Their most frightening characteristics, however, are the formidable-looking mandibles. Curved and sharp, they can reach lengths of up to 2 inches. Centipedes are long slender house bugs with multiple pairs of legs, two long antennae, and a pair of tails. Centipedes are venomous but usually don’t bite. If they do bite, their bite can vary in the level of pain from barely noticeable to very painful. Centipedes range in size from a few millimeters up to 12” (30 cm) long. You can usually find centipedes in dark, secluded areas, and they typically come out at night.

A would-be simple moth, the Baphomet moth could easily go unnoticed in its day-to-day life, if it wasn’t for the bulging, tentacle-like appendages protruding from the abdomen. Do you remember those photos that spread around the internet in the early days of the Iraq War, of those terrifying, massive bugs that supposedly ate and laid their eggs in the stomachs of camels? Well, none of that is quite true. While they can grow to a petrifying six inches, those photos were taken from a deceiving angle, making them look much larger than they are, and they lay their eggs in the soil. They also possess no venom! Still, I’m glad I don’t live in any of the desert habitats they call home. Wherever you venture on this planet, there’s a high possibility that you will come face to face with some scary insects. Whether in your home or in the darkest depths of a rainforest, they are everywhere.Resembling a bumblebee, but without the charm, the human botfly can be found in Central and South America. So next time you go to squish a bug, just remember, not every creepy crawly is out to get you. References There are lots of quizzes, some a bit silly as it gives you wrong answers that could easily be true and then children may remember the made up insects. For examples, there was a biscuit eating insect but ice-cream eating one was made up. But I like a quiz, and it is a good way to break up lots of text. Children could also find out information about an animal and make their own quiz.

Depending on who you ask, this one-inch-long ant is capable of delivering the world’s most painful insect bite. Some bite victims have compared the experience to being shot, hence the name. If you ever needed a reason not to vacation to South America, let this post be that reason, as these ants can only be found there. On the other hand, if you are the ultimate adrenaline junkie, perhaps I’m giving you some devious ideas. Found in the decaying leaf litter of the Madagascan scrub, they are important decomposers and food sources for other animals. However, many play a vital role in the health of our ecosystem as nutrient recyclers and soil mixers. And now to the puppets, my love of puppetry is wide and varied, with the awe that comes perhaps hand in hand as an 80’s child and growing up being enthralled by films such as The Never Ending Story and the endless genius of Jim Henson, from his Storyteller series to the films Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. But for the Wingding, I could see my adoration of Paper Theatre influencing the idea, with 2D and 3D worlds combining and a Pop Up Book almost appearing in front of the audience, something that unfolds and keeps growing, surprising and entrancing, a little spark of joy for any age watching in the mechanics of it all. Common roach (German roach/ Blattella germanica) on the left and American roach ( Periplaneta americana) on the rightHouse bug Identification: Houseflies are identified by their small dark gray body, large pair of eyes, and tendency to fly erratically and buzz around light sources or windows. Fortunately, the mandibles are too long for the dobsonfly to bite. Instead, they use these long jaws as fighting tools to impress females. They may also be inspected by a female when she decides who to mate with. Conclusion There are also opportunities for mathematical thinking as many of the comparisons are in length. It would often say how long an insect can grow to so for children to discover that measurement for themselves would put it into context and understand just how long it is. This is all part of the challenge that makes selecting materials that could be entirely hand painted, like illustrations from a book, particularly, well… challenging.

The first ugly insect on our list is the Giant Water Bug. Alongside the scientific Lethocerus americanus, this less-than-attractive creature goes by many names. They include Toe-Biters, Electric-Light Bugs, and Alligator Fleas.Found across the Americas, Africa, and Asia, dobsonflies are some of the largest flying insects, with wingspans reaching close to 9 inches! Most of these insects don’t pose a danger to humans, but all have unique features making them ugly and scary to some. Have a favorite? Let me know in the comments. Scorpionflies are one of the first insects to arrive on a fresh corpse. So, although they cannot help the deceased, they allow forensic experts to gauge an idea of how fresh a corpse is. 1) Dobsonflies Adult male eastern dobsonfly. Photograph by Lyle J. Buss, University of Florida. A simple surgical procedure will be required to remove the botfly larva from the skin. Yikes! 9) Baphomet Moth A male Baphomet moth expanding its coremata to attract a female.