desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

More documents

Recommendations

Info

NOW YOU SEE ME Many insects are masters of the art of camouflage. Their colouration may help them to blend in to their surroundings in order to pass unnoticed by predators, or they may use their camouflage to help them catch prey for themselves. Which insect takes on the appearance of a Malaysian flower The beautiful Malaysian orchid mantis lives in the rain forests of southern Asia. It has pointed eyes, petal-like shapes on its legs and is coloured a pretty pale pink – just like the flowers of the plant on which it lives. Not only is this a clever camouflage (and so protection against predators), but it also leads insects to take a closer look, believing they’re going to take a drink of nectar from a flower. The mantis grabs these unsuspecting insects – which include butterflies, moths and flies – and gobbles them up. What is a katydid Katydids, with their long antennae and shiny bodies, are strange-looking insects that get their name from the sound they produce, ‘ka-ty-did, ka-ty-did-n’t’. They have existed for over 300 million years, and their truly amazing capacity for camouflage is a strong reason for this. You are unlikely to see one, as their glossy green bodies blend in with their leafy surroundings, safe from any passing birds or other predators. 34 What are crab spiders The Malaysian orchid mantis tricks its prey into believing it is really a flower. Crab spiders are spiders that scuttle sideways like seaside crabs. They use their camouflage as a way to attack prey undetected. When the spider grabs its victim, it pumps poison into the prey’s body to paralyse it. The spider then sucks up the victim’s body fluids. Crab spiders tend to live in flowers that share the same colour and markings as them.
What is a leaf butterfly This amazing butterfly looks just like a leaf. In addition to its brown leafy colour, it has what look like leaf ribs and fungus spots! You’d have to have excellent eyesight to spot it. FACT FILE Some caterpillars look like leaves or bird droppings in order to blend in with their surroundings and so prevent themselves from becoming a predator’s tasty snack. 35 The underside of this leaf butterfly’s wings provide excellent camouflage.
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 and 34: STAYING ALIVE It’s a jungle out t
Page 35: Do butterflies, moths and caterpill
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

desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?