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This section contains information, facts, and worksheets on Insects which are said to make up in excess of 90% of all known animal life on earth. Keep reading for more information.
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The world of insects is a vast, ancient and amazing one. Insects have been around since before the dinosaurs and it’s estimated that over 90% of animal life on Earth is comprised of these hexapod invertebrates (six-legged, no backbones).
With all this time to evolve, the array of insects seen on Earth is mind-boggling: Some, like bees and flies, can fly; some can walk on water, like water striders; some build amazing structures, like termites, bees, and wasps; while others can completely transform themselves through metamorphosis, like caterpillars turning into moths and butterflies.
Look further into the world of insects and you’ll learn they have amazing abilities: Beetles and ants are remarkably strong, capable of carrying loads hundreds of times their own weight; fleas, if scaled up to human size, would be able to clear the Empire State Building in one leap; if termites were scaled up to human size, their structures would be many times larger than the tallest skyscrapers in the world; cicadas make a deafening noise, how can something so small emit decibels? And monarch butterflies are capable of migrating thousands of miles. That’s pretty impressive for tiny creatures, wouldn’t you say?
Insects are incredibly important to healthy ecosystems: They pollinate plants, decompose dead matter, aerate the soil, keep pests at bay and provide an important food source for other animals. In fact, insects even make up the diet of some cultures. Would you eat a bug?
The study of insects is called entomology, and studying them is more than just learning about different species, with new ones being discovered all the time. Humans look to insects often for engineering, robotics and design inspiration, as well as medicinal innovation – cicadas can live for 17 years and the woolly bear moth in the Arctic can live for 14 years. With both insects mastering the art of hibernation, they could be the answer to extending our own lives and possibly suspended animation for space travel. Insects are even useful for crime scene investigation!
As you can see, the world of insects is diverse in its study and application, so why not browse through our Insects category and get to know bugs better. If there’s something you’re interested in but we don’t have, let us know!
