Flying, creeping and crawling - insects are the wonders of our
gardens. From tiny little wasps to dragonflies, Planet Science
loves mini-beasts!
What are insects?
- All insects have six legs.
- Some insects can fly.
- Insects can live on land or in water.
- Types of insects include dragonflies, beetles, wasps, bees,
butterflies and moths.
- Spiders are not insects. They have eight legs,
so they are arachnids.
Can you guess what these insects are?
1. Bright and spotty, this insect likes to feed on aphids. It's
a gardener's best friend!
2. Buzz buzz buzz! This yellow and black insect makes a tasty
treat for us - honey!
3. A creature that starts life as an egg, then crawls along the
ground before changing into beautiful flying insect with pretty
wings.
Did you guess all the insects?
Here are the answers:
1. It's a ladybird! There are 46 species of
ladybird in the UK. Not all ladybirds are red with black spots. How
many ladybirds can you spot in your garden?
2. This buzzing insect is a honey bee. Honey
bees live together in large groups with one queen
bee. They feed on nectar in flowers and use the nectar to
make tasty honey. Honey bees dance to tell other
bees where the best flowers are!
3. It's a butterfly! Butterflies hatch out of
eggs as caterpillars. Caterpillars munch on leaves
and grow quickly. They make a cocoon called a
chrysalis. After a few days, or even months, a
beautiful butterfly hatches from the chrysalis. You can find out
more about butterflies at the Kid's Butterfly Site.
Next time you're in the garden, have a look and see what you can
find. You'll be amazed at the insects you can see! You can find
books to identify the insects you see at your local library.
For more fun bug games and puzzles go to Buglife. You can find out how
to make a bee house!