Incredible insects: record-breakers

Science · Insects & Minibeasts · ages 7-9

Name ______________________ Date ____________

Which insect can spray boiling hot chemicals to defend itself?
- Flea
- Dragonfly
- Bombardier beetle
Which insect is known as the strongest animal for its size?
- Dragonfly
- Dung beetle
- Bombardier beetle
Dragonflies are among the fastest flying insects.
Circle one: True False
Mia says an ant can carry a heavy crumb because ants have huge muscles, like superheroes. What is the real reason?
- An ant's body is so light that its muscles can lift many times its own weight
- Ants really do have superhero muscles
- Crumbs weigh nothing at all
A flea jumps more than 150 times its own body length. If a person could jump the same way, what would that be like?
- Jumping over a small step
- Jumping over a skyscraper
- Jumping over a puddle
A flea is about 2 millimeters long. If it jumps 150 times its own body length, about how many millimeters does it jump?
Answer: ______________
Scientists find a new insect that is very light but has strong muscles for its tiny size. Based on what you know about record-breaking insects, what is this insect most likely able to do?
- Perform extreme feats like lifting, jumping, or moving very fast for its size
- Grow to the size of a dog
- Lose its ability to fly
Sam says, "Big animals are always stronger than small insects." Using what you know about the dung beetle, why might Sam be wrong?
- The dung beetle can pull over 1,000 times its own weight, far more than a big animal manages for its size
- Big animals do not have any muscles
- Insects are not really animals

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Incredible insects: record-breakers W1-mt_M7YrfAZk8u-s1

Bombardier beetle · The bombardier beetle mixes chemicals inside its body to shoot a hot spray at attackers.
Dung beetle · The dung beetle can pull over 1,000 times its own weight, making it the strongest animal for its size.
True · Dragonflies can fly over 30 miles an hour, faster than many birds.
An ant's body is so light that its muscles can lift many times its own weight · An ant's muscles are strong compared to how little its body weighs. That is why it can carry heavy crumbs. Its muscles are not actually huge.
Jumping over a skyscraper · 150 times a person's height reaches as high as a very tall building, so it would be like leaping over a skyscraper.
300 · 150 times 2 millimeters is 300 millimeters, showing just how far a flea can leap for its tiny size.
Perform extreme feats like lifting, jumping, or moving very fast for its size · Being lightweight with strong muscles for its size is exactly why insects like the dung beetle and flea can achieve such extreme feats.
The dung beetle can pull over 1,000 times its own weight, far more than a big animal manages for its size · For its size, the dung beetle out-pulls animals many times its size, so bigger does not always mean stronger.