desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

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Which insects have the biggest wings Fossils of prehistoric dragonflies have been found with wingspans of around 75 cm (30 in), but the insects with the biggest wings alive today are certain butterflies and moths. The Queen Alexandra birdwing and the Atlas moth are really impressive (see page 20), but the hercules moth from Australia comes a close second, with an enormous wingspan of 28 cm (11 in.) The hercules moth has an enormous wingspan. Can insects fly backwards Some insects can. Dragonflies can hover like helicopters, fly vertically, stop or suddenly change direction in mid-flight, and also fly backwards. The fastest flier was believed to be a giant prehistoric dragonfly. It was so large that it had to fly as fast as 69 kph (43 mph) to stop it from crashing. 38 Why do insects have thin wings Most flying insects have two pairs of wings. They are very thin and light so they don’t weigh the insect down. Insects have to beat their wings very fast in order to fly, so have to warm up their flight muscles before they get moving. A beetle’s second pair of wings has evolved into a hard protective casing when the beetle isn’t flying. Can insects travel long distances Most insects don’t travel long distances, but those that do often use the wind to help them on their way. Some insects have special wings that can help them glide over long distances, and one of these is the African grasshopper. It has broad hind wings, which are perfect for the job. An African grasshopper can glide over long distances.
Why are moths attracted to light No one is sure why moths fly towards light. Some experts believe that moths navigate by moonlight, and become confused by artificial lights, such as lightbulbs, car headlights, campfires, etc. Others think that moths are sensitive to certain wavelengths of light, with white lights proving more attractive than yellow. Some scientists think that moths navigate by the light of the moon. 39 Can spiders fly No, they can’t – but they do travel vast distances in the air. Small spiders, or young ones which are called spiderlings, can be blown along by the wind across land and sea, which may explain why spiders are found on islands. Some spiderlings have been caught in remotely operated weather stations thousands of metres up in the sky!
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Page 5 and 6: Now You See Me Pages 34-36 Rainfore
Page 7 and 8: There are millions of species of in
Page 9 and 10: WHAT’S BUGGING YOU? Bedbugs, assa
Page 11 and 12: Are bugs able to live under water a
Page 13 and 14: Male stag beetles take to the air o
Page 15 and 16: EYE SPY DRAGONFLY Dragonflies are o
Page 17 and 18: How fast can dragonflies actually f
Page 19 and 20: All the members of the Orthoptera f
Page 21 and 22: FLUTTERBY BUTTERFLY Butterflies and
Page 23 and 24: BUSY BODIES There are over 19,000 k
Page 25 and 26: ANT-TASTIC Ants and termites are kn
Page 27 and 28: What does a queen ant do The queen
Page 29 and 30: Which beetle has the most disgustin
Page 31 and 32: Do insects use their legs in self-d
Page 33 and 34: STAYING ALIVE It’s a jungle out t
Page 35 and 36: Do butterflies, moths and caterpill
Page 37 and 38: What is a leaf butterfly This amazi
Page 39: UP, UP AND AWAY The way in which in
Page 43 and 44: Why does scent matter The insect wo
Page 45 and 46: Do killer bees really exist African
Page 47 and 48: Which rainforest insect tucks itsel
Page 49 and 50: Which water insect lives at the bot
Page 51 and 52: Which insect helps to turn over the
Page 53 and 54: How else do insects find water to d
Page 55 and 56: Ponds and swamps provide excellent
Page 57 and 58: DESERT BUGS You might expect the dr
Page 60 and 61: THE EYES HAVE IT To make up for the
Page 62 and 63: How does a caterpillar see its food
Page 64 and 65: GLOSSARY Honeycomb A waxy structure
Page 66 and 67: INDEX African honeybee 43 African s

desert bugs - Top That! Publishing

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