The document provides information about various insects submitted by students in Mrs. Ferrera's second grade class. It includes 3-sentence summaries about tarantulas, scorpions, monarch butterflies, black widow spiders, ladybugs, tropical ants, caterpillars, wood ants, beetles, leaf bugs, black widow spiders, butterflies, cockroaches, dragonflies, owl butterflies, yellow jacket wasps, blue morpho butterflies, moths, grasshoppers, honeybees, and dragonflies distinguishing myths from facts. The students shared observations about the insects' characteristics, habitats, behaviors, life cycles, and interesting facts.
5. Maren
• Tarantula
• It lives in the desert
• Mean
• Eats insects, reptiles
and small rodents
6. Nick
• Scorpion Anatomy: As part of the arachnid
class, scorpions have two main body segments
and four pairs of legs. The most distinctive
characteristics of the scorpion are its long,
clawlike pedipalps, which look like miniature
lobster claws, and their stinging tail. The tail is
mainly used for defense as opposed to capturing
prey.
• Diminutive But Deadly: One of the smallest
scorpions, the buthid, which rarely reach more
than 5 inches in length, is actually one of the
most lethal scorpions. One shot of venom from
its stinging tail can paralyze the heart and
respiratory system of its victim.
• The Larger Variety: The scorpionid family
includes the world's largest scorpions, which can
measure up to 8-½ inches long. These larger
species tend to be less venomous and use their
size to overpower victims instead.
• Scorpion Survivors: Scorpions are hardy
survivors. Scientists have frozen them solid, only
to watch them thaw out and keep on crawling.
One thing scorpions can't survive without is
loose soil in which to burrow.
7. Rilee
• Monarch
• Female monarch butterflies have
hundreds of eggs to lay during
there short life in the spring time.
• Male monarchs have a black spot
on each of the hind wings over 2
veins.
• Female monarch butterflies do
not have a spot.
8. Jayden
• Facts about Black Widow Spider
Black widow spiders are considered
to be one of the world's most
poisonous spiders and are the most
venomous spiders across North
America. They are distinguished by
their shiny black color, and the red
hourglass-shaped mark on their
abdomen. Sometimes these spiders
are also found to be brown in color.
Despite their average weight being
only 1 gram, these spiders make one
of the largest webs among spiders. I
wonder, where all the thread for the
web comes from!
9. Hayley
• Ladybugs
• If two ladybugs have
the same amount of
spots they are in the
same family.
• Ladybugs are also
known as ladybirds.
• In the United States,
ladybugs usually appear
in the fall.
10. Sammy
• Tropical ant
• Found commonly
indoors
• Need warm
temperatures
• They carry germs from
dirty places to clean
food
11. Alison
• One of Nature’s most intriguing and
fascinating insects, and the subject of
mankind’s most sublime and
ridiculous myths and
mythologies, the dragonfly darts
around going about its business as
usual, blissfully unaware and
oblivious to the interest it has
generated in us. And perhaps
thankfully for us because if the
dragonfly were to understand that
we have called it the “Devils darning
needle” and “gwas-y-neidr” or the
Adder’s Servant, it could laugh long
and hard at us…and considering the
dragonfly has been around for over
300 million years, it could be a
really, really long laugh.
12. Carson
• Tropical Ant
• They are small reddish
and brown in color
• They live in groups
• They search out for
water
13. Ryan
• Caterpillars
• They eat constantly
• Out grow their skin,
shedding it several times
• They go through a
process known as
metamorphosis
• Mostly eat leaves, though
some eat all plant parts,
fungi and dead animal
matter including other
caterpillars
14. JD
• Wood ants are usually found
where there is plenty of dead
wood for nest building. However,
some of the 200 species do like to
live on open grassland. Their
conspicuous mounds offer
protection from predators and
the weather, and are also a stable
and comfortable place to
incubate eggs. Wood ants are
very social insects living in
colonies of up to half a million
individuals, most of which are
female workers. This genus of
ants is widely distributed
throughout Europe, Asia and
North America.
15. Kate
• Adult beetles have two sets of
wings.
• Female beetles usually lay dozens
or hundreds of eggs.
• Most beetles only live for a year.
• Beetles cannot see very well, so
they communicate using
pheromones , sounds or
vibrations.
• Some beetles are not considered
pests. "Ladybugs" are beetles and
are considered to be good luck in
many cultures. "Fireflies" and
"Lightning bugs" are also beetles.
They glow in the dark to
communicate.
