Insect Defenses

Front 1

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Back 1

cork

Front 2

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Back 2

wood

Front 3

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Back 3

paper

Front 4

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Back 4

fabric

Front 5

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Back 5

flour

Front 6

Predatory insects

Back 6

hunt other animals for food

Front 7

Predatory insects

Back 7

have a variety of ways to catch their prey

Front 8

Predatory insects

Back 8

May lure their prey into a trap

Front 9

Predatory insects

Back 9

Sit and wait for their prey

Front 10

Predatory insects

Back 10

Track or hunt prey

Front 11

Rove Beetles

Back 11

Secrete strong-smelling substance and smear it on a leaf to attract flies

Front 12

Rove Beetles

Back 12

waits on a dung pile or a dead animal to catch flies

Front 13

Lion larvae

Back 13

Lion larvae

Front 14

Lion larvae

Back 14

build a cones-shaped pit in loose sand

Front 15

Lion larvae

Back 15

Wait at the bottom of the pit for it’s prey

Front 16

Lion larvae

Back 16

An insect walks by and falls into its pit

Front 17

Praying mantises

Back 17

Praying mantises

Front 18

Praying mantises

Back 18

Sit and wait for their prey

Front 19

Praying mantises

Back 19

They are camouflaged against their environment

Front 20

Praying mantises

Back 20

Waits until an insect is in striking distance and attacks

Front 21

Praying mantises

Back 21

Sway gently back and forth, imitating the wind

Front 22

Praying mantises

Back 22

Ambush prey with their front legs

Front 23

Praying mantises

Back 23

Front legs have spines to prevent escape of their prey

Front 24

Praying mantises

Back 24

Bite prey with their powerful jaws

Front 25

Praying mantises

Back 25

Only insects that can move their heads from side to side

Front 26

Praying mantises

Back 26

Can rotate their heads 180 degrees

Front 27

Rove Beetles

Back 27

Rove Beetles

Front 28

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Back 28

Plant or plant product that insects eat

Front 29

Predatory insects

Back 29

Predatory insects

Front 30

Marsh fly larvae

Back 30

Marsh fly larvae

Front 31

Marsh fly larvae

Back 31

Follow the slimy trail of slugs

Front 32

Marsh fly larvae

Back 32

They inject poison into the slug and then eat it

Front 33

Dragonflies

Back 33

Dragonflies

Front 34

Dragonflies

Back 34

Are attracted to areas where there is a great amount of insect activity

Front 35

Dragonflies

Back 35

Are attracted to ponds

Front 36

Dragonflies

Back 36

Dart back and forth eating midges and other insects

Front 37

Tiger beetles

Back 37

Aggressively run along the ground, attacking insects

Front 38

Tiger beetles

Back 38

Larvae use their heads to dig holes

Front 39

Tiger beetles

Back 39

They drag their prey into holes to eat them

Front 40

Tiger beetles

Back 40

Tiger beetles

Front 41

Insect Defenses

Back 41

Stinging Insects

These insects sting predators and often have bright colors to warn them.

Front 42

Insect Defenses

Back 42

Insect Defenses

Front 43

Insect Defense, Bad Taste

Back 43

These insects have a horrible taste. Predators will usually spit them out and never go after anything that looks like them again. These insects have bright colors to warn about the taste

Front 44

Insect Defense, Mimicry

Back 44

These insects do nothing themselves except look and act like insects that have bad taste to fool predators. Predators will usually leave them alone as soon as they see them.

Front 45

Insect Defense, Camouflage

Back 45

These insects look just like leaves, bark, branches, or whatever their environment appears to be. They are very hard for their predators to find.

Front 46

Insect Defense, Camouflage

Back 46

Walking Stick
Thorn Bug

Front 47

Insect Defense, Camouflage

Back 47

Walking Stick

Front 48

Insect Defense, Camouflage

Back 48

Insect Defense, Camouflage

Front 49

Insect Defense, sting

Back 49

Wasp

Front 50

Insect Defense, sting

Back 50

Honeybee

Front 51

Insect Defense, sting

Back 51

Insect Defense, sting

Front 52

Insect Defense, Mimicry

Back 52

Viceroy Butterfly (resembles the monarch but does not feed on milkweed)

Front 53

Insect Defense, Mimicry

Back 53

Insect Defense, Mimicry

Front 54

Insect Defense, Mimicry

Back 54

Bee-Fly (a harmless fly that looks like a bee)

Front 55

Insect Defense, Camouflage

Back 55

Thorn Bug (a small insect that looks like a thorn)

Front 56

Insect Defense, Bad Taste

Back 56

Ladybug
Monarch Butterfly

Front 57

Insect Defense, Mimicry

Back 57

Viceroy Butterfly
Bee-Fly