National Geographic Kids Field Guide: Insects

HTOWhTiOsUSBE ook

THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED into two sections

based on the type of metamorphosis insects

go through(incomplete or complete). Species

are further broken down by scientific classifi-

cation within each section. Here’s more on Western Carpenter Ant Page 141
how to use this guide.

Insect Entry HERE IS THE ANIMAL’S SCIENTIFIC NAME, ITS ORDER, ITS
THIS IS WHERE YOU’LL FIND THE AVERAGE LENGTH (NOT THE WORLD RECORD), THE HABITATS
INSECT’S COMMON NAME. IT LIVES IN, AND WHERE IT LIVES IN NORTH AMERICA.

DISCOVER A inINspSeEcCtoTr! Bluebottle Fly THIS TEXT
FUN FACT OR GIVES GENERAL
INTERESTING Bluebottle Flies are attracted Calliphora vomitoria ORDER Diptera • LENGTH 0.4– INFORMATION
BEHAVIOR OF to light, but a pack of these 0.55 in (10 –4 mm) • HABITAT Near carrion • RANGE ABOUT THE
THIS SPECIES. flies isn’t likely to swarm Throughout the United States • Complete metamorphosis SPECIES,
inside a house for no reason. INCLUDING KEY
Something has to be attract- The Bluebottle Fly is a type of BEHAVIORS AND
ing them. Since these flies blow fly that has an intense SOME COOL,
love dead and decaying mat- attraction to foul-smelling SURPRISING
ter, the most likely culprits things. It eats dead animals, FACTS.
are a broken sewer line, over- decaying matter, and poop. It lays QUICKLY IDENTIFY AN
flowing garbage, or a dead its eggs on dead animals or in open INSECT BY LOOKING FOR
animal hidden somewhere in wounds because its larvae eat dead THESE BASIC FEATURES.
the home. meat, too. After the larvae hatch, they feed CAN YOU NAME THE
on the animal for about a week. Adults even CORRECT SPECIES IN
pollinate bad-smelling flowers and fungi. In 10 SECONDS?
this way, the insect is beneficial. It transfers
pollen and spores so these plants and fungi
can reproduce. Bluebottle Flies tend to fly in
groups. If one fly detects food, it releases a
pheromone to let everyone else know that
dinner is about to be served.

10sspotters

BRIGHT METALLIC BLUE ABDOMEN RED EYES
CLEAR WINGS

LaOuugthLoud! GRAY HEAD AND THORAX
How do you keep flies out of the kitchen?

Put a pile of garbage in the living room.

116 FLIES (CALLIPHORIDAE)

INSECT JOKES, PUNS, AND RIDDLES WILL MAKE YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS LAUGH.
TRY THEM ON YOUR FAMILY, TOO!

12 INSECTS FIELD GUIDE

Special Features: Insect Reports

SPECIAL FEATURES CALLED INSECT REPORTS give you a closer look at insects’
appearance, their amazing behaviors, and their remarkable life cycles and lifestyles.

