Invertebrates

Invertebrates are animals that don’t have spines. There are many different types of invertebrates including insects, octopi, jellyfish, and many more. It’s even been estimated that up to 97% of all species of animals are invertebrates. Invertebrates also appear to be the oldest type of animals on the planet. Scientists have discovered fossils of invertebrates that are 665 million years old and some paleontologists believe that they may have appeared on the planet as early as 1 billion years ago.

Asian Giant Hornet

Asian Giant Hornets are the largest wasps in the world. Unlike bees and other wasps, the Asian Giant Hornet’s stinger remains attached to their body after using it, this allows them to sting multiple times and stay alive. They can chase their prey for up to 60...

Asian Needle Ant

Asian needle ants prefer to nest in moist damp areas like sprinkler systems, rotting logs, and loose soil. The average colony has 1,000 workers and 12 queens. They aren’t as aggressive as fire ants but do have venomous stingers that they will use if...

Box Jellyfish

The box jellyfish has no brain, gills, heart, or lungs and is made up of 96% water. Most jellyfish are only able to drift around in the water but the box jellyfish is able to propel itself, giving it the ability to hunt for prey. It moves through water jet...

Christmas Island Red Crab

Every year, Christmas Island red crabs migrate from their normal home in the forests in order to breed on the beaches. They time their migration around the phases of the moon in order to ensure the tides will be right when they lay their eggs. After the females...

Common Octopus

Because octopi don't have skeletons they are able to manipulate their bodies to fit into super tight spaces. In addition to their malleability they are also able to change colors in order to camouflage with their environment. When hiding and blending in aren’t...

Dung Beetle

There are three categories of dung beetle based on how they use dung. Tunnelers bury their dung, dwellers live in piles of it, and rollers roll it into big balls. Sometimes after a beetle rolls a ball of dung, other beetles will try to steal it from...

Earthworm

Earthworms are very important for soil health because they transport minerals into the soil through their waste. They also change the structure of soil so water can move through it more easily. This makes earthworms very helpful for farmers and...

Firefly

Fireflies’ light comes from a reaction that happens when oxygen is combined with a substance in their abdomen called luciferin. They use this natural light, which is referred to as bioluminescence, in order to communicate with each other and each species has a...

Giant Squid

At 10 inches (25cm) in diameter, giant squids have the second largest eyes out of any animal. Their huge eyes help them see deep underwater where it would be too dark for most animals to see anything at all. Because they live so deep undersea, scientists know very...

Honeybee

There are three different types of honeybees. Most females are workers who forage for food and protect the hive, one queen is the single fertile female of a hive and spawns the next generation, and the male bees, which are called drones, stay in the hive...