Bugs are some of the most fascinating creatures in the world, and they come in all shapes, sizes and colours. From the tiniest mite to the largest beetle, bugs are everywhere. From the creepy crawly spiders to the brightly coloured butterflies, bugs can be fascinating to learn about! Here we will explore some of the most interesting facts about bugs.
1. Leaf cutter ants keep a fungus garden inside their nest.
There are lots of different types of ants and they are all very clever.
One of them is a leaf cutter ant.
They will clip pieces of leaves from small plants and pile them up. The other ants will carry a piece back to their nest.
The leaf cutter ants keep a fungus garden inside their nest which is used to feed the ants inside!
2. Most caterpillars have 12 eyes!
Most caterpillars have 12 eyes… that’s a lot!
Their eyes are called ocelli.
Even though they have so many eyes, their vision isn’t very good!
3. Crickets make noise with their wings.
When you’re in a hot country, you can sometimes hear a strange noise…
It might be crickets!
The chirping noise crickets make is caused when they rub their wings across each other.
It’s called stridulation.
Grasshoppers make a similar sound by rubbing their back legs against their wings.
4. Some bugs can breathe underwater.
Bugs that can breathe underwater? Now that is clever!
The diving beetle carries a bubble of air under its wing cases, like a scuba tank.
There is also a bug called the water scorpion… it isn’t actually a scorpion, it just looks like one.
The water scorpion uses its tail as a snorkel!
5. Periodical cicadas emerge from underground once every 13 or 17 years.
Imagine only going outside once every 13 or 17 years…
Well, periodical cicadas do!
They have to be very careful, as they are often eaten by birds.
6. Grasshoppers existed before dinosaurs!
Wow!
Dinosaurs first appeared around 230 million years ago, and died out 66 million years ago.
However, it is believed that the grasshopper’s ancient ancestors lived before dinosaurs even roamed the Earth.
Scientists found this out because of fossils that they found.
Grasshoppers could be around 300 million years old!
7. Fireflies have their own light pattern!
Each type of firefly has its own pattern of flashing lights.
This is very important to them as it helps them attract a mate.
Some kinds even flash in time with each other!
8. Bees can see things five times faster than humans!
Did you know that bees can see FIVE TIMES faster than we can?
It means they can identify different flowers when they are flying really fast.
They want the ones with the sweetest nectar!
9. The largest bug in the UK is the stag beetle!
The bugs in the UK aren’t usually very big.
However, the stag beetle is huge! It’s the UK’s largest bug.
The scientific name for a stag beetle is a Lucanus cervus.
The biggest males can grow up to around 7.5 centimetres!
10. An entomologist is someone who studies insects.
If you LOVE bugs and find them really interesting then this job might be for you.
An entomologist is someone who studies insects.
They travel the world and observe bugs in their natural habitats…
From the rainforest… to the Arctic!
If you want to learn more bug facts, get a copy of Bugs (A Day in the Life) where you’ll find out what bees, ants and dragonflies get up to all day.
📖 Words to know
- Invertebrate
- An animal without a backbone, like an insect, spider or worm.
- Insect
- An animal with six legs and three parts to its body.
- Minibeast
- A small invertebrate, like a beetle, woodlouse, snail or spider.
- Fossil
- The remains or traces of a living thing from long ago, preserved in rock.
⚠️ Watch out!
How much do you know about bugs?
How many legs does an insect have?
- Six
- Eight
- Four
- Twelve
What is the UK’s largest beetle?
- Stag beetle
- Ladybird
- Dung beetle
- Weevil
What is someone who studies insects called?
- An entomologist
- An astronomer
- A geologist
- A dentist
Which group?
Lots of creepy-crawlies get called bugs, but they belong to different animal groups. Insects have six legs, spiders have eight, and none of them has a backbone.
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