Insect Purchasing Information

If you are unable to purchase insects locally, you can order them from the following companies:

Carolina Biological
1-800-334-5551

Insect Lore
P.O. Box 1535
132 S. Beech Street
Shafter, CA 93263
1-800-LIVE BUG
FAX: (805) 746-6047

Web site: www.insectlore.com

THE LADYBIRD BEETLE
The story connected with this nursery rhyme runs like this: The ladybird beetle was found on the hop vines in England. These vines were burned every year after the hops were picked. Because the ladybird beetles ate the aphids, which destroyed the vines, people used to sing them this ditty to warn the beetles to save themselves from being burned. Because they assisted the farmer to rid his plants of pest, they were called beetles of Our Lady, a gift from the Virgin Mary, and from that, ladybird beetles or ladybugs.

A beetle is an insect with two pairs of wings, the outer pair being a hard shell and meeting in a straight line down the middle of the back. The inner pair, which is thin and papery, folds away beneath the other pair and supports the beetle in flight. Like other insects, beetles have three parts to the body, a head, thorax, and abdomen. On the head is a pair of antennae, the compound eyes made up of small, hexagonal lenses, and the mouth parts suitable for chewing. On the thorax are six legs and two pairs of wings. On the abdomen are the breathing holes (spiracles) and in females at the rear end is the egg-laying organ (ovipositor).

There are many species of beetles, large and small; some are found the ground, others in the bark of trees, and still others in the water. Some have long antennae, some are black or brown, some are orange and black and yellow and black and some a beautiful iridescent color. Most ladybugs have spots however there are some with stripes. It bright color and pattern serves as a warning to predators of its unpleasant taste.

The ladybird beetle, like most insects, goes through metamorphosis. When it hatches from the egg, the larva has pincers on the head and a flat body, and only after metamorphosis does it take on its typical form and color. In nature, they can live up to one year.

Both the larva and adult labybird beetle are considered beneficial by gardeners because they feed on aphids, which are very destructive to roses an other garden plants.

In the late 19th century, an aphid known as cottony cushion scale endangered California's fruit crop. This pesky insect sucked the juices from the leaves of fruit-bearing plants, causing them to die. Then someone discovered that a species of ladybug from Australia ate this type of aphid. California farmer imported the beetles and sprinkled them over their crops. Miraculously, the crops were saved by the feasting ladybugs. Fruit farmer around the world praised ladybugs as heroes in the fight against pestilence. Today, ladybugs are bred in farms and sold to farmer and gardeners as an effective, natural, and chemical-free alternative to pesticides. A ladybug stamp is even part of the US Post Office's American Wildlife Issue. Help kids understand the benefits of having ladybugs in their backyards and encourage them to become protectors of these little creatures.

In the winter the ladybird beetle either crawl into a hole to hibernate or congregates with others in a great mound, climbing on top of another for the same purpose.

WHERE TO FIND THEM - Look for them on any shrub that is infested with aphids. They are especially common on unsprayed rose bushes.

HOW TO KEEP THEM -

LADYBUG LODGES - Ladybugs can be kept in a jar with a ventilated lid. Place a thin layer of soil at the bottom of a large glass jar or terrarium and keep it fairly moist but not wet. Provide a place for the insects to hide; a twig or a small stone lying on the soil will serve this purpose. It may be necessary to metabolically slow your ladybugs down before putting them in their new home. Do so by placing them in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Ladybugs eat aphids so it is unlikely that they will live very long in captivity unless aphids are provided. Tiny apple chunks or water-soaked raisins (cut into tiny pieces) will provide some nutrients during the time you have them. If your climate is warm and aphids are on the outdoor vegetation, you can release the ladybugs when you are finished observing them or have finished your bugs unit.

WHAT TO FEED THEM - Feed them aphids. Cut a branch from the infested bush on which you found the ladybird and continue to provide plenty of food, for beetles are heavy feeders. No water is needed because the bodies of aphids contain enough liquid.

Aphids - Aphids eat the sap of plants. They secrete a liquid called honeydew that attracts ants. Ants "tickle" aphids to get them to produce more honeydew. Ants keep the aphids safe from their predators the ladybugs.

