There are more kinds of insects in the world than all other animals put together. They live in every environment apart from the oceans. Some are pests, eating crops or spreading diseases, while others are vital to the survival of plants and animals. Many insects spread pollen between plants, helping them to reproduce. They are also prey for many animals, so are an important part of the food chain.
Insects can run at speed, jump incredible distances, swim and fly. Dragonflies are among the best flyers. They are able to fly at speeds of over 50 kilometres per hour, carry out split-second changes of pace and direction, hover and even fly backwards. Dragonflies feed on other insects, chasing them through the air and catching them with their legs, or plucking them off plants.
Dragonflies live near rivers, streams and ponds. Males patrol their territory and chase rivals away. Dragonfly young (nymphs) live in the water, feeding on tiny fish, tadpoles and other insects. They climb out of the water just before they shed their skin for the last time to become adults.
Cockroaches are extremely adaptable insects. They can live almost anywhere and many will eat any kind of food they can find. Some are tree-dwellers and have wings, while other, wingless kinds burrow into the ground or hide in small spaces, coming out to feed. Some kinds are found in houses, where they eat our food and spread germs and diseases.
Some kinds of grasshoppers, known as locusts, are also pests. They mass together and can eat whole crop-fields. Most grasshoppers and crickets, however, are better known for their loud, chirping songs. These are usually made by the males to attract females, and are produced by rubbing both wings, or a leg and a wing, together.
Some insects are plant-eaters; others are carnivorous, feeding on other insects or small animals. The mantis is a formidable predator. It sits, camouflaged and completely motionless, waiting for its prey to approach. Then the mantis strikes, grasping the prey between its sharp, spiny front legs before bringing it up to its jaws.
Stick and leaf insects are also masters of disguise, although their camouflage is used to hide from predators rather than for hunting. They live in trees, feeding on vegetation. They are coloured green or brown, and look very similar to twigs or leaves. They even sway from side to side if the tree is moved by the breeze.
Bugs differ from other insects because they have long, beak-like mouthparts instead of biting jaws. They use them to pierce their food and suck up the liquid contents. Most feed on plant juices, but some hunt and feed on other animals.
Carnivorous bugs either suck the blood of their victims or inject saliva into their bodies, liquefying the insides so they can be sucked out. Many live in water, either underwater or skipping across the thin film of the surface on their long legs. They grasp their prey with their forelegs in a similar way to a mantis.
Termites live in colonies that may number several million. They build large, complex nests underground or in dead trees. In hot, dry climates, termites build hollow mounds over the nest, allowing cool air to circulate. Inside the nest lie the large king and even larger queen, her swollen body full of eggs (inset). Soldier termites protect the colony from attack by enemy ants. Worker termites find food, feed the others and look after the young.
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