Anteaters, armadillos and sloths all belong to a group of mammals called xenarthrans (pronounced "zen-AR-thrans"). These animals have few or no teeth. Their backbones have extra joints that strengthen and support their bodies when they dig. Anteaters and armadillos are insect-eaters, but sloths feed mostly on plants. The other insect-eating mammals included on this page are not necessarily related. They all eat insects or other invertebrates such as worms and slugs. Some also feed on seeds, leaves, fruits and nuts. 

Aardvark

The aardvark lives on the grasslands of Africa. At night, it goes hunting for food: ants and termites. It finds them by listening out for them or smelling them. It uses its large, shovel-like nails to break open their nests. Then the aardvark licks the insects up with its long, sticky tongue.

Anteaters live in Central and South America. They have a long snout and a long tail. Giant anteaters have a bushy tail, but other kinds have a tail that helps them climb trees. Anteaters find insects using their keen sense of smell. They break open their nests using their claws, then lap them up with their long, sticky tongue.

Armadillos

The armadillo is protected by a scaly suit of armour. One kind of armadillo can curl itself up into a scaly ball if danger threatens. Armadillos feed mostly on insects. They have poor eyesight, so they use their keen sense of smell to find their nests. The claws on their front feet are good for digging up insects. The armadillos then lap them up using their long, sticky tongues.

Hedgehogs have spiny backs and pointed snouts. They eat mostly earthworms that they have sniffed out. They also feed on insects, slugs, eggs and fruit. Hedgehogs go in search of food at night, often wandering into gardens. If threatened, they roll themselves into a tight, spiny ball until the danger has passed.

Pangolins

The pangolin is a nocturnal animal. It is covered with thick scales. It lives by itself. It has strong front claws which it uses to burrow into ant or termite nests. It shoots its worm-like, sticky tongue in and out to pick up lots of insects at once. If threatened, a pangolin can curl up into a ball so that its scales shield it from harm. It may also defend itself by giving off a foul smell.

Shrews are small, mice-like animals. They are not rodents, but form a separate group. Shrews have long tails, pointed snouts and short, spiky teeth. They have small eyes and poor eyesight, but have excellent senses of hearing and smell instead. They feed on seeds, insects and worms. They eat nearly their own body weight in food each day.

Sloths

Sloths spend much of their time hanging upside down from branches of rainforest trees in South and Central America. Their long, curved claws help them cling on. They move so slowly that they travel only a few metres—if at all—each day. They can eat, sleep and even give birth in this position.