Mealworm - Beetles

Larva Stage
Mealworms like the butterflies represent the complete metamorphosis in insects. They develop through four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Like many insect, they are somewhat influenced by temperature and will progress through the larval molts (between 9 and 20 of them!) faster, and they will also develop from pupa to adult beetle faster, in temperatures in the high 70=s or 80=s. Lower temperatures reduce the rate of speed of their growth. The entire life cycle from egg through egg-laying adults takes about six months. Meal worms purchased as larvae will mature in about 4 to 8 weeks.

Basic food for mealworms kept in a class room are: bran, oatmeal, cereal, crackers or other similarly crushed grain. They can get their moisture through pieces of carrot, citrus rinds, raw potatoes, apple cores, cactus, zucchini, and etc.

Encourage the children to observe and find out if the mealworm likes light or darkness, by placing it on a pile of oats and then on a pile of crushed leaves. What did it do?

Place some larvae in two containers, put one in very warm place and put one in a very cool place. Observe them everyday. What happens? Which hatch first? Which molts faster and more often?

Some questions to ask the kids:

1. How many legs does the larva have?

2. Where are they located?

3. How many segments does the larva have?

4. Which segment has a different shape?

5. How long is your mealworm?

6. How do you think the mealworm spends most it time?

Pupa Stage
Mealworms enter the pupa stage when they have reached the end of their growth cycle as larvae. They are usually quite fat and full looking just before they pupate. They do not spin a cocoon. They simply seem to wrinkle up into an off- white curved pupa. They appear dead to the observer at first glance. But they are actually just resting. If you hold the pupa firmly between the thumb and forefinger and gently apply a bit of pressure, the pupa will wriggle and squirm very animatedly. They do not eat during this resting stage, which can run from a few days to a couple of weeks ore more. Warmer temperatures accelerate their progress through this stage.


Questions to ask the kids:

7. How many segments does the pupa have?

8. How long is the pupa?

9. What color is the pupa?

10. What shape is the pupa?

Adult Stage
The beetle will hatch out of the pupa rather rapidly once it begins. At first, the beetle is usually an off-white color, like the pupa. The beetle soon develops a reddish hue and slowly darkens to a full black color in a few days or less. The adult beetle will eat but not a much as the larva. After the adults mate, the female will lay very tiny eggs, little larger than specks of dust. They are nearly impossible to distinguish for the food. You will know that the cycle has renewed itself when the eggs hatch into very tiny mealworms, each about a millimeter long.

Questions to ask the kids:

11. What color is the beetle?

12. How old do you think the beetle is?

13. How many legs does the beetle have?

14. Where are the legs connected?

15. How many wings are there?

16. What does the beetle do if you place it in the pile of oat bran? In the pile of crushed leaves?

MEALWORM MOVEMENT - How do mealworms move? Do they crawl? Wiggle? Slither? Place several mealworms on a table and have the children watch the different ways they move. Do they curl into different shapes? Ask the children to draw pictures of the mealworms showing how they look when they move.


DO MEALWORMS HAVE A FAVORITE COLOR? - To find out, create a color course made from 5 " (13 cm) red, blue, yellow, and black squares with a 1" (2.5 cm) white circle in the center. Place a few mealworms on the white circle and watch what they do. Where do the mealworms go?

HOW FAR WILL A MEALWORM TRAVEL TO GET A BRAN TREAT? - Make a small maze using dominoes or Unifix Cubes'. Place a pinch of bran at one end of the maze and the mealworm at the other end. (Don't make the maze too difficult or the mealworm may give up.) What happens?


MEALWORM MANOR - Mealworms are not worms. They are actually the larvae stage of the Tenebrio beetle. House your mealworms in a smooth-sided container. Place a large amount of bran and mealworms in the container. To keep the mealworms in a dormant state, cover the container with a lid and set in a refrigerator at 40-50 degrees F (5-10 degrees. A temperature cooler than this will kill them. Once taken from the refrigerator, house them at room temperature to begin their life cycle. Mealworms can be purchased at most pet stores or bait shops. (Note: There is a mealworm hybrid that should not be refrigerated. Check with your pet store or bait shop to find out if the mealworms you are purchasing can or cannot be placed in a refrigerator.)

