Wildlife - Insects & Others

---

An insect with two pairs of large wings that are covered with tiny scales, usually brightly colored, and typically held erect when at rest. Butterflies fly by day, have clubbed or dilated antennae, and usually feed on nectar.

Adult butterflies have large, often brightly coloured wings.

Have the typical four-stage insect life cycle.

Adults are characterized by their four      scale-covered wings.

The body is divided into three sections.

Many are well-camouflaged; others have bright colours.

Are distributed worldwide except Antarctica.

Several varieties migrate for long distances.

Navigate using a time-compensated sun compass.

They can see polarized light and therefore orient even when cloudy.

Eggs are protected by a hard-ridge.

A fast-flying long-bodied predatory insect with two pairs of large transparent wings that are spread out sideways at rest. The voracious aquatic larvae take up to five years to reach adulthood.

Fossils of very large dragonfly ancestors in the Protodonata are found from 325 million years ago.

They are fast, agile fliers.

Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world.

Are found on every continent except Antarctica.

Can be found from sea level up to the      mountains.

Dult dragonfly has three distinct segments, the head, thorax, and abdomen.

Dragonflies, particularly males, are      territorial.

Wings are powered directly, with the flight muscles attached to the wing bases.

An insect that resembles a dragonfly, with predatory larvae that construct conical pits into which insect prey, especially ants, fall.

A group of about 2,000 species of insects in the family.

Worldwide in distribution, most commonly in arid and sandy habitats.

Eat small arthropods – mainly ants.

Adult has two pairs of long, narrow,      multiveined wings.

Larvae either hide under leaves or pieces of wood, in cracks of rocks, or dig pits in sandy areas.

Closest living relatives of ant lions are the owlflies.

Digs a pit about 2 in (5 cm) deep and 3 in (7.5 cm) wide at the edge.

It places consecutive heaps of loosened      particles upon its head, then with a smart jerk throws each little pile clear.

Afford an insecure foothold to any small insects that inadvertently venture over the edge.

Slipping to the bottom, the prey is      immediately seized by the lurking antlion.

A stinging winged insect that collects nectar and pollen, produces wax and honey, and lives in large communities. It was domesticated for its honey around the end of the Neolithic period and is usually kept in hives.

Only seven species of honey bee are recognize.

Most species have historically been cultured or at least exploited for honey and beeswax by humans.

Slow declines of stocks are apparently due to impaired protein production, changes in agricultural practice, or unpredictable weather.

A colony generally contains one queen bee, a fertile female; seasonally up to a few thousand drone bees, or fertile males.

Eggs are laid singly in a cell in a wax      honeycomb.

Young worker bees clean the hive and feed the larvae.

Worker bees cooperate to find food and use a pattern of "dancing" to communicate information regarding resources with each other.

Cold climates, honey bees stop flying when the temperature drops below about 10 °C (50 °F).

A limbless cold-blooded vertebrate animal with gills and fins and living wholly in water.

Many types of aquatic animals commonly referred to as "fish" are not      fish including shellfish, cuttlefish, starfish, crayfish and jellyfish.

Extracts oxygen from water using gills.

Many groups of freshwater fish extract oxygen from the air as well as from the water.

Exchange gases by pulling oxygen-rich water through their mouths and pumping it over their gills.

The heart pumps the blood in a single loop throughout the body.

Jaws allow fish to eat a wide variety of food.

Typically have quite small brains relative to body size.

Possess highly developed sense organs.

They have ears, many fish may not hear very well.

Most species have colour vision.

A tailless amphibian with a short squat body, moist smooth skin, and very long hind legs for leaping.

Typically lay their eggs in water.

Populations have declined significantly since the 1950s.

More than one third of species are considered to be threatened with extinction.

Have no tail, except as larvae, and most have long hind legs.

Have three eyelid membranes.

True toads completely lack teeth, but most frogs have them.

Almost all muscles have been modified to contribute to the action of jumping.

Skin is protective, has a respiratory      function, can absorb water and helps control body temperature.

Have to adopt suitable behaviour patterns to regulate their temperature.

Many frogs are able to absorb water and oxygen directly through the skin.

A mollusk with a single spiral shell into which the whole body can be withdrawn.

Includes not just land snails but also      thousands of species of sea snails and freshwater snails.

Can be found in a very wide range of environments, including ditches, deserts, and the abyssal depths of the sea.

Most snails have thousands of microscopic tooth-like structures located on a ribbon-like tongue.

Land snails are known as an agricultural and garden pest.

Edible snails are served for instance in      Escargot.

Practice of rearing snails for food is known as heliciculture.

A common, harmless North American snake that typically has well-defined longitudinal stripes and favors damp habitats. It is occasionally kept as a pet.

Also called garden snake or gardener snake.

Is the state reptile of Massachusetts,

Are present throughout most of North America.

Populate a variety of habitats, including      forests, woodlands, fields, grasslands, and lawn.

Are some of the most commonly found reptiles.

Diets consist of almost any creature they are capable of overpowering: slugs, earthworms, leeches, lizards, amphibians, ants, crickets, frog eggs, toads, minnows, and rodents.

Also discharges a malodorous, musky-scented secretion from a gland.

Bask in the sun to regulate their body      temperature.

Cannot kill humans with the small amounts of its mild venom.

A slow-moving reptile, enclosed in a scaly or leathery domed shell into which it can retract its head and thick legs.

Earliest known members date from 157 million years ago.

Largest living chelonian is the leatherback sea turtle which reaches a shell length of 200 cm (6.6 ft).

Divided into two groups according to how they withdraw their necks into their shells.

Most spend most of their lives on land have their eyes looking down at objects in front of them.

Inner layer of a turtle's shell is made up of about 60 bones.

Have a large, dome-shaped shell that makes it difficult for predators to crush the shell.

Shells are commonly colored brown, black, or olive green.

Have short, sturdy feet - most are      webbed.

Turtles have very long claws.

Have exceptional night vision.

Adult turtles typically eat aquatic plants.