Insects

Insects belong to a group of invertebrates (animals without backbones) called arthropods. Instead of having an internal skeleton, arthropods have a hard outer skeleton. This is...

Insects A-Z

Ants

Ants are insects with thin waists, long, "elbowed" antennae and two strong jaws, called mandibles. More than 15,000 species of ants are known, although many more are thought to...

Ants and termites A-Z

Bees

Bees are flying insects with round, furry bodies and narrow waists. They are closely related to wasps and ants. Many species protect themselves by using a sting on their abdomen...

Where do bees go in winter?

There are around 25,000 species of bee—and different kinds cope with living through winter in different ways. In warmer climates, many bees are active throughout the year. But in...

Bees and wasps A-Z

Beetles

Beetles are the largest order of insects, with at least 400,000 known species. All beetles have two pairs of wings, but only the back pair are used for flying. The front wings form...

Beetles A-Z

Bugs

Bugs, often known as the true bugs, differ from other insects because they have long, beak-like mouthparts instead of biting jaws. They use them to pierce their food and suck up...

Butterflies and moths

Butterflies and moths make up a group of flying insects called lepidoptera. They have four scaly wings and stalk-like feelers on their heads, called antennae. Most butterflies fly...

Butterflies and moths A-Z

Cockroaches

Cockroaches are extremely adaptable insects. They have broad, flattened bodies with relatively small heads and long antennae. The spines on their legs help them move through soft...

Dragonflies

Dragonflies are fast-flying insects that live near rivers or ponds. They have long abdomens, large eyes and two pairs of transparent wings, of which the hind wings are broader...

Dragonflies and mantises A-Z

Fleas

Fleas are tiny wingless insects, with mouthparts adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood. The flea's body is hard and covered with many hairs and backwards-pointing spines. The...

Flies

Flies are insects with only one pair of stiff, transparent wings. The group includes crane flies, gnats and mosquitoes. They are able to fly at high speed and with great agility...

Flies A-Z

Grasshoppers and crickets

Grasshoppers, crickets and locusts are insects with long, powerful back legs. Many species can make loud, chirping “songs”. Most grasshoppers and crickets are plant-eating...

Grasshoppers and crickets A-Z

Ladybirds

Ladybirds are types of beetle. A ladybird's red or yellow body and black spots are a warning to a hungry bird that it tastes very bad, and so deter it from eating it. If the...

Mantises

Mantises are a large group of camouflaged, predatory insects. They are commonly called praying mantises, but only one out of more than 2400 different species is called that...

Termites

Termites are soft-bodied insects that feed on wood and other dead plant material. They live in colonies, mostly in tropical regions. Termites build large nests underground, in...

Wasps

Wasps are flying insects with narrow waists, called petioles, and pointed abdomens. They have smooth, slender bodies, and most species prey on other insects. Wasps have a sharp...