Mealworms are among the easiest insects to raise in the classroom and they provide a chance to see complete metamorphosis (egg, larva, pupa, and adult). Mealworms can be purchased at a pet or bait store.

Use a glass or clear plastic container to better view the mealworms as they change. Place several inches of oatmeal in the container. Add mealworms. Provide moisture by adding a slice of apple or potato.

The larval stage can last four to 6 months. The pupa stage will last one to two weeks before adult darkling beetles emerge. Feed the adults dry dog food and bits of vegetable. Several types of insects can make interesting visitors to observe, talk and write about.

Rainbow Mealworms
P.O. Box 4907
Compton, CA 90220
1-800-777-9676
FAX: (310) 635-1004

 

Snails and Slugs
Snails and slugs belong to that group of animals known as mollusks, which are soft-bodied and without backbones. In this group are included not only land snails and slugs and sea snails but shellfish such as clams and oysters, mussels, scallops, limpets, and abalone.

Inside of the shell of the mollusk, covering the soft body parts is the mantle whose function it is to secrete the shell. Material is added around the open mouth of the shell, ever widening the spiral. Snails and slugs are nocturnal, however they can be seen during the day when it warm, moist and very overcast.

Snails are called gastropods, which means, "stomach-footed" because it looks as though it walks on its stomach. The organ of location is a fleshy, muscular foot that can be extended and withdrawn into the shell. The foot secretes slimy mucus, which enables the snail or slug to glide along without losing the moisture in the body. Their entire bodies are covered with this slimy mucus. Slugs are similar to snails but do not have outer shells. They protect themselves by curling up into a blob or hiding in cracks or under rocks and leaves.

On the head of the snail or slug are two pairs of tentacles. On the tip of each of the longer ones is a dark pot, the eye, by which the animal can only distinguish light from dark. The shorter pair of tentacles is said to contain the organ for smell. Within the mouth is a ribbon like organ called the redula, with its horny row of teeth turned backward into the mouth. By means of the radula the slug or snail rasps off food from the edges of leaves and other soft plant materials, as slugs and land snails are herbivorous animals.

The pulsating hole on the side of the body is the opening into the breathing organ, or the lungs.

Look for the two pairs of tentacles and look for the black spots on the tips of the longer pair. As these eyes are sensitive only to light and dark. Shade them form the light and watch the tentacles withdraw. Notice that they are actually turned inside out like the finger of a glove. Once the animal is no longer afraid the tentacles will be poked out again. Look at the breathing hole. Feed it a piece of lettuce and watch it eat. Turn it over and watch it right it self. Compare the snail shell to other shells. Look for snail eggs underneath leaf mold. They are chalky white and the size of small pearls. Keep them in a damp spot underneath leaf mold until they hatch. The tiny snails can be kept and their growth watched.

WHERE TO FIND THEM - Land snails are not common in some areas east of the Mississippi. Slugs, on the other hand, can be found throughout the United States. Snails are mostly found in damp spots where plants are growing, though some can be picked up at the seashore. Slugs usually stay under leaves, boards, or rocks. Some snails can be purchased at fish markets in the east, if none are found outdoors. These are large and very active, making them easy to observe.

HOW TO KEEP THEM - Look for the trails left behind. They are easy to see when the sun shines on them. Gather only three or four snails or slugs to a large glass. If too many are confined in a small area they will cover on another with mucus and form a tight ball. These animals can also be kept in a planted terrarium, though they may destroy the plants by eating them. Can make individual habitats out of margarine tubs.
WHAT TO FEED THEM - Lettuce, celery tops, spinach, or any leaves containing plenty of moisture. Replenish the food frequently and keep the container clean. No water is needed if the leaves are sufficiently moist.

 

Flies
There are over 100,000 different types of flies that live everywhere in the world. We are most familiar with the housefly

Flies have taste buds on their feet! Their feet are also hairy and sticky, enabling them to land almost anywhere, including on the ceiling.

Flies lay their eggs in the flesh of dead animals or in feces. This will be the food source for the larvae, called maggots, when they hatch. In this way flies play an important role in environmental housekeeping. Some flies also eat other insect pests and aide in plant pollination. Flies can, however, carry many diseases such as typhoid fever, yellow fever, and sleeping sickness.

