A Kid’s Guide To Bugs: Different Types And How Their Body Works

“Bug” is a name given to animals that don’t have a backbone. They are among the smallest creatures on the planet, yet the most fascinating.

Bugs are either arthropods or non-arthropods. Arthropods have an armor-like covering, known as the exoskeleton. Their bodies have several main divisions and jointed legs. The number of legs and body divisions will classify them into smaller classes – Insects, Myriapods, Arachnids and Crustaceans. Non-arthropods, on the other hand, are soft-bodied, invertebrate animals without legs – these include slugs, worms, and snails.

A reputable Modesto pest control company shares a kid’s guide to bugs below.

Types of Bugs

Insects – This belongs to the class Insecta. They have three body divisions: the head, thorax and abdomen. Also, they have antennae and six legs.

Myriapods – This belongs to the class Myriapoda, which include millipedes and centipedes. They have many small body segments, legs, and a pair of antennae. Millipedes only have two legs while centipedes have a pair of legs for each body segment.

Arachnids – Spiders are not insects; instead they belong to the class Arachnida. This class also includes mites, ticks and scorpions. Their bodies are divided into two different regions. The head and the thorax are bonded together in the front section, attached to the abdomen. Arachnids don’t have wings and antennae, but have eight legs.

Crustaceans – Generally, athropods in this class are marine creatures like crayfish and crabs. Other crustaceans include woodlice and slaters. They have two pairs of antennae, three body sections, at least 10 legs, and limbs branching in two.

6 Body Systems of Bugs

1. Skeletal – Their exoskeleton provides protection and support. Also, it is covered with wax, which waterproofs the bug and stops it from losing water. Soft tissue connects the segments to allow movement.

2. Circulatory – Bugs have an open blood system wherein a single tube with different pumps move blood in one direction.

3. Digestive – Bugs have a tube-like digestive track made of three sections. Most of the chewing is performed in the 1st section or the foregut.

4. Respiratory – Bugs breathe through different openings known as spiracles that are located along their bodies. The air will travel down the tube to deliver oxygen to the different body parts. The spiracles can be sealed to prevent moisture loss during hot weather conditions.

5. Excretory – Bugs have malpighian tubules floating inside their body cavity that helps extract waste products from the blood.

6. Nervous – Bugs have a nerve cord with ganglia or mini-brains along its length. These mini-brains work independently, so if a bug loses its head, it doesn’t die instantly. It will eventually starve to death since it cannot eat.

The body of a bug is far different from that of a human body. Bugs eat, breathe, excrete and sense the world as humans do, but in a completely different way. Contact a Modesto pest control company to learn more about bugs and other pests, along with tips for keeping them at bay.