desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

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WATER BABIES Next time you’re at the riverbank, take a closer look – it’s a haven for a world of water insects. Most insects breathe through the holes or gills in the sides of their bodies and would suffocate without any air. Water or ‘aquatic’ insects are specially adapted to living in water. What’s so special about whirligigs The whirligig is one of the only water beetles able to swim on the water’s surface. It uses its legs like paddles to row its way across the water and can be seen whirling about in groups. Whirligigs have special eyes that allow them to see both above and below the water at the same time. What do giant water <strong>bugs</strong> eat The giant water bug, or ‘fish killer,’ is one of the largest aquatic insects, and is a scary underwater predator. It likes to eat small fish, frogs, snails and tadpoles. It can grow up to 7 cm (3 in.) in length. Adult water <strong>bugs</strong> cannot breathe underwater, so surface regularly for air. They breathe through a specially modified tail which acts like A giant water bug. 46 Which insect can walk on water The aptly named pond skater, or water strider, has a long, narrow body and six spindly legs. It stays afloat thanks to special water-repellent hairs that cover its underside. If you’re lucky enough to see one, you can watch how it uses its hind legs as rudders and its middle legs to propel itself across the surface of the water. Its short forelegs help it to catch prey. A pond skater. What is a water tiger The water tiger is a beetle. Named due to its ferocious nature and enormous appetite, water tigers have extremely powerful jaws. They use these to great effect when disembowelling tadpoles or penetrating the flesh of beetles before devouring them!
Which water insect lives at the bottom of the pond A dragonfly nymph (a teenage dragonfly) measures anything between 18–49 mm ( 2 ⁄3 in.–2 in.). This clever insect doesn’t need to come up for air, as it can breathe by sucking water in, absorbing the oxygen and then squeezing the water out again to jet propel itself through the water.
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 and 36: Do butterflies, moths and caterpill
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: Which rainforest insect tucks itsel
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

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