Mosquitoes - Mosquitoes are flies with two sets of wings. Mosquito is a Spanish word for little fly. Females feed on blood. Some mosquitoes carry diseases.

Bees
Bees - Bees eat only nectar and pollen. They have body hairs that collect pollen. Female bees have special "brushes" on their legs that are used to remove the pollen from their hair.

 

Spider Facts

There are more than 30,000 different kinds of spiders in the world. They can be found in forests, gardens, deserts, swamps, mountaintops, and fields.

Spiders belong to a class of invertebrates called arachnida (arachnids). Spiders have eight legs and two main body parts. The front body part of the spider is the cephalothorax (head and thorax). The back part of the spiders body is the abdomen. The legs of spiders are joined to the cephalothorax.

Spiders do not have a backbone. Instead, a very strong skin covers them. As a spider grows, it sheds its skin. Tiny hairs, which help the spider, sense its surroundings cover the skin and legs of a spider.

Most spiders have eight eyes. But, even with all these eyes, spiders have very poor eyesight. Spiders spin silk using their spinnerets, which are located at the end of their abdomen. Most spiders live for only a few years. Tarantulas, however, can live up to 30 years or more!

Spiders lay eggs. Once these eggs are hatched, the mother spider usually does not stay with her babies.

Most spiders are helpful to us. They eat many harmful insects. Only a few spiders are poisonous to people.

Explain to your children that many spiders spin webs in order to catch their prey. A spider has spinnerets that are attached to the base of its abdomen. At the tip of each spinneret is an area that contains the spinning tubes. From these tubes the spider produces a liquid silk that dries and hardens into silk-like threads. A spider begins its web by attaching a main thread that supports the whole web. The next portion is the web's outside lines called the foundation lines. Then the spider spins threads from the center of the web like the spokes of a bicycle. Finally, it spins sticky threads in a circular pattern around the spokes in order to trap insects. (Note: Not all spiders spin their webs using this specific pattern, but it is the most common.) When insects fly into the web, they become stuck and cannot escape.

Black Widows

Black Widow spiders exist in every state in the United States, as well as in Canada, but are mainly found in the southern United States. The body of a female Black Widow is about one inch (38 cm) long and has a jet-black color with a red mark shaped like an hourglass on the underside of its abdomen. The male is only one fourth the size of the female. While the males are thought to be harmless, the females can inject a deadly poison.

Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown Recluse spiders at one time lived exclusively in the south central United States. Today, they can be found almost anywhere. They are mainly active at nighttime and can be found under rocks, furniture, or any undisturbed area. They are about one-half inch (1.3 cm) in length, brown, and have a dark violin-shaped mark on their backs. Their bite is harmful to people, but seldom deadly.

Jumping Spiders

While many spiders are active at night, Jumping spiders are diurnal, which means they are active in the daytime. The have excellent eyesight, which helps them as they jump, out from their nest and leap on their prey.

Scorpions

While scorpions are not spiders, they are in the same arachnid family. They have eight legs, just like spiders. While scorpions do have a painful sting, very few scorpions are actually deadly. The smaller the scorpion the more poisonous it is. The only deadly scorpion in the United States is yellow or yellowish-brown and has two black stripes on its back.

Tarantulas

Tarantulas are the largest spiders in the world. You can find them in South America and throughout the southwestern United States. Male tarantulas can live approximately ten years, while some female tarantulas have lived more than 25 years in captivity. Each time they get too big for their skin, they shed their skin (molt) to create a new larger one. Male tarantulas molt 15 times before reaching adult size.

Water Spiders

Believe it or not, Water spiders actually live underwater in ponds or lakes. They build bell-shaped silk nests and then fill their nests with air. Water spiders travel to the surface of the water for air and then return to release the air into their nest.

Wolf Spiders

Wolf spiders are very common throughout the United States. They live in fields, under rocks, in burrows, and near ponds and marshes. They hunt in a variety of ways, but will most commonly run after their prey. A pregnant Wolf spider carries a cocoon full of eggs with her. When the spiderlings hatch, they crawl up onto their mother's back and ride along with her until they can survive on their own.

