Insects - Hotlist of Resources

Insects are everywhere, but everything that creeps and crawls is not an insect! Spiders are not insects. Centipedes are not insects. Ticks and mites are not insects. So, what is an insect?

Insects have certain characteristics that they share. For instance, all insects have 6 legs. Most (but not all) adult insects have 4 wings and 2 antennae. The bodies of all insects are divided into 3 sections: the head, the thorax to which its 6 legs are attached, and the abdomen. In fact, the word "insect" means "in segment". Most insects also have simple eyes as well as compound eyes. Most insects also have special holes called spiracles in their thorax or abdomen that they use to breathe.

Insect mouths are categorized in 4 ways:

Mouths that soak up liquids--kind of like a sponge soaks up liquids (like flies)
Mouths that suck (like a butterflies and moths)
Mouths that pierce (like mosquitos and fleas)
Mouths that crush and chew (like beetles, grasshoppers, and crickets)

Insects do not have an internal skeleton. They have no spine or vertebrae and are classed as invertebrates in a category called arthropods. In place of a spine, they have a hard outer skeleton called an exoskeleton. Most young adult insects molt or shed this exoskeleton several times during their lives in order to grow to adult size.

Most insects also go through metamorphosis which mean "change of form". Metamorphosis is the way in which insects grow and change. There are 4 stages of metamorphosis:

Egg
Larva
Pupa
Adult

Insects are the most successful creatures on earth. Seventy-five to eighty percent of all animals alive are insects. Scientists estimate that there are anywhere from 2,000,000 to 200,000,000 insects on earth for every human being. Their bodies and behaviors have been adapted in different ways so that they can live almost everywhere, eat almost any food, and survive under almost any conditions. Their small size has been an advantage in their biological success, enabling them to live and feed on resources that are too small to interest larger animals.

There are more than 1,000,000 species of insects in the world. The insect family of ants alone, contains more than 10,000 species, and the insect family of weevils may contain more than 100,000 species. There are more than 300,000 species of beetles! How many kinds of beetles can YOU name? In terms of numbers, no other group of animals even comes close to being so prolific. By comparison, there are only about 5,000 species of mammals. Entomologists are scientists who study insects, and they think that there may be as many as 5,000,000 more species of insects that haven't even been discovered yet.

The largest and most varied populations of insects are found in tropical rainforests because warm temperatures and lush plant growth create the perfect conditions for bugs.

Many animals have become extinct because they were unable to adapt to changes in their environment. Insects are one of the most adaptable creatures on earth. They have been so remarkably successful because they are very efficient at finding food, locating mates, building shelters, communicating with each other, and sometimes even working together.

Insects can be destructive and harm us. They can carry disease and destroy food crops.

But mostly insects are not only beneficial to life on our planet, but necessary.

Most plants need insects to carry pollen; if there were no insects there would be no fruit and no flowering plants.
Insects are a food supply for mammals, fish, reptiles, birds, and spiders.
As plants and animals die, many insects begin or help with the decaying process.
Many insects loosen and unpack the soil to make it possible for plants to grow.

The following websites are a collection or hotlist of internet resources about amazing insects!

Yucky Bug World

Ralph Roach is your guide through this yucky site.

University of Kentucky : Department of Entomology

Find out how to make a butterfly garden.

Iowa State University Entomology Image Gallery

Do you know what a skittlebug looks like?

Iowa State University Insect Notes

Ladybugs are beetles.

Get This Bug Off Me!

Information about the kinds of insects that bother humans.

Insect Biology and Ecology: A Primer

About how many insects can be found on a single acre of land?

Wings and Things

People actually breed insects (on purpose).

University of Florida Book of Insect Records

Find the fastest, longest, most toxic insects.

University of Arizona Center for Insect Science

Check out the excellent information sheets.

Ohio State University Insect and Pest Series Index

Find out how to get rid of carpet beetles.

Kansas Department of Agriculture

Find a picture of a sunflower moth and a thrip.

That Gunk On Your Car : A Unique Guide to Insects

Actually, this is the title of a book about what insects look like when they are splattered on the windshields of our cars. This site would like you to purchase the book. However, it does give 2 nice examples of before and after bugs--the before picture of a horsefly and the after picture of it smeared on car windshield. It also has a game that you can play called Name That Gunk Quiz.

Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us