16. Liesel
• This spider emerges in
darkness to produce webs
beneath ceilings or in window
frames, taking advantage of
every angle to set sticky
strands where insects may get
caught. Then the spider lies in
wait on a part of the web that
has an extra layer of silk. If
large prey, such as a cricket,
gets ensnarled, the spider
throws more silk on it and
then pulls it up into the web.
•
17. Alene
• The female Black Widow
Spider waits upside down on
her ragged web, guarding her
egg sac and flashing her red
warning mark. Black Widows
are shy creatures and they
usually retire quickly to a dark
corner or some other shelter
when their web Is disturbed.
The bite of a black widow is
dangerous, but rarely fatal to a
healthy person. The male does
not bite.
•
18. Emilee
• Butterfly
• Butterflies cannot fly if
their body temperature
is less than 86 degrees
• There are about 24,000
species of butterflies
• Butterflies can see
red, green and yellow.
19. Bobby
• Leaf bugs can be seen
eating leaves during the
day, but more often eat at
night. During the day they
pretend they are a stick or a
dried leaf. When
frightened, they may move
their bodies to and fro like a
dry leaf in a
breeze. Females that are
laying eggs eat a
tremendous amount, and
may eat baby leaf bugs
20. Dallas
• Cockroaches have been around
since the time of dinosaurs!
• A cockroach can live almost a
month without food.
• A cockroach can live about two
weeks without water.
• Some female cockroaches only
mate once and stay pregnant for
life!
• A cockroach can live for up to one
week without its head!
• Cockroaches can hold their
breath for up to 40 minutes!
• Cockroaches can run up to 3
miles an hour.
21. Jadyn
• Dragon Fly
• It can fly
• It has two sets of wings
• It flies around ponds
22. Belle
• Butterfly
• The four stages of a
butterflies life are egg,
larva, pupa, adult
• A butterfly eats nectar
that it sucks from a
flower
• The four wings are not
connected to help it fly
gracefully.
23. Bella
• Ladybug
• It can fly
• It lives in the grass
• It lives outside
24. Faith
• Blue Morpho Butterfly
• Blue morpho butterfly
can fly and it eats
nectar from flowers.
When it was born it is a
caterpillar and then it
turns into a butterfly.
25. Ethan
• Next time you're served
a meal you're not crazy
about, just be thankful
you're not a dung
beetle. If you were,
you'd be eating dung,
or animal waste,
instead of that plate of
whatever you thought
was the ickiest food on
Earth.
26. Samantha
• Owl Butterflies
• Owl butterflies fly only
short distances at a time.
• Owl butterflies are large
and when their wings are
spread out they can be up
to 8 inches across
• Owl butterflies have eye
spots on their wings that
scare away other bugs
27. Braden
• Bumblebee queens are huge;
they are most often seen visiting
flowers in early spring, before
they have raised their first brood
of workers. After the workers
hatch, they do all of the nectar
and pollen gathering while the
queen stays in the nest.
Bumblebee nests are usually
underground in old squirrel or
gopher holes, but sometimes
they are inside walls or hollow
trees. Each nest dies out at the
end of summer.
•
28. Lincoln
• Moth
• In colder climates some
moths can have a two
year cycle
• Moths heat up their
light muscles by
vibrating their wings
• The luna moth is born
without a mouth…it
never eats or drinks
29. Donovan
• Yellow Jacket Wasp
• Yellow jackets fly
• When they shoot their
stinger they won’t die
• They eat smaller bugs
30. Sage
• Blue Morpho
• The blue morpho
butterfly can also be
considered to be one of
the biggest butterflies
• This butterfly is a tropical
butterfly found in Central
and South America
• Blur morpho caterpillars
don’t like being disturbed.
31. Emma
• leaf bugs are also known as phasmids
and are among the most successful
camouflagers known to exist in the
animal kingdom. Bearing slender and
delicate bodies, these bugs are also
termed as 'true plant bugs'. There are
more then one thousand species of
these insects, out of which nearly
1/4th of the population resides in the
United States. Although, known as
'true plant bugs', not all of them are
true plant feeders. Some of them are
also known to prey on other types of
insects. Leaf bugs are also a favorite
choice among many pet owners and
they do make good pets. Now let's
have a quick sneak peek at the
various aspects of leaf bug facts
32. Drew
• Grasshopper
• Diet and predator facts:
Grasshoppers eat plants. There
predators include birds, beetles,
rodents, reptiles and spiders. Some
flies also eat grasshopper eggs.
• Grasshoppers are long slender
winged insects with powerful hind
legs and strong mandibles or mouth
parts, adapted for chewing. They
range from ½ to 4 inches in length.