Granddaddy Long Legs

Your children will be interested to know that while a Daddy Long Legs is an arachnid, it is not really a spider. It is in the order Phalangida. It has eight legs like a spider, but its body is different. It has one oval shaped body part and only two eyes that are toward the back of the body rather than in the front. Daddy Long Legs eat insects and plant juices and they do not spin webs.
Spider Facts

Be certain your children have been introduced to these spider facts before starting the science activities:

Spiders have two body parts.
The head and thorax are one part.
The abdomen is the other part.
Spiders have eight legs.
Some spiders are little.
Many spiders have eight eyes.

 

Ants

There are over 1,400 species of ants. They are social insects and live in colonies. Most ants have antennae through which they acquire information about their surroundings. They communicate with each other by releasing odors in the air or by laying down a scent trail. They also vibrate their bodies when they are excited. The antennae of other ants can pick up both the odors and the vibrations.

Ants usually leave a scent trail as they move about. This is why you see a line of ants moving in both directions between a food source and the colony. An ant can carry 450 times its own weight. If you could do the same, you could carry a bus! However, if an ant were the size of a human, its exoskeleton would weigh so much that it would not be able to move.

Read about Ants A good nonfiction book to share is Ant Cities by Arthur Dorros. After reading this book, use the reproducible of an anthill to discuss the information the children have learned. Ants live in communities called colonies. An ant colony can have as many as one million ants. Some ants are one inch (2.5 cm) long. Every ant colony has a queen ant whose job is to lay eggs.

Interesting Cricket Facts

. The cricket's ears are located on the front legs, just below the knee.

. A cave Cricket found in Nigeria has antennae several times longer than its body.

. A desert-dwelling cricket has propeller-like feet that enable it to disappear straight' down into the sand in a matter of seconds.

Shelter

CRICKET HABITAT - Crickets can be housed in an aquarium or other container with a tightly fitted, ventilated lid. (Do not use a paper or cardboard housing, as the crickets will chew through it.) Provide water in a shallow dish filled with cotton balls. Change the water regularly. Crickets will eat almost anything. You can supply them with fresh fruit and vegetables as well as grains. Crickets can be purchased at most pet stores. There is a lot to observe when watching a cricket habitat. Have your children view their eating and drinking habits, as well as the jumping, chirping, and moving-their-antennae behaviors.

CRICKET CONDO - Provide shelter for several crickets by stacking several layers of egg carton cups on the bottom of the container.

Temperature: Maintain a temperature of 75 - 85' (24 - 290 C) by placing a 40 to 60 waft bulb six to twelve inches above the container.

Food and Water: Crickets will eat dry dog food and bits of fruit. Water can be provided with a wet sponge or in a covered bottle with a wick protruding. Don't leave an open container of water in the cage or the crickets will drown.

Grasshopper

Grasshoppers are insects. They have six legs and they chirp in different ways. Some grasshoppers rub a back leg against one wing. Some grasshoppers click their back legs together in the air. Some rub their front wings together. When a grasshopper hatches, it looks like a worm but it very quickly becomes a nymph. The nymph hops and looks more like the adult grasshopper. The nymph molts several times before becoming an adult.

PUT TOGETHER GRASSHOPPER - Color, cut and brad together.

Cicada- Male cicadas make loud buzzing sounds by vibrating two drum-like membranes on their abdomens. Cicadas lay their eggs in slits they cut into tree twigs. When the eggs hatch, the nymphs drop from the tree and burrow into the ground. They can stay underground for as long as 17 years before they emerge as adults. To stay alive, they eat the juices from tree roots.


Praying Mantises

Praying mantises are the only insects that can turn their heads around backwards to look behind them. Mantises eggs are laid in a papery egg case. The eggs are laid in the fall and hatch in the spring.

PRAYING MANTIS HOME - A small glass jar with a ventilated lid makes a great home for praying mantises. Prop a stick inside the jar for the insects to suspend themselves from when shedding skin. An ample supply of food (small insects) should be given to your praying mantis to avoid cannibalism. They will eat even insects as large as themselves. No water is necessary unless the home is kept heated. Praying mantises can often be ordered through local gardening centers.

