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.

Ladybug

Ladybugs have their vibrant color in order to appear poisonous and deter any predators from eating them. They primarily eat plant eating insects, and one ladybug can eat up to 5,000 insects in its lifetime. This makes them very helpful to farmers and gardeners who...

Monarch butterfly

Every year, monarch butterflies go on a long migration spanning over 2,000 miles (3200 km). When the weather begins to get cold they travel from Canada and the northern United States all the way down to southern California and central Mexico. They return to the...

Nudibranch

Nudibranchs spend most of their time dragging their bellies along the seafloor in search of something to eat. They come in many different colors, which are determined by the pigments in their prey. Some nudibranchs are even able to acquire a way to defend...

Praying Mantis

The praying mantis’ name comes from its long front legs which appear to be in a prayer position. The actual purpose for the shape of their legs is to quickly snatch their prey before it can react and escape. This is helped by the sharp spines on the front sides of...

Scorpion

Scorpions have been on the planet for hundreds of millions of years, even since before the age of dinosaurs. This can be owed in part to their amazing endurance. Scorpions can slow down their metabolism to the point that they can live off of only one insect for a...

Sea Star

Most sea stars have 5 arms but some are able to grow up to 50. Each of these arms is covered into tiny suckers and organs which the sea star uses to creep along the floor of the ocean. Sea stars generally aren’t very social, but occasionally groups of them will...