Scientists have described and given scientific names to about 920,000 species of insects in the world, which represents almost 85% of all known animal species.There are more species of dragonflies than mammals, and almost as many species of cockroaches (3,500 species). There are about 9,000 species of birds, but almost twice as many species of butterflies.
Most insects have never been given scientific names.
In a good year, taxonomists throughout the world describe and name about 2,000 species of insects. At this rate of naming new species, it will take 10,000 years to describe and name 20 million species.
Unfortunately, many of these 20-30 million species of insects will become extinct before they are named because of habitat loss and other environmental problems.
Insects are capable of high rates of reproduction.
Rather than lay many eggs, some insects obtain many offspring from a single egg. This unusual form of reproduction is termed polyembryony, in which two or more young result from a single egg. One egg divides into two, similar to how identical twins originate in humans.
For a fun place to take your kids click here for the Insectarium in Philadelphia