Cockroach

A cockroach is an insect. It has a head, a thorax, an abdomen, and six legs. When a baby cockroach hatches from an egg it looks like a small adult (nymph). The nymph molts many times over several months before it becomes an adult. Some adult cockroaches have wings and others do not. Most cockroaches live under logs or stones or in trees. They eat garbage, human food, and dead insects. They carry diseases and are considered pests.



Moths
Silkworms

You can keep silkworms in a round, square, or rectangular cake pan. The smooth sides prevent escape. Cut apart cardboard egg cartons and prop them in the pan. This gives the silkworms a place to spin their cocoons and lay their eggs later on. Silkworm larvae will only eat Mulberry leaves, so be sure you have this food source before obtaining your silkworms. They eat a lot each day and do not require any water. When the silkworms hatch, the Silkworm moths will live for only three or four days because they do not have mouths. After the Silkworm moths lay their eggs, harvest them (but try not to directly touch them), place them in a sealed plastic bag, and store them in a refrigerator. The eggs will hatch shortly after being removed from the cool temperature. (Note: Only remove them from "cold storage" when you have fresh Mulberry leaves available for them to eat.)

Dragonflies

A dragonfly can have a wingspan of 5.5 inches (14 cm). Dragonfly nymphs eat insects, tadpoles, and even small fish. They can fly as fast as 30 mph (50 km/h).

Pill Bugs

Pill bugs are not bugs at all, they are crustaceans which live in damp, dark places such as under rocks, leaves and rotting logs. They are also known as sow bugs or rolly pollies. They get this nickname because of the unique way they project themselves. They have a series of slightly curved plates on its back which allow them to roll into a ball when it is frighteded or it they are becoming too dry.

PILL BUG HOME - To keep some in the classroom: in a small gold fish bowl, cover the bottom with 1 inch of potting soil. Place some dead leaves or flowers or other decaying plant material. Spray the container everyday with water to keep it moist. Cover the container with plastic wrap, be sure to poke some air holes. To encourage greater activity cover the container with black construction paper. You could make individual habitats using margin tubes.

Questions to ask the kids

17. What color are they?

18. How many legs do they have? (Usually 7 pairs)

19. How many platets do they have? (Usually 13 plates)

20. Do they have any antennae? If so how many?

21. What are the things on the rear of the Pill bug? (Cerci, they are probable used for sensing.)

Creepy Crawlies

What is an insect?

I. Gather your children together and explain to them that they will be learning more about bugs. Encourage them to name as many different kinds of bugs as they can. Record all of their responses on a chalkboard or chart paper. Before observing bugs, ask the children to tell you what they might see the bugs do, how the bugs will act, and what will they notice about bugs' bodies.

2. Show your children the pictures of the three reproduced insects - explaining that these are only some of the many insects that live in the world around us. These are the ones we most often see. Point out or remind them that an insect's body is divided into three different parts; they have six legs; two feelers; and some have wings. Explain that a lot of other bugs are not insects because they do not meet this description.

More Insect Information

An insect's feelers are called antennae. They come in all shapes and sizes. The antennae help some insects taste and enable others to smell.

Some insects have enemies and escape by flying away. Others, like grasshoppers, have powerful hind legs and are able to leap very high. Still others burrow into the ground to get away.

All insects start life as eggs. After the eggs hatch, however, the insects mature in many different ways. Most insect young look very different from their parents. A butterfly, for instance, goes through four growth stages. It starts life as an egg, which hatches into a caterpillar. As it eats, it grows and grows. Soon it sheds its skin and grows a larger skin covering. When it is fully grown, it turns into a pupa, protected by a hard shell or a bundle of silken threads called a chrysalis. The adult butterfly later emerges from its "home" as an adult. This is called complete metamorphosis.

Not all insects go through four growth stages. Grasshoppers, for example, go through only three. Just like other insects, they start life as eggs. These eggs hatch into nymphs. Young grasshoppers look like smaller versions of their parents but have no wings. They most or shed their skin as they get bigger and finally become winged adults. This is called incomplete metamorphosis.

Questions, Questions

Your children may have on-going questions about bugs throughout the unit. Have the children share their questions with you and their classmates as you write the questions on chart paper decorated with a border using bug stickers or clip art. If appropriate, have the children determine how they might go about finding the answers. For those that may not have any questions, ask them to write or share about what they have learned.

