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Insects are arthropods (a type of invertebrate, animals that lack a backbone). All insects have a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. The legs (and wings, if applicable) are attached to the thorax. Insects breathe through holes called spiracles. Insects hatch from eggs.
Insect means "segmented" in Latin. There are about a million different types of insects and many more that have not been discovered yet. Insects (Class Insecta) are currently divided into 31 orders.
Insects evolved during the Silurian Period, 438 to 408 mya (long before the dinosaurs appeared).
The biggest insect that ever lived was the ancient dragonfly called Meganeura. This predatory flying insect lived about 250 million years ago and had a wingspan of about 2 feet.
Insect Report Chart PrintoutA chart to help with an insect report with areas to fill in the insect's common name, scientific name, anatomy, lifecycle, diet, enemies, protection, habitat, range, classification, endangered status, interesting facts, and a drawing of the insect.
Butterfly Life cycleSee how a butterfly starts out as an egg, hatches into a caterpillar, becomes a pupa, then emerges as a fully-grown adult.
Butterfly Life CycleA short printable shape book for early readers about the life cycle of a butterfly, with pages on the egg, caterpillar, pupa (chrysalis), and adult.
Insects in French A Label Me! PrintoutLabel the insects in French, including the fly, bee, ant, dragonfly, grasshopper, ladybug, mosquito, butterfly, caterpillar, and antenna.Answers
Insects in German A Label Me! PrintoutLabel the insects in German, including the fly, bee, ant, dragonfly, grasshopper, ladybug, mosquito, butterfly, caterpillar, and antenna.Answers
Insects in Italian A Label Me! PrintoutLabel the insects in Italian, including the fly, bee, ant, dragonfly, grasshopper, ladybug, mosquito, butterfly, caterpillar, and antenna.Answers
Insects in Spanish A Label Me! PrintoutLabel the insects in Spanish, including the fly, bee, ant, dragonfly, grasshopper, ladybug, mosquito, butterfly, caterpillar, and antenna.Answers
Jumping Bean MothA brown moth that spends its larval stage inside a seed pod.
Leafcutter AntLeafcutter ants are fungus farmers - they grow their own food.
Lightning BugThe lightning bug (also known as the firefly) is a luminescent flying insect.
Luna MothA green moth with long hindwing tails and distinctive eyespots.
Mealworm Life CycleThe yellow mealworm is the larval stage of the darkling beetle (Tenebrio molitor).
WaspWasps are insects with 2 pairs of wings and strong jaws. Many wasps sting.
Click on a letter to go to that page of animal printouts.
In addition to printing the animals, you can copy a printout (click here for instructions) and paste it into a painting program (like Paint) and color the animal there. (Thanks to Grace P. from Thorngrove School for this great idea.)
Go to Online Animal Coloring Pages
Insects are arthropods (a type of invertebrate, animals that lack a backbone). All insects have a hard exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax, and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and two antennae. The legs (and wings, if applicable) are attached to the thorax. Insects breathe through holes called spiracles. Insects hatch from eggs.
Anatomy: Label the Insect PrintoutRead the definitions, then label the insect diagram.
Insect Report Chart PrintoutA chart to help with an insect report with areas to fill in the insect's common name, scientific name, anatomy, lifecycle, diet, enemies, protection, habitat, range, classification, endangered status, interesting facts, and a drawing of the insect.
AntAnts are social insects.
Ant Anatomy: Label Me!Label the external anatomy of the ant.Answers
Ant Life CycleAnt larva hatch from tiny eggs, then pupate and metamorphosize into adults.
Ant Life Cycle Sequencing CardsCut out the four scenes and arrange them so they show the ant life cycle.
Assassin BugAssassin bugs are insects that eat other insects.
BeeBees are flying, social insects that live in a hive.
Beetle Anatomy PrintoutLabel the beetle's external anatomy on this printout.Answers
BeetlesBeetles are the largest group of insects. Some beetles include the ladybug, scarab beetle, firefly, and the goliath beetle.
Blue Morpho ButterflyA brilliant blue butterfly from rainforests of South and Central America.
Find Eight BugsFind and write eight bugs. Sample answers: fly, ant, bee, roach, ,butterfly, moth, dragonfly, cricket.
Butterflies and MothsPrintouts about these beautiful flying insects.
Butterfly: Printable Read-and-Answer WorksheetA printable worksheet on butterflies, with a short text to read, an anatomy picture to label, a life cycle diagram to label, and questions to answer. Or go to the answers.
Butterfly Anatomy: Label the DiagramRead the definitions, then label the butterfly anatomy diagram.
Butterfly Life cycleSee how a butterfly starts out as an egg, hatches into a caterpillar, becomes a pupa, then emerges as a fully-grown adult.
Butterfly Life CycleA short printable shape book for early readers about the life cycle of a butterfly, with pages on the egg, caterpillar, pupa (chrysalis), and adult.
(Painted Lady) Butterfly Life Cycle Book A Printable Activity BookA short, printable activity book on the life cycle of the painted lady butterfly for fluent readers (with tabs).
Symmetrical Butterfly Life Cycle Pictures: Finish the Drawing WorksheetFinish each of the four drawings around the line of symmetry. The butterfly life cycle pictures are a egg, larva or caterpillar, pupa, and adult. Or go to the answers.
Butterfly Life Cycle in FrenchLabel the egg, caterpillar, pupa, and butterfly in French.Answers
EarwigAn earwig is an insect with long pincers at the tip of its abdomen.
FireflyThe firefly (also known as the lightning bug) is a luminescent flying insect.
GrasshopperGrasshoppers are insects that can hop, walk, and fly. There are about 10,000 different species of grasshoppers.
Grasshopper Anatomy: Label Me!Label the external anatomy of the grasshopper.Answers
Insect Math-Code GamesDo simple math problems, then do a substitution code to answer insect questions. Or go to the answers.
Insects in French A Label Me! PrintoutLabel the insects in French, including the fly, bee, ant, dragonfly, grasshopper, ladybug, mosquito, butterfly, caterpillar, and antenna.Answers
Jumping Bean MothA brown moth that spends its larval stage inside a seed pod.
Leafcutter AntLeafcutter ants are fungus farmers - they grow their own food.
Luna MothA green moth with long hindwing tails and distinctive eyespots.
Mealworm Life CycleThe yellow mealworm is the larval stage of the darkling beetle (Tenebrio molitor).
WaspWasps are insects with 2 pairs of wings and strong jaws. Many wasps sting.
Water StriderA bug that walks on water.
Yellow JacketA yellow jacket is a type of social wasp, a flying, stinging insect.
Zebra Longwing ButterflyThe Zebra Longwing is a small, black-and-yellow striped butterfly from warm areas.