Insects & Bugs
Insects (from Latin insectum) are a class of arthropods that have a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. Insects have their skeletons on the outside, with their soft parts inside. While "bugs" are a type of insect, not all "insects" are considered "true bugs." Bugs are actually a specific order of insect and are set apart by two distinctive features: their mouths and their wings.
Insects, along with plant life, first appeared on earth during the Paleozoic era about 435-410 million years ago. Today, they are among the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, and entomologists estimate that there may be up 150 million described species of insects on earth representing more than half of all known living organisms. There are more insects in one square mile of rural land than there are human beings on the entire earth!
Although many people are 'bugged by bugs' or just find these creepy, crawly and flying pests annoying, gross or even a bit frightening, people in some cultures actually eat insects and bugs because some of them are nutritious and quite delicious! Insects are also very helpful to us because of the pollination work they do. Some bugs and insects can be harmful to crops, but many others benefit us by eating these harmful insects that would otherwise destroy the food, eliminating the high cost and harmful effects of pesticides.
Scientists, animal rights activists, and biological ethicists have long debated the question of whether or not insects feel pain. The insect nervous system differs greatly from that of higher order animals and humans. Pain is defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience, and Insects lack the neurological structures that translate a negative stimulus into an emotional experience. Behavioral observations show that insects with injuries such as a damaged leg or crushed abdomen, do not respond to these injuries and will even continue to feed and mate up until the moment of their death.
The Weirdest Insects in the World
There are over a million described species of insects, and even more that haven’t been studied. A little research indicates they are all strange in different ways. It was not easy to pick a dozen for this list, but these are all pretty weird.
Insect Identification For The Casual Observer
Insect database for Bug Hunters! here are over 1 million identified species of insects and spiders (Arthropods) in the world today with many more still awaiting categorization and discovery.
Bug Guide
Identification, Images, & Information for Insects, Spiders & Their Kin - For the United States & Canada
Butterfly Pages
A web site devoted to butterflies. I've enjoyed seeing butterflies all my life so I decided to gather together a collection of poems, stories, quotes and pictures all about them.
Butterfly in Navajo Traditional Stories
In Navajo mythology, the Butterfly brings the sacred flint to the hooves of the horse. In the legend of the diety, Butterfly Boy was cured of his vanity by being lightning struck with the axe of Rain Boy.
15 Fascinating, Unique and Weird Spiders
We as a kid have wondered about the specie of the spider that gave such magical and super powers to the Spider-Man. This list might not be including that spider but is a collection of some unique, interesting and weird spiders.
Top 10 Misconceptions About Spiders [video]
Ten things you thought you knew about spiders.
Butterfly Alphabet
Letters and numbers photographed on the wings of butterflies
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Animals & Wildlife Directory
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Unique Insects & Bugs Websites
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