Insects in Education
Looking to explore the world of bugs beyond your garden and even your country? Insects in Education takes a look at some of the fascinating bugs, spiders and similar creepy-crawlers that live across the globe. Each entry includes fascinating insect facts and a downloadable classroom poster for students and teachers.
Antlion
For antlions, catching a meal literally goes to a whole new level. These insects set a trap unlike any other in the Animal Kingdom.
Asian Giant Hornet
Their name isn’t a lie. Asian Giant Hornets are positively huge. These insects measure almost two inches long and have a stinger that’s almost a quarter of an inch long.
Learn About Asian Giant Hornets»
Assassin Bug
If ants wanted to see a horror show, it would most definitely feature an assassin bug as a villain! These predatory insects wear the corpses of their ant-victims as a disguise.
Candy Striped Leafhopper
The Candy Striped Leafhopper may well be the best-dressed bug on the planet. As a contestant for this glorious honor, this leafhopper is decked out in red and luminous blue stripes that really make it stand out from the rest.
Learn About Candy Striped Leafhoppers»
Hickory Horned Devil
If you were asked to draw the scariest looking caterpillar you could think of, you would hardly do worse than come up with a picture of the Hickory Horned Devil.
Learn About Hickory Horned Devils»
Giant Water Bug
Giant Water Bugs live up to their name—most measure more than 2 inches long—and they aren’t afraid to hunt prey much larger than themselves!
Hummingbird Hawk-Moth
Is that a hummingbird? Or is it a butterfly? No, it's the hummingbird hawk-moth, an insect that does its best to look like a hummingbird! That's right, when it comes to the insect world, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Learn about Hummingbird Hawk-Moths»
Mound-Building Termite
Across the southern hemisphere, there’s one type of insect that seems to dominate the landscape. That’s because these insects – termites -- literally make the landscape!
Learn about Mound-Building Termites»
Ogre-Faced Spider
Across the Southern Hemisphere, there are dozens of ogre-faced spider species. These spiders earn their name for having a face only a mother could love–large black eyes and a permanently angry look.
Learn about Ogre-Faced Spiders»
Pipevine Swallowtail
Pipevine swallowtails may seem like the typical beautiful butterfly, but they definitely deserve some special attention. With their iridescent blue wings, they are hard to ignore, too. But beware! Behind their beautiful exterior, these butterflies hide a poisonous plan!
Learn about the Pipevine Swallowtail»
Red-Bordered Stinkbug
Like most stink bug species, the group of stink bugs consume their food by inserting a straw-like mouthpart into a plant stem and then siphoning out the juices. When these bugs sense a predator nearby, they thrash their antennae as a warning and then blast out a repulsive cloud of gas.
Learn about Red-Bordered Stinkbugs»
Raft Spider
Being able to walk on water has earned this European spider the nickname of “Jesus Spider,” but that’s just one of the amazing things about these speedy arachnids.
Scarlet Darter Dragonfly
In general, dragonflies are truly amazing animals. They’ve had pretty much the same anatomy since prehistoric times. Their bulging eyes provide them with near-perfect vision in a 360-degree sweep around them.
Learn about the Scarlet Darter Dragonfly»
Spiny Flower Mantis
Just about every mantis out there is an expert ambush hunter that uses camouflage to help disguise it before it strikes. The Spiny Flower Mantis takes it one step further with a set of thorny spikes and startling eye spots. The result? One of the toughest looking bugs you'll ever see!
Learn about the Spiny Flower Mantis»