Glossary of Terms

Abdomen - the third section of an insect's body

Antennae - part of an insect's head that is used to smell, taste, or touch

Arachnid - the name for an insect-like creature with two body parts (a head/thorax and an abdomen), eight legs, and no antennae

Camouflage - coloration or markings that help a creature blend in with its environment

Chrysalis - the hard case that covers a butterfly in the pupa stage

Cocoon - a silk case where the moth larva changes into an adult

Colony - a group of insects that live together in a nest

Complete metamorphosis - a four-stage life cycle (egg, larva, pupa, adult)

Exoskeleton - an outside skeleton that supports an insect's body

Incomplete metamorphosis - a three-stage life cycle (egg, nymph, adult)

Larva - the second stage (worm-like) of complete metamorphosis wherein the insect young looks very different from the adult

Life cycle - stages in an animal's life from birth to death

Mimicry - coloration or markings on a creature, which make it look like a foul-tasting or poisonous creature.

Molts - sheds its skin.

Nymph - the second stage of incomplete metamorphosis wherein the young looks like a small adult

Predator - a creature that kills another creature

Prey - a creature that is attacked by another creature

Pupa - the third stage of complete metamorphosis wherein the larva enters a protective case for changing into an adult

Spinnerets - tubes at the end of a spider's abdomen that produce silk for spinning webs
Thorax - the second section of an insect's body between the head and the abdomen

Insect Facts

. All insects have three body parts.

. All insects have six legs.

. All insects have two feelers (antennae).

. Some insects have wings.

. Scientists who study insects are called entomologists.

DO MANY INSECTS LIVE ON OUR SCHOOL GROUNDS? - Give your children the opportunity to explore the school grounds for bugs. Before exploring the school grounds for bugs, ask children to name the bugs they think they might find. Ask the children to tell where they might be able to find different kinds of bugs. When the children are outside, encourage them to look in upper corners of the school building, on bushes, in trees, and under rocks. (Be sure to tell the children not to touch any bugs they find.) Materials: magnifying lens (one for each child) Clipboard, paper and pencil. Directions: Take your children outside, armed with magnifying lenses, to look for insects. Bring a clipboard, paper, and pencil to record the insects your children find as they announce them to you. Have the children use the magnifying lenses to observe the bugs and count the legs, antennae, wings, and other parts to determine if the bug is truly an insect.

Note: Be sure to tell your children not to harm the insects when they find them. They should never touch the insects unless you or another adult has given them permission to do so.

Before participating in the Bug Experiments, have the children predict the outcomes.

CAMOUFLAGE AND MIMICRY - Explain to your children that insects come in many different colors. Have your children predict the colors of bugs. For example, are all ants black? Are all bees yellow?

Camouflage

Many insects use camouflage as a means of protecting themselves. Their coloring and behavior help them to blend in with their surroundings so they go unnoticed. For example, the Tree Moth is camouflaged to blend in with the bark of a tree.

Stick insects are long slender bugs that actually look like sticks. They move slowly at night, but during the day they hang completely still on branches. It is virtually impossible to tell the insect apart from the branch to which it is clinging.

Protective Coloration

Many insects are colored brightly to warn predators that they are poisonous or have a foul taste. Monarch butterflies are bright orange and black. If eaten, they can poison their predators-killing them or causing severe vomiting. After learning this lesson, animals often keep their distance. Ladybugs are also brightly colored beetles that have a foul taste. While they feast on aphids throughout the day, birds don't bother them because they know that ladybugs are not a tasty treat.

Mimicry

Mimicry is used by many insects-not to hide from their predators-but rather to frighten them away.

A Viceroy butterfly has coloring that is very similar to the Monarch butterfly. The Viceroy mimics the Monarch to make predators think it is also poisonous and foul tasting. Viceroys are actually harmless but their coloring states otherwise.

The larva (caterpillar) of the Tiger Swallowtail butterfly has an interesting way of frightening predators away. Each caterpillar has large eyespots on its back. When a predator approaches, the caterpillar rears up to look like a snake with big eyes.

Some insects use sounds and behaviors to frighten away their predators. For example, some insects making buzzing sounds like bees. Others flap their wings in a manner that makes them resemble less desirable insects.