There are thought to be as many as ten million different species of insects roaming this Earth.

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. Each of the worksheets begins with a full reading passage that will provide students with a solid understanding of each topic. They are followed by a multiple choice and short answer question worksheet that is based on each reading passage.



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Printable Insects Worksheets

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Arthropod Worksheet

Arthropods

Arthropod is the scientific name for the group of living creatures that includes insects, spiders (arachnids), and crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, and shrimp). Creatures that have both a hard exoskeleton with joints and pairs of jointed legs are considered arthropods.

Arthropods Question Worksheet

Arthropods Questions

There are over 100,000 species of arachnids, which is a Greek work meaning spider. Although the words arachnid and spider are frequently used interchangeably, there are non-spider members of the arachnid family like scorpions and ticks. Arachnids have the following characteristics: eight legs, simple eyes (as opposed to the compound eyes), an exoskeleton, no wings or antennae. Like insects, arachnids also lay eggs.

Insects vs. Arachnids Worksheet

Insects vs. Arachnids

Insects have two types of eyes: compound eyes and simple eyes. A single organism has between two and five eyes, which can be comprised of one, the other, or a combination of eye types. Arachnids have between three and seven pairs of simple eyes.

Insects vs. Arachnids  Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: Insects vs. Arachnids

How many body parts do insects and arachnids have, respectively?

Arachnid Worksheet

Arachnids

Arachnid is a Greek word meaning spider. There are over 100,000 species of arachnids. Non-spider members of the arachnid family include spiders, harvestmen, mites, ticks, and scorpions.

Arachnid Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: Arachnids

Arachnids have eight legs. Unlike insects, they not have antennae, and their bodies are divided into two segments. The front segment is called the cephalothorax. The back segment is called the abdomen. On very tiny arachnid bodies like mites and harvestmen, these two sections are so close together that they appear to be one. There are no arachnids that have wings.

Spider Worksheet

Spiders

Spiders belong to a species called arachnids. Arachnid is a Greek word meaning spider. Arachnids are found in almost every kind of land habitat and some aquatic habitats.

Spider Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: Spiders

Spiders use their silk to spin webs with which they catch their prey or to reproduce. They can also use strands of silk to float through the air. Spiders are able to stick to their own web because of a special oil their bodies produce for this purpose.

All About Insects Worksheet

All About Insects

There are more insects on earth than any other kind of creature: they make up over half of all the organisms on Earth and are incredibly diverse. There are between six and ten million different kinds of insects that can differ greatly from each other; however, all have many things in common.

End of Insects Worksheet

The End of Insects?

Insects are the dominant form of animal life. Nearly a million different species have been identified, compared to only 5,416 mammals, and entomologists (scientists who study them) believe there may yet be species that have not yet been identified.

End of Insects Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: The End of Insects?

Some scientists blame climate change for this alarming ongoing loss of biodiversity within tropical insect populations, adding that in areas farther from the equator, where they can survive wider fluctuations in temperature. They are likely to do more damage to agricultural crops as their metabolism increases.

Future of Food Worksheet

Are Insects the Future of Food?

The world's population grows by about 70 million people every year, and is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050. As conventional agriculture becomes increasingly controversial over issues like climate change, pollution, world hunger, and health, some people are proposing a radical answer to the world's food problem: entomophagy.

Future of Food Questions Worksheet

QUESTIONS: Are Insects the Future of Food?

Entomophagy is the practice of eating insects, and people have been doing it for thousands of years.

Stick Insect Worksheet

Stick Insects

A stick insect (also known as a walking stick) that looks like a stick in order to blend in with the plants in the area where it lives.

Stick Insect Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: Stick Insects

What is required in order to keep a stick insect as a pet?

Spiders Spin Webs Worksheet

How Spiders Spin Webs

Many arachnids use silk to spin webs. This silk consists of a combination of connected protein chains that give the silk strength and unconnected areas that make it supple.

Spiders Spin Webs Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: How Spiders Spin Webs

Spiders build webs for both offensive and defensive reasons. Offensively, spiders build webs to catch their prey.

Types of Spider Webs Worksheet

Types of Spider Webs

Spider webs vary according to the species of the spider spinning it. There are five basic spider web designs: orb webs, tangled webs, wooly webs, sheet webs, and funnel webs.

