Is it an insect?

You can tell insects from the other arthropods by looking for these features:

Three segments

Every adult insect’s body is divided into three distinct parts:

The head, where the eyes, mouth and antennae are
The thorax, where the legs and wings attach
The abdomen, where the digestive and reproductive organs are

Six legs

Adult insects have six legs—no more, no fewer.

Wings

Aside from birds and bats, adult insects are the only living animals with wings.
Not all insects have wings, but if an animal has wings and isn’t a bird or a bat, it’s an insect.

There’s a small catch:

All of these are features of adult insects.
Immature insects may look very different from adults.

Return to the Insects Page | Return to Pacific Science Center Exhibits On-Line