Insects

Insects

Creeping, crawling, flying, digging, swimming… insects are the most numerous group of organisms on Earth

Insects make up 73% of all life on Earth whereas Vertebrates like us only make up 4%

What is an Insect?

Insects have a body divided into three parts – head, thorax, and abdomen

Insects have three sets of legs attached to their thorax

Sta

ges o

f Life

Egg

Larv

a

Sta

ges o

f Life

(c

on

tinu

ed

)

Pupae

Adult

Methods of Eating

Insects have three ways of eating Mandibles are used to saw and grind

food Tube-like mouthparts act as a straw to

suck up liquids like water and nectar Sponge-like mouthparts secrete

digestive enzymes, and lap up food

Meth

od

s o

f Eatin

g

(con

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ed

)

Mandib

le C

lose

-up

Leaf-C

utte

r Ant

Meth

od

s o

f Eatin

g

(con

tinu

ed

)

Tube-like

Clo

se-u

pM

onarch

Butte

rfly

Meth

od

s o

f Eatin

g

(con

tinu

ed

)

Sponge-like

Clo

se-u

pH

ouse

Fly

Methods of Movement

Insects can get around in many ways Insects can fly, crawl, jump, even swim Chances are that wherever you are you

are most likely being tracked by an insect

Meth

od

s o

f Movem

en

t (c

on

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)

Hoppin

gFlo

atin

g

Meth

od

s o

f Movem

en

t (c

on

tinu

ed

)

Flyin

gC

raw

ling

Methods of Communication

Insects possess a very low-level method of communication

Many argue that they truly are communicating with one another, others argue that they merely are just lucky or it is a big coincidence that they do these behaviors

Meth

od

s o

f Com

mu

nic

atin

g

(con

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Bee D

ance

Visu

al C

ues