A CAPTION BINESEECTTRLEPEORMT ANIA Red Milkweed Beetle
DESCRIBES Aoannstaaefnbenepaeletalceae.reTthoimelyapyohreetlgapgnstth.beSoobdmeyeeptalberetfisentldesfo, olidk,emthaeteRse, dand
THE MAIN BEETLES UNDERGO COMPLETE Milkweed Beetle, have extra-long antennae.
PHOTO. METAMORPHOSIS. ADULTS LAY
EGGS IN A VARIETY OF PLACES: IN Pennsylvania Firefly
WOOD, ON LEAVES, UNDER BARK, The Pennsylvania Firefly is a bee-
OR EVEN IN DEAD ANIMAL CAR- tle. It can do something very few
CASSES. THE EGGS HATCH, AND other animals can. It can make
WORMLIKE LARVAE EMERGE. its own light. This ability is called
PEOPLE SOMETIMES CALL BEETLE bioluminescence.
LARVAE “GRUBS.” THE LARVAE
TURN INTO PUPAE, WHICH EVEN- Rainbow Scarab
TUALLY MATURE INTO ADULTS. Beetles eat just about
everything. This Rainbow
BAaatabTrnehltholeerttetaeaatthynlercheicchfmesmrtoeoiallvdacainlveisarntetrg.ooaTeabennhtnsvohtdEeedderyagybpyrrtaaprwtohrocahhueoktrepraetfwrarocsieexnitu:n.honbmtgSnedhesooaee.EisdnaTtaatl,rhernnetoetsiehfimht!raohaLraerfeilalrbkxyokxebceen,ieeenavatptelegnllttwerdidlf’nyeiosno’samstbrgebywos.ctdpdNhtiaoenyseremg,,oeaowsbfertc.enhlhhyBeei.aialeoctAebnelknleiltsttesahslaae-niehtfxnsdo.adlhTuvehharegavtesrheyda.orfe Scarab eats animal waste.
membranous hind wings are used to fly.
Dogbane Beetle
OTHER FAMILIES OF BEETLES CAN SECRETE CHEMICALS THAT Beetles have hard, thick front wings that
CAUSE RASHES AND ITCHING, BUT THESE BEETLES DO NOT. ipnrtoetreecsttitnhgeidrebfoedniseess.,Stoomo.eTbheeeDtloegsbhaanveeBoetehteler
shoots out a sticky substance that glues
88 INSECTS FIELD GUIDE potential predators’ mouthparts together.

A TEXT BLOCK GIVES GENERAL INFORMATION INSECT REPORT: BEETLE MANIA 89
ABOUT THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF APPEAR-
ANCE, BEHAVIOR, OR LIFESTYLE. LEARN ABOUT THE DIFFERENT
SPECIES THAT REPRESENT THE
THEME OF THE REPORT.

Classification

Scientists describe and classify insects, just as they do all other living things. Each

type of insect is a species. Closely related species are grouped together in a genus,

and each genus is grouped with relatives in a family. The animals in each group

share characteristics as well as common genes inherited from an ancestor. This is

how each insect gets its scientific name. The scientific name is written in Latin and

contains the insect’s genus. A few also have a common name, or the name that non-

scientists use. But most

insects don’t. Instead, all

members of the family Golden-eyed Lacewing Antlion
share the same common
name. To help you identify C•M•hcLreCroEaopNydmsGsopT•wolHeRspt0Awea.N3miG9tohe–Ect0lTaou.hm7wrl9ooavriuenptggha(he1oo0tsuaO–isttR2iNo0Dno.E5,rRttmhrNemAeeum)sr•eoarHpnitdAceaBfirIaeTlAdT •id•GnuCLdlnoEeaemNrsnGkp,T,luheHsotrhel1ual.mo4dsw–ye2tgata.rr4mreeeaiaonssrt,p(u•3fho5Rsor.sA5eiNs–sOt6GRfl1EDomEEoRamrsNs)t,ee•uruHnnroAdUpeBntrIieTthrAeeaTddSSgateanstd,eyasnd
insects, the common and
scientific family names ojOiituStntnooshswretmeesirolctea,ahntfrnaeetvvddmhaewuehnacelyaotlaeevsmcnkeale..aenTpaTcaothiegteekswermnmectinei.otanWgprhlgleshenimyelnteahnswsoyaeusullenycaectgtrkahh2svgrpa0t.ascthaL0ehccoraehhbnatrffleesoipvtshw,udrahehsueiiipdlonedwni,aonsragswgirllttnrivlorhomcoeg,mgayurishTnhcsoeatlapho,t.heufnyfrenolBtonytrelhfeilurhodoGondvecttoepmaoosaerhtrkatnelktiaedtnhreyocslryeditie,ttairksspnn.esada,teoAe.sl-intil,infnkAeedhcmtdtossgtycur-aef.eieahbttlynnetcpn’deoosiiasptrgs,ndLcaebalwhhieiuahlsyeroaltyiccaitddv,odigeelhnteyyneanw.hzwie-ttieen.syg Antlions have some inIsNpSeEcCtoTr!
are found in a classifica- pretty interesting
tion tab at the bottom ÚLOOK FOR THIS BLACK BAND AT FRONT OF HEAD ispuOnpsppowbtitnenatlinoohehattatcoanicciish“renllruedaeceitegtasunsohhdhtnsomifswreatnaretdyhAytieogpi.llioennletmnlifofttgndbggowlote“iouiirrciostdhkr,otgk.otneseshdusOhnomce.lnfis”naeaiaekhtdonmeAptphepondntcAaeeewsaeodhitnrssnrnih—ftettinpeothoelrarii’cuaftesonieepmhtpgynpsyvaee.heseilplarcenAlp.crdnufasncAoyteuttnsetns-tcsslrodt.ditmttsonsOoo”esneaontvpdsarhdoloyminadulgtedttire.,gheTiifdanterahbwlsetablophyilieutoniehrlstnetiatrgo2aalswv2tpedhaaookeanie-wt.ns Antlion larvae live in
margin of the pages. For hollows of trees. They
those insects that don’t LACEWINGS belong to sit and wait for prey to
have a specific common nthaemoerdNeeruNroeputreorpatecroam. eTshe approach. They trap
name, only the scientific from the Greek words tporoetyhwedithmtahnediirbcleusrv, ed,
name is used. which work together
to create a pair of
sucking tubes.