Types of Spider Webs Question Worksheet

QUESTIONS: Types of Spider Webs

Tangled webs are also called cob webs because they seem to have no particular shape. The design of these webs allows them to be anchored into the corner of a ceiling.

Types of Insects

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.

There are around 30 million types of insects worldwide, many of which are still unaccounted for. But there are only a few you may need to be familiar with.

Here are some known types or orders of insects: 

  • Odonatans 
  • Blattodeans
  • Orthopterans 
  • Hemipterans 
  • Hymenopterans 
  • Coleopterans
  • Lepidopterans 
  • Dipterans 

These bugs compensate for their size through numbers and diversity.

1. Odonatans 

Dragonflies are the most popular members of the Order Odonata. Odonata members are also known as toothed insects. Besides dragonflies, damselflies are also part of this order.

These are similar features among Odonatans:

  • Long, narrow, parallel-sided, and membranous wings
  • Mandibles
  • Aquatic naiads

2. Blattodeans 

Depending on your sources, some may group cockroaches and termites as Order Blattodea or Order Dictyoptera. Their relationship is debatable; thus, it has been proposed that they should be regarded as different but closely-related orders. 

Such separation may have risen from the fact that cockroaches and termites are highly unique from each other. What may unite them, however, is that they are both social creatures. Similar to ants and bees, they have their societies and hierarchy.

3. Orthopterans

Looking closely at crickets and grasshoppers, they look a bit alike. That may be because they belong to the same order, Orthoptera, along with other insects such as katydids and mole crickets. 

Some similar traits among Orthopterans are:

  • Modified hindlegs
  • Mandibular or chewing mouthparts
  • Two wings for adults

The hindlegs of Orthopterans are modified to make them suitable for jumping. You may have noticed before that grasshoppers and crickets love to hop along; to do that, they need the right legs.

4. Hemipterans

Stink bugs, plant bugs, cicadas, aphids, and planthoppers are just a few of many insects considered true bugs. All these true bugs belong to Order Hemiptera. 

True bugs are known to have these qualities: 

  • Sucking mouthparts
  • Do not undergo the pupal stage (incomplete metamorphosis)
  • Similar-looking adults and nymphs

The sucking mouthparts of Hemipterans may also be called a proboscis. However, not all adult Hemipterans suck or eat food. 

5. Hymenopterans 

While ants aren’t closely related to termites, they are to wasps and bees. Besides these three, other Hymenopterans include sawflies and horntails.

An insect could be a Hymenopteran if it has these characteristics: 

  • Mandibular or chewing mouthparts
  • Footless larvae
  • Fused abdomen and thorax
  • Complete metamorphosis
  • Heavy, membranous wings

Another interesting thing about Hymenopterans is that some species are very organized. 

That is, their societies have hierarchies, as reflected in the way of life of ants and bees. 

Individual bees and ants belong to castes and function according to their caste (e.g., workers find food for the reproductive members). 

6. Coleopterans 

Beetles, weevils, and grubs all belong to the order Coleoptera. The majority of the order’s population is made up of beetles. 

Coleoptera is the largest insect classification whose members are known to survive in diverse habitats by consuming various food sources. 

These three insects are grouped together because of these notable characteristics: 

  • Hard, dense exoskeleton
  • Sheathed or sclerotized wings
  • Chewing mouthparts
  • Prominent antennae
  • Complete metamorphosis

Complete metamorphosis means that the insect undergoes the four life stages: 

  • Egg
  • Larva
  • Pupa
  • Adult

7. Lepidopterans 

I don’t think it’s too surprising to discover that moths and butterflies are close relatives. They both belong to the Order Lepidoptera. 

Lepidopterans have these characteristics:

  • Soft-bodied
  • Mouthparts for siphoning
  • Scaly and powdery wings
  • Complete metamorphosis

8. Dipterans

True flies and mosquitos are part of the order Diptera, which means “two-winged.” They are named so because such characteristics make them distinct from most other bugs, which are usually four-winged. 

Besides the number of wings, these insects are also united by these features:

  • Membranous and clear forewings
  • Reduced hind wings
  • Legless and wormlike larvae
  • Variable mouthparts
  • Complete metamorphosis