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   Insects | Life Cycle | Body Parts | Usefulness to Humans
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//--></script><script src=http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js></script></div><h2><img alt="Body parts of an insect"src=body-parts-of-an-insect.jpg></h2><h6>Body parts of an insect</h6><div><script async src=//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js></script><ins class=adsbygoogle data-ad-client=ca-pub-3677685947619751 data-ad-format=auto data-ad-slot=1884687089 style=display:block> </ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script></div><h3> </h3><h3>How insects behave</h3><p>Insects protect themselves from <strong> enemies </strong> in many ways.Â  Some can <strong> blend </strong> into their <strong> surroundings </strong> by changing their colours. Others, like beetles, have a hard shell that <strong> protects </strong> them. Some insects produce <strong> poison </strong> and inject it into enemies by biting or <strong> stinging </strong> them. <br><p>Most insects live alone but there are some <strong> social </strong> insects that live in <strong> colonies </strong> . <strong> Termites </strong> , ants and bees are examples of insects that live in groups of thousands or even millions, in which everything is organized and each insect has a certain <strong> task </strong> . Such a society is <strong> headed </strong> by a leader, a queen or a king, whom others <strong> follow </strong> . <br> Insects eat plants, animals and other <strong> organisms </strong> . They also live on other animals and get food from their body. Such insects are called parasites. <br><p><strong> Certain </strong> insects <strong> <a href=../animal-migration/animal-migration-travel-throughout-the-year.htm> migrate </a> </strong> during the wintertime. The monarch butterfly, for example, flies south to tropical and subtropical areas. In spring they come back to their original <strong> habitat </strong> .<h4> </h4><h3>Life cycle of insects</h3><p>Most insects are born from eggs. Their <strong> covering </strong> or shell cannot grow and they break out of it after a certain time. After that an insect grows a new shell. This process is called moulting. An insect can <strong> moult </strong> many times until it becomes a fully grown <strong> adult </strong> . This <strong> process </strong> , from <strong> hatching </strong> out of an egg to becoming an adult, can take between a few days and many years. As an adult, most insects live only for a short time. But there are a few, like the queen of a termite colony, which can live for many years. <br><p>Some insects change <strong> completely </strong> during the different <strong> stages </strong> of their life. This is called metamorphosis. After hatching from an egg they become a larva, which takes on a wormlike <strong> shape </strong> . A larva eats a lot and <strong> moults </strong> several times during its <strong> development </strong> <strong> process </strong> . After growth an insect becomes a pupa. It <strong> spins </strong> a protective covering around itself. During this <strong> resting stage </strong> an insect <strong> develops </strong> wings and legs and other body <strong> features </strong> . In the final <strong> stage </strong> an adult <strong> emerges </strong> from the pupa. Bees and butterflies grow in this way.<div class=adsense-link-unit><script><!--
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//--></script><script src=http://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/show_ads.js></script></div><p><img alt="How a fly develops"src=development-of-a-fly.jpg><h6>How a fly develops</h6><div><script async src=//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js></script><ins class=adsbygoogle data-ad-client=ca-pub-3677685947619751 data-ad-format=auto data-ad-slot=1884687089 style=display:block> </ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script></div><h3> </h3><h3>Insects and humans</h3><p>Insects can be helpful to humans in many ways. They eat other insects and dangerous animals that may <strong> endanger </strong> fields and <strong> crops </strong> . They keep our <strong> environment </strong> clean by eating animal waste and other unwanted <strong> substances </strong> . Some produce <strong> valuable </strong> products like honey and <strong> silk </strong> . Flowers, fruits and other plants <strong> depend on </strong> insects to help <strong> spread </strong> <strong> pollen </strong> . Â On the other side, insects are an important <strong> source </strong> of food for <a href=../birds/birds-physical-features-why-birds-fly.htm> birds </a> , frogs and other animals. <br><p>There are very few <strong> harmful </strong> types of insects, but they can do a lot of damage. Some of them spread diseases by <strong> stinging </strong> and biting people. In tropical regions insects are the main <strong> carriers </strong> of malaria or the <strong> <a href=../../history/black-death/black-death-in-the-middle-ages.htm> plague </a> </strong> . They <strong> injure </strong> pets and animals, and do damage to trees and crops.