Insect Parts
Truly Bugging You
What's the Catch?
Not Very Fly
Silly
200
Insects use these cephalic appendages to feel and smell their surroundings.
What are antennae?
200
They might sound odorous, but many think they give off a soapy, fruity, or herbal aroma.
What is a stink bug?
200
Butterflies and other flying insects might be caught with this ubiquitous implement.
What is an aerial net?
200
If the forest is aglow but there's no smoke, it's likely these insects and their cool lights.
What are fireflies?
200
One of these might be responsible for your technical issues.
What is a software bug?
400
This section of the insect body supports the legs and wings, as well as their associated muscles.
What is the thorax?
400
These merciless killers don't need a cloak and dagger to eliminate their targets — camouflage and sharp mouthparts work just fine.
What are assassin bugs?
400
Insects that cling to vegetation may find themselves swept up by a tool like this.
What is a sweep net?
400
It's actually not uncommon to find these in April and June as well.
What are mayflies?
Image credit: Emily Roberts via iNaturalist
400
This 1998 Pixar film features an inventive ant who is exiled from his colony.
What is A Bug's Life?
600
These simplistic sideways jaws are well-suited to a wide range of tasks, one of the reasons insects are so diverse and successful today.
What are mandibles?
600
Named for their favorite food, they dress and eat like monarch butterflies.
What are milkweed bugs?
Image credit: Thomas Shahan via iNaturalist
600
Many nocturnal insects flock to sheets illuminated by these.
What are black lights?
600
They don't belong on toast, but many would love to sample some sweet jam.
What are butterflies?
600
This feat can be performed by both spiders and baseball players.
What is catching a fly?
800
Insects get a wide-angle view of the world with these sensory organs.
What are compound eyes?
800
Some of these aquatic predators carry their mate's eggs on their backs, protecting them from harm.
What are giant water bugs?
Image credit: @gwentomologist via iNaturalist
800
Ground-crawling insects may fall into the hands of a collector who uses one of these simple traps.
What is a pitfall trap?
800
They're cousins of damsels, but not the kind their namesake might guard in a castle.
What are dragonflies?
800
This Washington cartoonist, famed for absurdist humor, is honored with a species of bird louse named after him.
Who is Gary Larson?
1000
This structure is used to deposit eggs in safe places, sometimes by drilling, piercing, or digging.
What is an ovipositor?
1000
They don't photosynthesize, but you might have a hard time spotting them with their clever camouflage.
What are leaf-footed bugs?
Image credit: @redpandacat via iNaturalist
1000
Using a mesh tent, malaise traps funnel insects like bees, wasps, and these upward into a container.
What are flies?
1000
They're actually named for their orangish color, not the fish which probably find them quite tasty.
What are salmonflies?
Image credit: Thomas Schulz via iNaturalist
1000
A nervous lepidopterist might suffer from this.
What is butterflies in the stomach?