Andrea Schweim

Introduction The Great Success StoryInsects are among the most successful

creatures in the living world. They first appeared about 400 million years ago.

A fossil of a dragonfly with a wingspan of about 15 cm. This exquisitely preserved specimen is about 155 million years old.

2Introduction

Some insects have not changed much over the years, like this fossilized dragonfly.

More than 1 million species of insects have been identified, which means, they outnumber all other animal species put together.

3Introduction

Scientists believe there are as many as 10 million species that still need to be discovered.

Because insects are usually small in size, they only need a tiny amount of food.

Introduction 4

They eat many different things like wood, leaves, blood and other insects, and they live in a great range of habitats.

The survival of insects also helped that some can fly, and by their ability to endure tough conditions.

Introduction 5

Some desert insects can cope with temperatures above 104° F (40 °C), and many insect eggs can survive temperatures much colder than a freezer.

This lesson will teach you some of the things you need to know in order to identify an insect. You will learn what is and is not an insect.

Introduction 6

After learning these things, you will be able to tell if it is an insect or not.

Introduction 7

Is this an Insect? Yes or No?

8Is It An Insect, Yes Or No?

Detective’s Tip:After working through Is It An Insect,

Yes Or No?, you will be able to identify an insect and give reasons for your choice.

Is It An Insect, Yes Or No? 9

Because there are so many different animal species in the world and many people call any thing that crawls or flies a bug, it can be hard to identify an insect.

10Is It An Insect, Yes Or No?

By putting on your detective cap you will be able to become an insect detective and you will be able to identify an insect from a bug that poses as an insect.

Just as police detectives use clues to figure out what happened at the scene of a crime, insect detectives use insect clues to help figure out if a bug is an insect.

11Is It An Insect, Yes Or No?

These insect detectives are called entomologists. Entomologists are scientists who study insects.

When conducting an investigation, what’s the first thing a detective needs to do? Find clues. The trick is, what’s really a clue and what isn’t.

12Is It An Insect, Yes Or No?

When a police detective studies the scene of a crime, there are many things to look at, but only some of them are really clues that will help solve the crime.

The same is true for insect detectives. When entomologists look for insect clues, they have to be able to tell if what they are looking at really is an insect or not.

To know if something is an insect or not, you have to know exactly what an insect is.

What do you think an insect is?

13Is It An Insect, Yes Or No?

in·sect  (nskt)n. Any of numerous, usually small arthropod

animals of the class Insecta, having an adult stage characterized by three pairs of legs.

Is It An Insect, Yes Or No? 14

Is picture A or B an insect?

Picture A Picture B

Is It An Insect, Yes Or No? 15

In some insects, the three pairs of legs are very different in size. They are all attached to the thorax.

Hooks, pads and suckers on the feet allow insects to cling onto surfaces or to catch food.

Is It An Insect, Yes Or No? 16

Do you remember me? Am I an insect now?

17Is It An Insect, Yes Or No?