Did you know we share our planet with over 1 million species of insects? That’s a lot of bugs! Scientists are discovering more insects every day. Insects are also called arthropods. Some have wings, and some don’t. But all have a few things in common.
Fun Facts about Insects for Kids
- Insects don’t have bones or a backbone like us. They’re called invertebrates. That means they have a hard exoskeleton, or shell, on the outside of their bodies that protects them.
- All insects have three parts: the head, the thorax, which is the middle part, and the abdomen, or end part.
- Insects have two antennae. They also have six legs.
- Spiders are not insects. Spiders have eight legs. They are related to scorpions and belong to the arachnid family.
- All insects hatch from eggs. The babies are called larva.
- All insects go through the same life cycle. Life begins as an egg. The egg hatches and larva emerge. Larvae usually look nothing like the adult insect. The larvae enter a pupa, chrysalis or cocoon. An adult insect emerges from the pupa.
Insect Vocabulary
- Scientist: someone who studies science
- Arthropods: insects
- Invertebrate: an animal without a backbone
- Exoskeleton: a hard shell on the outside of the body
- Antennae: hair-like appendages
Learn More All About Insects
Check out this awesome video about how insects in the animal kingdom interconnect:
A video documentary all about insects and their lives.
Insect Q&A
Question: How many insects live on the planet?
Answer: Insects make up over 90 percent of the animal life living on earth.
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Question: What’s an Anthropod?
Answer: Actually there’s no Anthropod insect. Anthropoids are actually something that is similar to the shape of a man, like a chimp. Some various extinct kangaroo species were called Anthropoids, as are also some non-living things such as machines or artworks.
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Question: What is an Arthropod?
Answer: Arthropods are invertebrate animals with segmented bodies, jointed limbs (legs) and cuticles. Spiders, insects, crabs and so forth are all arthropods. Their rigid cuticle inhibits growth, so arthropods replace it periodically by moulting.
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Question: How large is an Arthropod?
Answer: Arthropods range in size – from microscopic plankton up to a few meters long.
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Question: How many insects are Arthropoids?
Answer: Actually, all insects arthropods but not all arthropods are insects…
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Question: Are insects helpful?
Answer: Some insects, such as bees, help humans by pollinating crops. Others, like mosquitoes or fruit flies, can carry disease or damage crops.
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