & Bert in Twiddlebug Land
• The Twiddlebugs' Dream House
• Twiddlebugs at Work
• Ernie and the Twiddlebug Town Fair
• Who's Hiding?

Book appearances

• More Sesame Street Finger Puppets (1972)
• See No Evil, Hear No Evil, Smell No Evil (1975)
• The Amazing Mumford Presents the Magic Weather Show (1981)
• Put & Play Grover's Wishes (1981)
• Which One Doesn't Belong? (1981)
• Big Bird's Book of Rhymes (1985)
• Ernie's Finish the Picture (1985)
• ABC (1986)
• A My Name Is Annabel (1986)
• Find the Shapes (1986)
• Sesame Street ABC (1986)
• Through the Year (1986)
• Colors (1987)
• A Rainy Day on Sesame Street (1987)
• The Runaway Soup and Other Stories (1987)
• Museum of Monster Art (1990)
• 1-2-3 (1991)
• Sleep Tight! (1991)
• Elmo's Little Playhouse (1993)
• Elmo's Mother Goose (1993)
• Around the Corner on Sesame Street (1994)
• Elmo's Big Lift-and-Look Book (1994)
• Elmo's Lift-and-Peek Around the Corner Book (1996)
• B is for Books! (1996)
• Elmo Loves You! (1997)
• Elmo's Valentine (1997)
• The Poky Little Puppy Comes to Sesame Street (1997)
• Pumpkin Patch Party (1997)
• It's Not Easy Being Big! (1998)
• Where is Elmo's Blanket? (1999)
• Sounds of Sesame Street (2000)
• Clap Your Hands! (2002)
• The City Sings a Song! (2005)
• Sesame Subjects books (2006-2007)
• Abby Cadabby's Rhyme Time (2007)
• Elmo's Piano (2007)
• Friendly, Frosty Monsters (2007)
• Lots of Opposites (2007)
• Music Player Storybook (2007)
• My First Trip to the Farm (2007)
• Rosita's Easter on Sesame Street (2007)
• Sesame Street Super Sticker Book (2007)
• What Makes You Giggle? (2007)
• Everybody Dance! (2008)
• Let's Help the Earth (2008)
• Love, Elmo (2009)

Trivia

• In the Who's Who on Sesame Street coloring book, the characters are incorrectly listed as Thomas (father), Tina (mother), Teddy (son) and Tessie (daughter).

• The Spanish version of Sesame Street, Barrio Sésamo, translated the names of the characters as Los Nabucodonosorcitos, literally "The Little Nabucodonosor's", for King Nebuchadnezzar II the Great of Babylon, called Nabucodonosor in Spanish.

• The German version of Sesame Street, Sesamstrasse, called them Krabbelkäfer, which basically means "Crawlingbugs" or "Scuttlebugs".

• Most of the time, Twiddlebugs are depicted on TV as miniature creatures, small enough to live in a window box. However, in an early segment, Kermit the Frog counted "happy little Twiddlebugs" at a Twiddlebug Party - most of whom were bigger than Kermit.

• In a 2006 Halloween card, Ernie is dressed as a Twiddlebug.

See also

• Twiddlebug Town
• The Twiddlebug Game

External links

• Tough Pigs Book Club : The Great Twiddlebug Mystery