Introduction

How much do you know about insects? Most of us only notice large insects and those that bite or sting. The rest we ignore as small, black creepy-crawlies. In fact, the insect world is full of surprises.

Like all animals, each insect does a job. Without them our world would be very different.

A tiny world

Insects live in a strange world. A slight breeze can blow them away. Grass blades become tree trunks. Pebbles are like mountains. Even raindrops turn into deadly pools.

On a summer day the ground can be very hot. Even so, every morning a thin layer of ice covers the same ground. We do not see or feel these things. We stand well above the world of the insect. Our warm bodies protect us from the cold. The body of an insect does not stay warm like ours. It cools down during the cold night.

Shapes for life

Insects cope with their world in many ways. Millions of years of living has shaped each type of insect. Some are long and thin and live in tunnels. Others are shaped for flying.

No two types live in exactly the same place. Some insects survive where no other animals can. Young midges live in hot springs. They can stand temperatures that would fry other animals. One kind of fly even breeds in pools of oil.
▼ You can find insects almost anywhere on Earth. Young midges live at temperatures up to 40°C in these hot springs of Yellowstone Park, Wyoming, USA.