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Why do stag beetles fight one another If two male stag beetles are interested in the same female, they will fight. Each beetle stretches out his antennae to assess his rival, and then tries to look as threatening as he can. If that doesn’t make the other How does the bombardier beetle protect itself Stay away from a bombardier beetle! When this beetle is angry or provoked, it fires a mixture of chemicals from special glands situated in its rear end. One species fires the chemicals as a constant jet (like a hose), and other types releases its spray at intervals. A complicated system of chemical reactions take place The bombardier beetle may look harmless, but can blast a nasty chemical mixture at would-be attackers. FACT FILE Some insects, including the ladybird and the monarch butterfly, use their bright coloration to warn predators that either they don’t taste nice or are poisonous to eat. Eyespots on the wings of butterflies and moths may cause predators to think twice before pouncing – the markings look like the face of a larger animal that might fight back. The yellow and black of bees and wasps tells other animals to stay away – these insects sting! 32 beetle back away, he resorts to using his antler-like jaws to wrestle his rival to the ground. The stronger beetle’s jaws may puncture the other beetle’s tough armour, leaving him injured and dying on his back. inside the body of the beetle, creating such a high pressure that boiling point is reached, and the chemicals are released at a high speed and temperature. The beetle cannot instantly take flight so, due to its vulnerability on the ground, it needs this defence mechanism to survive. Why do earwigs have pincers Despite its fearsome appearance, this insect is really quite harmless … but it may give a small nip if threatened. As well as being used to stave off the unwanted attention from predators, the earwig also uses the pair of pincers at the end of its body to help it tuck its wings away. It was once thought that earwigs crawled into people’s ears, but they would much rather live under stones. An earwig’s pincers protect it from harm.
Do butterflies, moths and caterpillars sting Butterflies and moths don’t sting, but some caterpillars do. However, their sting is not the same as a bee’s or a wasp’s. Some species have hollow hairs (like tiny quills) covering their bodies, and each hair is connected to a sack full of poison. If the hairs are touched, they release the poison, which can cause anything from an irritating itch to intense pain. So, if you see a hairy caterpillar crawling on you, don’t brush it off with your hands, but gently move it with a stick. Remember, though, caterpillars don’t set out to attack other creatures – their stinging hairs are used for protection. How do insects avoid being eaten by predators Many insects face the problem of how to survive without being eaten. By pretending to be something else (another insect, for example), they stand a better chance of survival. Copying others is known as mimicry. The orange emesis butterfly has no natural defence system – it has no biting jaws or stinging tail and it’s not poisonous – yet it has developed to look just like a poisonous butterfly. Predators, such as birds, know that one bite of the poisonous butterfly will make them sick, so they avoid eating the orange emesis just in case. There is a type of jumping spider that looks just like an ant! Most birds avoid ants as prey, so the threat of the jumping spider being eaten is greatly reduced through mimicry. The orange emesis butterfly (far right) and the jumping spider both use mimicry to avoid being eaten. Why are the wings of butterflies and moths ‘dusty’ Some hairy caterpillars can give a nasty sting. If you’ve ever touched a butterfly or a moth, you’ve probably found your fingertips covered in what looks like fine dust. This ‘dust’ covers the wings of these insects and is really made up of minute scales. Some scientists think that the scales make the wings slippery, protecting butterflies and moths from the grasp of predators and enabling them to escape from spiders’ webs, but once the scales have been damaged, they don’t grow back. So, if you ever have to pick up a butterfly or A moth’s wings are covered in moth, remember to be very gentle. minute scales that look like dust. 33
Page 3 and 4: Copyright © 2010 Top That! Publish
Page 5 and 6: Now You See Me Pages 34-36 Rainfore
Page 7 and 8: There are millions of species of in
Page 9 and 10: WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? Bedbugs, assa
Page 11 and 12: Are bugs able to live under water a
Page 13 and 14: Male stag beetles take to the air o
Page 15 and 16: EYE SPY DRAGONFLY Dragonflies are o
Page 17 and 18: How fast can dragonflies actually f
Page 19 and 20: All the members of the Orthoptera f
Page 21 and 22: FLUTTERBY BUTTERFLY Butterflies and
Page 23 and 24: BUSY BODIES There are over 19,000 k
Page 25 and 26: ANT-TASTIC Ants and termites are kn
Page 27 and 28: What does a queen ant do The queen
Page 29 and 30: Which beetle has the most disgustin
Page 31 and 32: Do insects use their legs in self-d
Page 33: STAYING ALIVE It’s a jungle out t
Page 37 and 38: What is a leaf butterfly This amazi
Page 39 and 40: UP, UP AND AWAY The way in which in
Page 41 and 42: Why are moths attracted to light No
Page 43 and 44: Why does scent matter The insect wo
Page 45 and 46: Do killer bees really exist African
Page 47 and 48: Which rainforest insect tucks itsel
Page 49 and 50: Which water insect lives at the bot
Page 51 and 52: Which insect helps to turn over the
Page 53 and 54: How else do insects find water to d
Page 55 and 56: Ponds and swamps provide excellent
Page 57 and 58: DESERT BUGS You might expect the dr
Page 60 and 61: THE EYES HAVE IT To make up for the
Page 62 and 63: How does a caterpillar see its food
Page 64 and 65: GLOSSARY Honeycomb A waxy structure
Page 66 and 67: INDEX African honeybee 43 African s

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