You know how we humans have our bones inside our body? Our bones give our body shape and protect us from impacts and damage. Insects don't have bones, but they have hard shells or shell-like skeletons outside of their bodies that protect them. Their bodies are broken into three different parts. The head which is the front most of the segments. The head contains the organs (antennae and eyes) that allow the insect to sense the environment. The second body part of is the middle or central part that is called the thorax. The legs and wings (if present) are attached to the thorax and they all have six legs. The thorax is also where the insect takes in oxygen. The final part of the insect body is called the abdomen. The abdomen contains many vital organs including the heart, digestive, and reproductive organs.
The life cycle of all insects is similar. They begin as an egg and hatch in a larva state. The shape and appearance of larva differs greatly between each species. The larvae look nothing like the adult. This can be seen in the fly. Maggots are the larvae stage of flies. The larvae eventually reach a transformative stage where it forms either a chrysalis, cocoon, or pupa. From there it emerges as a full adult. Insects are estimated to account for 90% of the Earth's animal species. These worksheets explore all about the world of insects.