| grub |
the larva of some beetles and other insects. Grubs are a young stage in the growth of the insect. They look like short, fat worms. [1/3 definitions] |
| hornet |
a large, stinging insect that is a kind of wasp. Hornets live together in groups called colonies. They build large, round nests from a material that looks like paper. |
| housefly |
an insect with two wings that is found in and around houses and other places where people live. It does not bite people, but it can spread a number of diseases. |
| Japanese beetle |
a shiny green and brown insect that came to the United States from Asia. It eats the leaves, fruits, flowers, and roots of plants and can cause a lot of damage. |
| katydid |
a large, green insect that is related to the grasshopper. Katydids live in trees and are often heard calling on summer nights. The male makes a noise that sounds like "katydid" by rubbing its wings together. |
| larva |
an insect after it hatches from an egg and before it changes into its adult form. Larvae do not have wings and look like worms. Most kinds of insects spend part of their lives as larvae. Caterpillars are a type of larva. [1/2 definitions] |
| locust |
an insect that travels in large groups called swarms. They damage crops and other plants in their path by eating them. They are a type of grasshopper. [2/3 definitions] |
| louse |
a very small insect without wings that lives on the bodies of people, birds, and other animals. Lice suck blood from animals, and some kinds can spread disease. |
| mayfly |
a delicate insect with two pairs of wings. The mayfly larva may live for several years in a stream, lake, or river. Once it turns into an adult, it lives for only a few hours. [2 definitions] |
| mosquito |
an insect with a thin body and two wings. The females bite and suck the blood of animals and people. Some mosquitoes spread disease. |
| moth |
an insect that has broad wings and flies mostly at night. Moths look like butterflies, but they usually have thicker bodies and bushy antennae and are less colorful. [2 definitions] |
| nymph |
an insect in an early stage of life. A nymph looks like a small adult. [1/2 definitions] |
| pest |
an insect or animal that causes damage to crops or is harmful in other ways. [1/2 definitions] |
| pill bug |
a small animal that resembles an insect, but with more legs. Pill bugs have segmented bodies that they can curl into a ball. |
| pollen |
the fine, yellow powder made by a flowering plant. When pollen is carried by the wind or by an insect to another plant of the same kind, it fertilizes that plant's seeds. |
| praying mantis |
a long, slender insect that eats other insects and can turn its head from side to side. A praying mantis has a large, bright green body and holds its strong front legs up in a way that looks like hands folded in prayer. |
| pupa |
an insect in a middle stage of its development, after it is a larva. Pupas do not eat or move; they are changing into their adult form. Many kinds of insects, including butterflies, spend their time as a pupa inside a cocoon. |
| singer |
a bird, insect, or other animal that sings. [1/2 definitions] |
| spin |
of a spider or insect, to make (a web or cocoon) using thread that comes from the body. [1/8 definitions] |
| termite |
an insect that eats wood. Termites have pale, soft bodies and look somewhat like ants. They live in large groups in warmer parts of the world. They can destroy trees, buildings, and other things made out of wood. |
| trachea |
a similar tube in an insect, or a tube that carries water up the stems of some plants. [1/2 definitions] |