neur, which means TRANSLUCENT,
“nerve,” and pter, which VEINED WINGS
means “wing.” Insects in 10sspotters
this order have clear GOLDEN EYES TUBELIKE ABDOMEN
NFOETULRIKMEEPMABTRTAERNNOSUSOFWVIENIGNSSWITH DARK TIPS
wings. This makes it easy ON WINGS
to see the netlike pattern
of nerves on their wings. 10sspotters

inIsNpSeEcCtoTr! SRLEEDNCDIERRC,LLEISGHATR-OGURNEDENTHAENSTEENCONNADE SEGMENT OF EACH LONG,

tlLhaacecemewwsieinnlgvg,eaistdawugliatllsinshseatnvpderoeeudatarntaoerrdesa.thlleymsstienlkvyessma enlolt. sLoacaetwtriancgtsivaelsnoamreele—assteintkheflsietesn! cIfhytoouddeifsetnudrb a LaOuugthLoud! What is the Antlion’s favorite kind of cookie?

82 LACEWINGS (CHRYSOPIDAE) Snickerdoodles!

ANTLIONS (MYRMELEONTIDAE) 83

CLASSIFICATION TAB

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK 13

SLANTED HEAD WITH THREE LONGITUDINAL RIDGES

Velvet-striped Grasshopper

Eritettix simplex ORDER Orthoptera • LENGTH 0.6–0.9 in (15–23 mm)

• HABITAT Grassy hillsides and areas of dense vegetation • RANGE South
central Canada, east to Connecticut and south to New Mexico
• Incomplete metamorphosis

The Velvet-striped Grasshopper has a

10sspotters slanted face, a common characteristic
among grasshoppers that specialize in eat-
ing grass. This species, which can be heard

LONG WINGS chirping throughout the day, comes in two
EXTEND BEYOND
BROWN BODY WITH color variations. It may be tan with brown
GREEN MARKINGS
ABDOMEN. markings or brown with green makings on

its body. Long wings help the Velvet-striped Grasshopper evade preda-

tors. It can fly as far as 6 feet(1.8 m) at heights up to 12 inches

(30.5 cm) off the ground. Velvet-striped Grasshoppers live in the Great

Plains and also the Appalachian Mountains and their eastern slopes.

