desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

LEGGY, LEGGY, LEGGY
You’ve seen creepy-crawlies scuttle and crawl along floors and up
walls, but have you ever stopped to wonder just how amazing their
legs are? If it weren’t for their legs, many of these insects wouldn’t be
able to leap, bound and generally get around.
Which insect is the best jumper of them all
How many legs does a millipede have
The word ‘millipede’ literally means
‘a thousand legs’. Plant-eating
millipedes do not, in fact, have that
many legs; the leggiest of all only
has 710 legs. A millipede’s legs
move rhythmically beneath it, and
are hidden under its body.
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The hind legs of the flea are very strong,
making them one of the best animal jumpers of
all in comparison to their body size. There are
thought to be over 2,000 species of flea in the
world, but cat and dog fleas are two of the most
common to be found in people’s homes. These
blood-sucking insects use their powerful hind
legs to jump from one host (or meal) to another.
Fleas can jump as high as 30 cm (12 in.),
accelerating as fast as a space rocket!
This highly magnified image of a flea shows its
powerful hind legs.
A millipede.