Insect explained to kids

An insect is a small creature with six legs. Insects are very common and can be found all over the world. There are more than one million different types of insects! Insects are very important because they help pollinate plants. This means they help flowers make new seeds so that more plants can grow. Insects also provide food for other animals. Insects have a hard exoskeleton, or outer skeleton, that protects their bodies. Insects also have three main body parts: the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The head has the insect's eyes, mouth, and antennae. The thorax has the insect's legs and wings. The abdomen is where the insect's digestive and reproductive organs are located. Most insects can fly. Insects that cannot fly are called wingless insects. Insects that can fly have two pairs of wings. The front wings are called the forewings and the back wings are called the hindwings. When an insect is at rest, the hindwings are folded under the forewings. Insects go through a process called metamorphosis to change and grow. Metamorphosis means “change in form.” There are three main types of metamorphosis: complete, incomplete, and simple. With complete metamorphosis, an insect changes from an egg to a larva to a pupa to an adult. This process can take weeks or months, depending on the type of insect. For example, a butterfly has complete metamorphosis. Incomplete metamorphosis happens when an insect changes from an egg to a nymph to an adult. Nymphs look like small adults and do not have wings. As they grow, they shed their skin multiple times. Eventually, they develop wings and become adults. For example, grasshoppers have incomplete metamorphosis. Simple metamorphosis happens when an insect changes from an egg to an adult. The larva and pupa stages are skipped. For example, beetles have simple metamorphosis. Insects are very important to the environment and the food chain. Without them, many plants would not be able to reproduce and many animals would not have food to eat.