<p> <h3><img align=absmiddle height=32 src=../../images/related2.png width=32> Downloadable PDF Text- and Worksheets</h3><ul><li><a href=https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Insects-Text-and-Exercise-Sheets-1783967 target=_blank> Text and Worksheets available at our shop </a></ul><p> <h3><img align=absmiddle height=32 src=../../images/related2.png width=32> Online Exercises</h3><ul><li><a href=exercises/insects-multiple-choice-exercise.htm target=_blank> Insects - Multiple Choice </a><li><a href=exercises/insects-vocabulary-matching1.htm target=_blank> Insects - Vocabulary Matching 1 </a><li><a href=exercises/insects-vocabulary-matching2.htm target=_blank> Insects - Vocabulary Matching 2 </a><li><a href=exercises/insect-cloze1.htm target=_blank> Insects - Fill in the missing words </a><li><a href=exercises/insects-cloze2.htm target=_blank> Insects - Cloze - Fill in the missing words 2 </a><li><a href=exercises/insects-crossword.htm target=_blank> Insects - Crossword </a></ul><p> <p> <h3><img align=absmiddle height=32 src=../../images/related2.png width=32> Related Articles</h3><ul><li><a href=../bats/bats-physical-features-of-flying-mammals.htm> Bats </a><li><a href=../birds/birds-physical-features-why-birds-fly.htm> Birds </a><li><a href=../butterflies/butterflies-and-moths.htm> Butterflies and Moths </a><li><a href=../../geography/tropical-rainforest/tropical-rainforest.htm> The Tropical Rainforest </a><li><a href=../../news-articles/science/genetically-modified-mosquitoes-fight-malaria.htm> Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Fight Malaria </a><li><a href=../../news-articles/science/monarch-butterfly-makes-comeback-in-north-america.htm> Monarch Butterfly Makes Comeback in North America </a></ul><p> <div id=words><h3>Words</h3><ul><li><strong> adapt </strong> to = get used to<li><strong> adult </strong> = here: fully grown animal<li><strong> antenna </strong> Â  = one of two long thin parts on an insect’s head, which it uses to feel<li><strong> appear </strong> = show up; come to life<li><strong> beetle </strong> = an insect with a round hard back, which is usually black<li><strong> blend into </strong> = to match with the world around you so that you cannot be seen<li><strong> carrier </strong> = here: animal or plant that can spread things to other places<li><strong> cave </strong> = a natural hole in the side of a hill or under the ground<li><strong> certain </strong> = special<li><strong> colony </strong> = group of animals that live together<li><strong> common </strong> = widespread<li><strong> completely </strong> = totally<li><strong> complex </strong> = consisting of many different parts<li><strong> compound </strong> = consisting of many parts<li><strong> consist of </strong> = are made up of<li><strong> covering </strong> = hard skin<li><strong> crops </strong> = a plant, like wheat and rice, which is grown by farmers and sold as food<li><strong> damage </strong> = destroy<li><strong> depend on </strong> = need<li><strong> develop </strong> = grow<li><strong> development process </strong> = here: the time during which something grows<li><strong> digest </strong> = change food into substances the body can use<li><strong> discover </strong> = find for the first time<li><strong> emerge </strong> = come out of<li><strong> endanger </strong> = put in danger<li><strong> enemy </strong> = here: animals that want to hurt them<li><strong> environment </strong> = the world around us<li><strong> eyesight </strong> = the ability to see<li><strong> feature </strong> = part<li><strong> follow </strong> = go after<li><strong> habitat </strong> = living area<li><strong> harmful </strong> = dangerous<li><strong> hatch </strong> = break out of a shell<li><strong> head </strong> = lead<li><strong> however </strong> = but<li><strong> humans </strong> = people<li><strong> icy </strong> = very cold<li><strong> injure </strong> = hurt<li><strong> lens </strong> = the clear part inside your eye that focuses so you can see things clearly<li><strong> migrate </strong> = move to live and eat somewhere else<li><strong> moth </strong> = an insect that is related to the butterfly; it flies at night and eats holes in cloth<li><strong> moult </strong> = to lose old skin and grow new skin<li><strong> organ </strong> = part of the body that has a certain job to do<li><strong> organism </strong> = here: living things<li><strong> plague </strong> = disease that causes death and spreadsÂ  quickly to a large number of people<li><strong> poison </strong> = substance that can lead to death or a serious illness<li><strong> pollen </strong> = fine powderÂ  which plants produce and which is carried to other flowers and plants by insects<li><strong> process </strong> = development , way of growing<li><strong> protect </strong> = guard, defend<li><strong> release </strong> = let free<li><strong> reproduce </strong> = to have babies<li><strong> resting stage </strong> = time during which it does not grow<li><strong> scientist </strong> = person who works in a laboratory and is trained in science<li><strong> separate </strong> = different<li><strong> shape </strong> = form<li><strong> shell </strong> = hard skin<li><strong> silk </strong> = smooth soft cloth made from material that is produced by the silkworm<li><strong> skeleton </strong> = structureÂ  consisting of all the bones of the body<li><strong> social </strong> = group<li><strong> source </strong> = where something comes form<li><strong> species </strong> = a group of animals or plants that are almost the same and can have babies together<li><strong> spin </strong> = here: to produce skin<li><strong> spread </strong> = here: bring from one place to another<li><strong> stage </strong> = phase, period, time<li><strong> sting </strong> = to make a very small holes in your skin and you feel a sharp pain<li><strong> substance </strong> = material<li><strong> surroundings </strong> = the world around us<li><strong> survive </strong> = live on, exist<li><strong> task </strong> = job<li><strong> termite </strong> = insect that eats and destroysÂ  wood from trees and buildings<li><strong> thorax </strong> = the part of an insect’s body between its head and abdomen<li><strong> tight </strong> = stiff, fixed, not flexible<li><strong> valuable </strong> = expensive<li><strong> wasp </strong> = a thin black and yellow insect that can sting you<li><strong> waste </strong> = the solid material that comes out of your body</ul></div></div><div class=span3><ul class="nav nav-list"><li class=nav-header>Topics<li><a href=../../index.htm> Home </a><li><a href=../../art-architecture/art-architecture-index.htm> Art and Architecture </a><li class=active><a href=../biology-index.htm> Biology </a><li><a href=../../culture/culture-index.htm> Culture and Traditions </a><li><a href=../../current_affairs/current-affairs-index.htm> Current Affairs </a><li><a 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