FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT INSECTS

1. Are spiders classified as insects?

2. Are insects classified as vertebrates or invertebrates?

3. Which one is not an insect: moth, millipede, mantis?

4. Which order of insects (blowflies, butterflies, beetles, or bees) has the most species on Earth?

5. The body parts of an insect are a) head and tail, b) head, chest, waist, and legs, or 3) head, thorax, and abdomen?

NEXT: See the answers

• Are spiders classified as insects?

No, spiders are classified as arachnids. Spiders have 8 legs. Insects have 6 legs.

• Are insects classified as vertebrates or invertebrates?

All insects are invertebrates. A vertebra is a backbone (spine) and insects do not have backbones. Therefore, insects are invertebrates – animals with no backbone.

• Which one is not an insect: moth, millipede, mantis?

The moth and the mantis (praying mantis) are insects because they have 6 legs. The millipede is not an insect – it is a diplopod myriapod because it has many two-paired jointed legs.

• Which order of insects (blowflies, butterflies, beetles, or bees) has the most species on Earth?

So far, scientists have identified 116,861 species of Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, sawflies and ants), 155,477 species of Diptera (flies), 157,338 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), and 386,500 species of Coleoptera (beetles). There are more species of beetles than any other order of insects.

• The body parts of an insect are a) head and tail, b) head, chest, waist, and legs, or 3) head, thorax, and abdomen?

The 3 body parts of an insect are head, thorax (chest or mid-section), and abdomen (stomach – intestines and other organs).

Rating

5 correct = super insect star

4 correct = great insect star

2-3 correct = good start

1 correct = keep trying

Readers: please comment on whether you would like more quizzes

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM