Pet Insects

Ants are very industrious and hardworking. Many children have been fascinated with what little black ants can accomplish. They have amazing strength and adapt to their circumstances. If you...

Crickets are nature's choir singers. The male variety produces chirping from rubbing his forewing against his hind leg. If you enjoy these nighttime serenades, consider keeping a cricket as a pet....

Young praying mantises (called "nymphs") require different care than adults mantises. Once mantis nymphs hatch from their eggs, they resemble smaller versions of the adults. Scientists call this...

Silkworms are interesting insects that make easy pets. They are often kept by teachers as classroom pets, by reptile owners for food, or by those that just find them fascinating. Silkworms are...

Most ant species are the ones that nest and find shelter underground. Different from army and tree ants in that they form large, permanent colonies, these ants live underground for a number of...

The statilia parva mantis is a great pet because it is very docile and small, growing to approximately two inches in length. In the United States, the statilia parva mantis is not released into...

Large black ants, as they are often described, are known as carpenter ants. Carpenter ants are among the largest species of ants and are found all over the United States.

Mantises are beautiful insects that spend their days preying on pests that contribute to the ruin of gardens across America. This is a niche they fill quite well, and in fact, some people have...

According to the EPA, there are 16 species of water penny beetles in North America. The life cycle of a water penny beetles consists of four stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. All species of the...

Roundworms are parasitic organisms that infect animals and humans alike throughout the world. Although roundworms vary in thickness and length, depending on what species they are, they infect...

Mealworms can provide an excellent nutritional source for pet and wild birds, pet lizards, or even a backyard chicken flock. Raising mealworms is a simple task, although it takes patience and the...

The black carpet beetle is a common household pest. This insect is often found inside the house because it mainly feeds on different types of fabric such as clothing and carpet.

The June bug, also known as the June beetle, is found all over North America and various parts of the world. It takes about one year for the June bug to complete its life cycle.

The praying mantis derives its name from the praying-like position of its forearms. Females are generally larger than males, and the praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head to...

The praying mantis is a very wide-ranging insect. It is large, about the size of a large grasshopper, and gets its name from the way it holds its front legs. Mantises come in a variety of colors,...

Mealworms are insects that are typically used to feed pets such as lizards, iguana, tropical birds, snakes and fish. You can usually buy mealworms at pet stores or department stores that sell pet...

Carpenter bees are interesting insects, and they get their name carpenter for a reason. These bees drill holes into wood for shelter and nesting. The carpenter bee is similar to a bumblebee in...

Whether you are keeping mealworms as bait or to feed to a reptilian pet, you will need to ensure that your mealworms stay alive for as long as possible. In most situations, the proper care and...

Mealworms, the larval stage stage of the darkling beetle, make an excellent food source for several animal specials. Birds, reptiles, frogs and fish all benefit from the high protein content of...

Honey bees collect pollen on their legs from the stamens of flowers from which they are gathering nectar. When combined with the bee's enzymes, the pollen becomes what we know as bee pollen, which...

Wasps are part of the Hymenoptera order, an order of insects that has a distinguishable connection between the thorax and abdomen. They are commonly recognized by the striped pattern that...

The cicada killer wasp, or sand hornet, is a large insect common in Midwestern and Southern states. It is known for the holes it digs in the ground to store cicadas as food for its young.

Bee propolis is a substance bees collect from plants that is thought to be beneficial in many health concerns. It comes in many forms such as lotions, ointments, powder, capsule and tablet, and it...

Termites, infamous due to their destructive tendencies, actually have an interesting life cycle that incorporates the caste system. At birth, all termites are categorized as one of the following...

Many people think of maggots as the creepy, crawly larva of a fly. But maggots go through several of their own distinct life cycle stages before maturing into a fly.

There are more than 10,000 different species, or types, of grasshoppers. Each species has unique characteristics when it comes to geographic location, anatomy and trends in behavior. In addition...

The Vanessa cardui, better known as the Painted Lady Butterfly, is found across the world with the exception of South America, the Arctic and Australia. The Painted Lady tends to live in brightly...

Bee pollen is a complete food containing all the nutrients necessary for sustaining life. These nutrients include varying amounts of essential amino acids, all B vitamins, lecithin, trace...

Yellow mealworms are found around the world. They are a source of nutrition for animals and, in some cultures, humans. Yellow mealworms are a good source of protein and are often fed to small...

Ladybugs, also known as Coccinellidae, are a type of small beetle often found in gardens. Coccinellidae means "little sphere," referring to a ladybug's shiny, brightly colored shell body. The term...

Some people find insects fascinating, while others find them indescribably creepy. Love them or hate them, you must acknowledge that there are more of them than there are of us. Largely due to...

Night crawlers are large nocturnal earthworms that are sometimes kept as pets, but are mostly used as fishing lures and food for other animals. They need to be fed to be kept alive, no matter the...

If you need to keep crickets for fishing this is the best way to do it. Follow these wteps for storing crickets until needed.

Honey bees are social insects that live in large groups in hives. During the summer, 40,000 to 80,000 honey bees may occupy a single hive. There are three types of honey bees: workers, drones...

Crickets, like many other creatures, hear with their ears. However, crickets' ears are not located on their heads, like most creatures, but rather, on front of their legs. These "eardrums" are...

Many people decide to raise red worms for various reasons, such as to use them for fishing bait or to maintain a compost system. Red worms can grow in areas that are room temperature, or between...

Blue butterflies are fascinating because not everyone thinks of blue as being a common color for butterflies. However, there is an entire subfamily of butterfly species that have some blue...

Dermestid beetles are also known as hide, carrion or skin beetles. They are bugs generally associated with decomposition, and can be found under dead and decomposing animals. They are usually...

Praying mantises are seen as a beneficial insect --- preying upon other insects, often those that are harmful to human health and property. Despite its fearsome looks, the praying mantis does not...

Technically, a meal worm is not a worm but the larval stage of the darkling beetle, also known as the yellow mealworm beetle. The beetle has a 1-year llife span.

It seems today that the words 'cricket' and grasshopper' have been used interchangeably. The truth is, though they look similar, these two creatures are actually very different. In this article...

Ladybugs, also known as lady beetles, are the colorful and cute little insects especially loved by children. There are about 5,000 different species of lady bugs, which have an average lifespan of...

There is no mistaking the look and sound of a cricket. His large legs are capable of jumping 20 to 30 times his body length, according to Insecta Inspecta World, and his song is loud, filling the...

Making an ant farm is an inexpensive and interactive science project that can be done with kindergarten- to high-school-aged students. You can make an ant farm at home. These are good for club...

Beetles are one of the largest groups of insects on the planet, and they are classified in the order Coleoptera. They play an important role in the environment besides serving as food for many...

Cricket farming is beneficial for people who own reptiles, amphibians, or other pets that eat crickets, as well as for avid fishermen who use crickets as bait. Some people even have cricket farms...

Most people tend to be afraid of spiders, but for the most part, spiders in Ohio are harmless and will only bite if they feel threatened. Some spiders in the state are rather colorful and can be...

A fun early spring and summer activity for kids is collecting caterpillars in jars and keeping them as pets until they turn into butterflies. It's easy, fun and educational. Here are a few tips to...

Catching insects is a great way for kids to learn about different types of bugs, and see what bugs are native to the area they live in. A simple bug trap will catch bugs safely so kids can look at...

It is good to become familiar with spiders native to your area. This not only protects you from venomous ones, but it also alerts you to any invasive species. According to the Entomological...