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Insects and Spiders · entry 38 of 52
A tick is not an insect but a close relative of spiders and mites.
The longer version
Ticks belong to the arachnid group alongside spiders and mites, so their plan differs from insects in several ways. Adults have eight legs rather than six, they lack antennae, and head, thorax, and abdomen are fused into one compact unit without the clear waist many insects show.
Counting legs remains the quickest way to separate the groups at a glance. Their mouthparts are built for piercing skin and staying attached, and several juvenile stages follow, needing a blood meal before moulting. Recognising the difference also explains why features such as wings never appear. Their development skips any pupal stage typical of insects that change form completely.
Where this entry sits
This collection gathers small wonders from the world of ants, bees, butterflies, beetles, and spiders. Expect surprising details about swarms, silk, and metamorphosis, plus the strange everyday abilities of creatures small enough to fit on a fingertip. The full list sits on the Insects and Spiders page, where every entry is listed in order.
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Read 40The chirping of a cricket speeds up as the surrounding air gets warmer.
Read 41A locust swarm can form when crowded grasshoppers change both behaviour and colour.
Read 42Spiderlings disperse by releasing silk threads that carry them on the wind.
Read 43A worker bee performs different jobs as it grows older inside the hive.
Read 44Termites digest wood with the help of tiny microbes living in their gut.
Read 45A beetle's hard forewings protect the delicate flight wings folded underneath them.
Read 46Cobwebs gather dust because the abandoned silk threads stay slightly sticky indoors.
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