How do antennas protect insects

Science News. By Brooks Hays. Ants let their friends and foes know who they are and where they're from using chemical signals on their antennae. Photo by University of Melbourne. Latest Headlines. Israeli archaeologists find ring believed to ward off hangovers in ancient winery.

The term setaceous comes from the Latin seta , meaning bristle. Setaceous antennae are bristle-shaped and tapered from the base to the tip. Examples of insects with setaceous antennae include mayflies order Ephemeroptera and dragonflies and damselflies order Odonata. Stylate comes from the Latin stylus , meaning pointed instrument.

In stylate antennae, the final segment terminates in a long, slender point, called a style. The style may be hairlike but will extend from the end and never from the side. Stylate antennae are found most notably in certain true flies of the suborder Brachycera such as robber flies, snipe flies, and bee flies.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products. List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Their small size enables them to go almost anywhere in search of food.

Many insects can fly, which makes it easy for them to colonize new places. Like all adult insects, damselflies have three-part bodies, with a head, thorax, and abdomen. Damselflies and dragonflies form a very ancient group of insects. Giant dragonflies flew in swampy forests million years ago, before dinosaurs existed. Many insects are camouflaged naturally disguised , so that predators do not see them. Some species are armed with stingers or foul-tasting poison. Many of these have bright colors, such as black-and-yellow stripes, to warn enemies away.

Insects eat a huge range of foods. Around half are plant-eaters, feeding on leaves, roots, seeds, nectar, or wood. Praying mantises are predators, hunting other small creatures. Fleas and lice are parasites, eating the flesh or blood of larger animals without killing them. Acknowledgement This article was written by Tom Saunders. Go to full glossary Add 0 items to collection.

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