World of the Insect

A forager’s jaws vibrate a thousand times a second to shear off pieces of a leaf.

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Scarab beetles like the emerald beetle play an important role in many natural communities.

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The Eastern lubber grasshopper is well-known in Florida and nearby states for its size, color, and large gatherings.

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The dragon-headed katydid is a type of bush cricket, so named for its huge mandibles that are used to eat a variety of fruits and other insects.

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The desert rainworm, a type of millipede, spends most of its life underground.

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The white-spotted pattern of the domino roach is thought to be a form of defensive mimicry.

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The chuckwalla is a diurnal lizard that emerges from its rocky shelter to bask in the sun and forage for leaves and fruit during the day.

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This bizarre arachnid is only distantly related to true spiders.

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Its colorful pattern warns potential predators, such as birds and small mammals, that it can quickly release a noxious, eye and nose-burning chemical deterrent.

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This brightly patterned beetle really does have a yellow underside. It is a strong flyer, widespread and commonly observed in nature, much like our native June beetle in the United States.

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This potentially dangerous spider is in fact quite shy (a real recluse) and normally bites humans only when accidentally trapped against the skin.

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This large tarantula is found in the Amazon Basin. It actively hunts out prey, pouncing on it to inflict a venomous bite.

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With a legspan reaching 10 inches or more, the Brazilian salmon pink birdeater is one of the largest tarantulas.

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The white-eyed assassin bug is an ambush predator of small insects.

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Its long mid and hind legs spread body weight over a large area and are coated with tiny air-trapping hairs providing pontoon-like floatation.

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Using a long tube, or siphon, as a snorkel to access air, the water scorpion sits on the bottom of a pond and waits for prey to come by.

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When threatened, the blue death feigning beetle rolls over on its back and plays dead.

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Growing no longer than four inches, the black-breasted leaf turtle is one of the world’s smallest turtles.

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Bat caves are home to more than bats.

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Among the largest whipspiders in the world, little is known of the Baja Whipspider’s natural history.

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