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INSECTS



ANSWERS to some QUESTIONS
  • Do insects have bones? No, insects do not have bones. They have an outer skeleton which is tough enough to protect the insect and keep it from drying out.
  • How well does an insect see? The senses of smell and touch are more important than sight. They can make out shapes and can tell if something moves. Some insects, like bees can see colors well.
  • How do insects breathe? Insects do not breathe the way we do. They do not have lungs. Instead an insect breathes through tiny holes on its body.
  • How does an insect hear? Crickets have spots on their front legs that help them to hear. Grasshoppers have spots to hear with under their wings. Some insects have tiny spots along their sides. Ants touch each other's feelers.



HOW DO INSECTS COMMUNICATE ?
  • GRASSHOPPERS - make a buzzing sound by rubbing the hind legs against the wings.
  • CRICKETS - sing by rubbing one wing over the other wing.
  • Others rub their legs, scratch their bodies, rub their jaws together.
  • ANTS know the other members of their colony by their special scent (smell). They touch each other's feelers to exchange messages.




BUTTERFLIES and MOTHS

  • Moths and butterflies go through a complete metamorphosis (change).
    EGG - LARVA (caterpillar) - PUPA - ADULT (with wings)
  • The egg is laid on the leaves of trees and other plants.
  • The egg hatches into a larva (caterpillar).
  • The caterpillar eats and eats.
  • It grows too big for its skin, the skin splits open.
  • The caterpillar sheds its old skin (molts).
  • The new skin is a different color each time the caterpillar molts.
  • The fourth time it molts the skin is green.
  • Then the caterpillar spins a long thread of silk and wraps itself up in the thread.
  • It is now a pupa. The case is called a cocoon.
    (note: a butterfly case is called a chrysalis)
  • The pupa case is attached to trees or in cracks and stays there all winter.
  • The pupa is changing inside from a crawling insect to a flying insect.
  • When days get warmer, a moth (or butterfly) comes out. It spreads is wings to dry and then flies away.
How can you tell a butterfly from a moth?

BUTTERFLY
  • knobs on the feelers
  • slender (thin) body
  • seen during the day
  • wings straight up when
    resting


MOTH
  • feathery feelers
  • fatter (thicker) body
  • come out at night
  • wings are flat when
    resting

INSECTS - fly, mosquito, ant, bee, wasp, grasshopper



ANIMALS (groups)

ANIMALS (introduction)

J.Giannetta
2003 (updated 2011)

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