BROWN COMPOUND EYE Two-striped Grasshopper

10sspotters Melanoplus bivittatus ORDER Orthoptera • LENGTH 1.2–2 in

TAN OR (30.5–51 mm) • HABITAT Tall grass prairie, wet meadows, roadsides,
GREEN ditch banks, and crop borders • RANGE Throughout the United States
HEAD except southern Texas and the far Southeast; all but the far north in
WITH Canada • Incomplete metamorphosis
DARK
SPOTS

inINspSeEcCtoTr! TWO YELLOW The Two-striped Grasshopper is a spur-
STRIPES ALONG throated grasshopper. It eats plants
BODY with broad, flat leaves and soft green
stems. This grasshopper does not chirp.
The eggs of a Two-striped Grasshopper Its common name refers to the two
start developing during the summer. By pale yellow stripes that run along its
the time winter comes, they are between back. Starting at the eyes, they extend
60 and 80 percent mature. They finish to the tips of the wings. This big grass-
developing when soil temperatures rise. hopper can be found just about every-
Because of the head start it got the pre- where in the United States and
vious summer, the Two-striped throughout much of Canada. Both
Grasshopper is one of the first species of adults and nymphs migrate. Adults can
grasshoppers to appear in the spring. fly 1,400 feet(427 m) above the ground.

46 GRASSHOPPERS (ACRIDIDAE)

Kiowa Grasshopper

Trachyrhachys kiowa ORDER Orthoptera

• LENGTH 0.8–1.2 in (20.5–30.5 mm) • HABITAT Sparse
grasslands dominated by short grasses • RANGE
Southwestern Canada through the United States,
except the Southeast; south to Guatemala
• Incomplete metamorphosis

The Kiowa Grasshopper is a
banded-wing grasshopper.
These hoppers may eat grasses
or broad-leafed herbaceous
plants, but the Kiowa Grasshopper
prefers grasses and sedges. It is a big-
headed, ground-dwelling insect. The Kiowa
Grasshopper is highly responsive to changes in temperature
and light. It rests horizontally on the ground at night. Soon after
sunrise, it aligns its body perpendicular to the sun’s rays, lowers
the hind leg on the sunny side, and lets the sun shine on its exposed
abdomen. As it gets hotter, the grasshopper climbs grasses and
begins to feed. When it cools off, the grasshopper climbs back down.
At sunset, it basks in the sun once again.

DARK NARROW BAND ON THE FRONT PART OF THE HEAD 10sspotters ¼¼LISTEN FOR THIS
NEARLY
VERTICAL MALE BANDED-WING
FACE grasshoppers make a loud
snapping, cracking, or buzz-
ing sound when they fly.
Females sometimes do, too.
This happens because they
rub the under surface of
their forewings against the
veins of their hind wings
when they fly.

TAN BODY WITH DARK BROWN MARKINGS FRINGE HAIRS ON THE
(SOME ARE PALE GREEN WITH DARK MARKINGS.) LOWER PART OF THE FEMUR

LaOuugthLoud! Why did the grasshopper look out of place on his new team?

They were playing cricket!

GRASSHOPPERS (ACRIDIDAE) 47

BEINCNSEOECNTFRSIECPEOIRARTVLIINNGSECTS

Tell your parents to avoid
using pesticides and
chemicals whenever
possible. The same
chemicals that kill pests
can also kill beneficial
species of insects.

MANY BUTTERFLY HABITATS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED. FIND
OUT WHAT KIND OF PLANTS YOUR FAVORITE BUTTERFLIES
LIKE. THEN PLANT A GARDEN WHERE BOTH LARVAE AND
ADULTS CAN FIND FOOD.

As the world’s population increases, people use more and
more natural resources. Often, this means changing the
land around them. While that might seem like the natural
thing to do, it’s not necessarily what’s best for nature.
Plants and animals, including insects, need stable homes,
too. It’s too late to save some species. They’ve become
extinct. But there are many things people can do to
protect and preserve the species that are left.

144 INSECTS FIELD GUIDE

Many insects live in or around water.
And everything you drop eventually
ends up in a river or stream. Pick up
your trash and throw it away. Keep
the waterways clean.

Many insects inhabit rotting tree stumps.
Rather than burning stumps, encourage
adults to let the stumps rot naturally.

INSECT REPORT: CONSERVING BENEFICIAL INSECTS 145