The following questions were answered by zoo biologist Ellen Dierenfeld and entomologists John VanDyk and Steve Kutcher.
Q: Is there a difference between an insect and a bug?
A: Yes, there is a difference.
A bug is a certain type of insect. Some examples you might be familiar with are the boxelder bug, milkweed bug, assassin bug, and stink bug.
True bugs have a stylet (a mouth shaped like a straw) that they use to suck plant juices from plants. The assassin bugs use their stylets to suck blood from other insects.
The front wings of true bugs are thickened and colored near where they are attached to the insect's body, and are clearer and thinner towards the hind end of the wing. The hind wings are usually clear and tucked underneath the front wings.
Q: What is the largest insect?
A: In the book Beetles by Bernard Klaustnizer, there is a beetle called the South American longhorn beetle (Tytanus giganteus) that measures 25 cm! The heaviest insect is probably the African goliath beetle (Megasoma elephas), weighing up to 3.4 oz. And the longest insect is a huge stick insect (Pharnacia serritypes). The females can be over 36 cm in length!!
Q: Is there an insect that is worth money?
A: There are many, many insects that are worth money. For example, the pollination work done for free by insects would cost billions of dollars every year. Think about how much honey costs! Those bees are worth a lot of money. And insects like the praying mantis or ladybird beetle happily take care of eating harmful insects, saving money that could be spent on pesticides. There are also silk moths that produce silk, insects that produce shellac, and some insects that are canned and eaten! Make sure you don't let the reputation of a few harmful insects prevent you from noticing all the good ones.
Continue reading on Scholastic General Facts About Insects and Bugs
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