• Grasshoppers can jump up 20 times
their body length. In most species
the singing or stridulating is
performed only by males. Males
make noise by rubbing their back legs
together.
33. Cayson
• Agriculture depends greatly on the honeybee for pollination. Honeybees
account for 80% of all insect pollination. Without such pollination, we
would see a significant decrease in the yield of fruits and vegetables.
• Pollen
Bees collect 66 lbs of pollen per year, per hive. Pollen is the male germ cells
produced by all flowering plants for fertilization and plant embryo
formation. The Honeybee uses pollen as a food. Pollen is one of the richest
and purest natural foods, consisting of up to 35% protein, 10% sugars,
carbohydrates, enzymes, minerals, and vitamins A (carotenes), B1
(thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (nicotinic acid), B5 (panothenic acid), C
(ascorbic acid), H (biotin), and R (rutine).
• Honey
Honey is used by the bees for food all year round. There are many types,
colors and flavors of honey, depending upon its nectar source. The bees
make honey from the nectar they collect from flowering trees and plants.
Honey is an easily digestible, pure food. Honey is hydroscopic and has
antibacterial qualities. Eating local honey can fend off allergies.
• Beeswax
Secreted from glands, beeswax is used by the honeybee to build honey
comb. It is used by humans in drugs, cosmetics, artists' materials, furniture
polish and candles.
• Propolis
Collected by honeybees from trees, the sticky resin is mixed with wax to
make a sticky glue. The bees use this to seal cracks and repair their hive. It
is used by humans as a health aid, and as the basis for fine wood varnishes.
• Royal Jelly
The powerful, milky substance that turns an ordinary bee into a Queen
Bee. It is made of digested pollen and honey or nectar mixed with a
chemical secreted from a gland in a nursing bee's head. It commands
premium prices rivaling imported caviar, and is used by some as a dietary
supplement and fertility stimulant. It is loaded with all of the B vitamins.
• Bee Venom
The "ouch" part of the honeybee. Although sharp pain and some swelling
and itching are natural reactions to a honeybee sting, a small percentage of
individuals are highly allergic to bee venom. "Bee venom therapy" is widely
practiced overseas and by some in the USA to address health problems
such as arthritis, neuralgia, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and even
MS.
34. Mara
• the difference between the myths and the facts about dragonflies?
• A bee flaps its wings about 300 times per second, but a dragonfly flaps its wings at
only about 30 beats per second. (fact, dragonflies have two sets of wings so they
don’t have to beat them as much to fly.)
• A dragonfly is a very strong and good flyer, and can fly at speeds of up to 36 miles
per hour. (fact, but not all dragonflies are that fast – one was clocked at this speed in
Australia)
• Dragonflies are known as snake doctors because they can bring dead snakes back to
life. (myth)
• There were huge dinosaur dragonflies that lived 300 million years ago. (fact – the
largest fossil found had a 2 ½ foot wingspan, and currently there are dragonflies in
Costa Rica that measure 7 ½ inches across the wings.)
• Dragonflies have huge stingers and some people are allergic to their stings and can
die. (myth – the thing that looks like a stinger on a dragonfly is actually called a
clasper and the male dragonfly uses it to hold onto the female when they are
mating.)
• There are about 5,000 different species of dragonflies all over the world except in
Antarctica. 450 of the species can be found in the United States and about 80 species
in British Columbia. (fact, most of the 5,000 species are found in remote, tropical
areas.)
• A dragonfly’s eyes have about 30,000 lenses and a dragonfly can see all the way
around it, but they don’t see details very well. (fact, a human eye only has one lens
and sees better than a dragonfly, but only to the front and side of them.)
• From the time a dragonfly egg hatches, it can live anywhere from six months to six
years, but only about two months as an actual dragonfly. (fact, most of the time
spent is as a nymph in the water before the dragonfly’s metamorphosis into a full
grown dragonfly.)
• In the old days, dragonflies would seek out bad kids and sew their mouths together
with their claspers while they slept. Dragonflies were known as the devil’s darning
needles. (myth – dragonflies don’t have pockets to carry the thread to the beds of
sleeping wicked children.)
• A dragonfly’s scientific name is Odonta, which comes from the words “tooth-jawed”
because the entomologist (insect scientist), Johann Christian Fabricius, who named
them studied the dragonflies’ mouths in order to distinguish the different species.
Now their wings are studied as well to classify dragonflies. (fact – other names for
dragonflies around the world are water dipper in England, old glassy in China, and
the ancient Celts called dragonflies big needle of wings.)
