Types of insect
ant
noun
a small insect that lives under the ground in large organized groups called colonies
aphid
noun
a very small insect that lives on plants and destroys them
bedbug
noun
an insect with a round body and no wings that sucks people’s blood, especially when they are in bed
bee
noun
a flying insect that has black and yellow bands and can sting you. Bees make honey, and bees that are not wild live in hives. The sound a bee makes is written as buzz.
beetle
noun
an insect with a smooth hard back
black widow
noun
a very poisonous spider that lives in parts of North America and Asia
bloodsucker
noun
an insect that feeds on the blood of animals or people
blowfly
noun
a fly that lays its eggs on meat or dead animals
bluebottle
noun
a large fly with a shiny blue body
boll weevil
noun
an insect that lives in North America and damages cotton plants
bumblebee
noun
a large bee
butterfly
noun
a flying insect with large colorful wings
caterpillar
noun
a small long thin insect with many legs that eats plants and develops into a butterfly or moth
centipede
noun
a very small insect with a long narrow body and many pairs of legs
chigger
noun
a small insect larva, common in warm parts of the U.S., whose bite causes painful lumps on your skin
cicada
noun
an insect that lives in trees and tall grass in hot countries and makes a loud high noise
cockroach
noun
an insect similar to a large beetle that lives in places where food is kept
crane fly
noun
a flying insect with very long legs
cricket
noun
a small brown insect that moves by jumping and makes a loud noise by rubbing its front wings together
daddy longlegs
noun
an insect like a spider with a very small round body and very long thin legs
daddy longlegs
noun
a crane fly
dragonfly
noun
an insect with a long narrow brightly colored body and two pairs of transparent wings
dust mite
noun
a type of very small insect that lives in houses and causes allergies in some people
earthworm
noun
a type of worm that lives in soil
earwig
noun
a brown insect with a pair of curved parts at the back end of its body
firefly
noun
an insect that produces a flashing light when it flies at night
flea
noun
a small jumping insect that lives on animals and bites them
fly
noun
a common small insect with wings. Flies eat food, are often found near garbage, and are responsible for spreading many diseases
fruit fly
noun
a very small fly that eats decaying fruit
gadfly
noun
a fly that bites cows and horses
glowworm
noun
a small insect without wings that produces light from its body at night
gnat
noun
a very small flying insect that bites people but is not dangerous
grasshopper
noun
a large insect with long back legs that moves by jumping and makes short high sounds
greenfly
noun
a very small green insect that damages plants
honeybee
noun
a flying insect with black and yellow stripes that makes honey and can sting. A honeybee is often simply called a bee.
hornet
noun
a black and yellow flying insect that can sting you. It is a type of large wasp.
horsefly
noun
a large flying insect that bites horses, cows, and other large animals
housefly
noun
a very common flying insect that often lives in houses and is attracted by food
ladybug
noun
a small insect that has a round red or yellow body with small black spots on it
leech
noun
a small soft creature that sticks to the skin of other animals in order to feed on their blood. Leeches were often used in the past as a type of medical treatment.
lice
noun
small insects that live on people’s skin and in their hair. Lice is the plural of louse.
lightning bug
noun
a firefly
locust
noun
a type of grasshopper that flies over wide areas in very large groups called swarms, often destroying crops
louse
noun
a small insect that lives on the bodies of animals and people
maggot
noun
a small soft creature with no arms or legs that later changes into a fly. Maggots are found in old meat and dead bodies.
mantis
noun
a praying mantis
mayfly
noun
a flying insect that lives near water and has a very short life
midge
noun
a small fly that bites people and often lives near water
millepede
another spelling of millipede
millipede
noun
an insect with a long thin body and many pairs of small legs
mite
noun
a very small insect that lives in foods, on plants, or on animals
mosquito
noun
a small flying insect that bites the skin of people and animals in order to feed on their blood. Some types of mosquito can spread a serious disease called malaria.
moth
noun
a flying insect like a butterfly that flies mostly at night. The young form of some types of moth eat cloth
night crawler
noun
a large earthworm that comes out at night
praying mantis
noun
a large insect with long front legs
queen
noun
a large female insect that can lay eggs
sand fly
noun
a small fly that lives in warm regions of Asia, Africa, and southern Europe. It can spread disease when it bites.
scarab
noun
a large black beetle (=insect with a hard skin) that ancient Egyptians believed was holy
silkworm
noun
a type of caterpillar that produces silk when it is young
silverfish
noun
an insect with a gray or silver body that often causes damage to paper products or clothing
slug
noun
a small creature with a soft body and no legs that moves very slowly. Slugs are similar to snails but they have no shell.
snail
noun
a small animal that has a soft body, no legs, and a hard shell on its back. Snails move very slowly.
spider
noun
a small creature with eight legs that usually weaves a web to catch insects
stick insect
noun
a walking stick insect
tarantula
noun
a large poisonous spider that lives in Central and South America
termite
noun
a small insect that eats wood and can damage buildings
tick
noun
an insect that sucks your blood
tortoiseshell
noun
a type of butterfly that is brown and orange
tsetse fly
noun
a flying insect in Africa that bites people and animals in order to drink their blood. It can spread a serious disease called sleeping sickness.
walking stick
noun
a green or brown insect with a long thin body that looks like a stick
wasp
noun
a black and yellow flying insect that can sting you
weevil
noun
an insect that eats plants and can destroy crops such as cotton
woodlouse
noun
a small gray insect that lives in places that are slightly wet
woodworm
noun
a small insect that makes holes in wood
worm
noun
a creature with a long soft body and no bones or legs
yellow jacket
noun
a type of wasp