Invertibrates are so named because they don’t have a backbone. They’re usually small and some are covered with scales or shells. How they reproduce, what they and where they live are all part of the information you can find in this section.
Whether its life-cycle lasts less than six months or more than five years, the metamorphosis of the dragonfly is morphologically and physiologically complex. Anisoptera belong to one of the two sub-orders which make up the order Odonata which includes more…
Krill is a blanket term we use to describe 86 different species of crustaceans that inhabit the ocean. They’re part of the Euphausiacea order, and are part of the zooplankton that feed directly off the phytoplankton in the oceans. Krill…
The giant swallowtail or Papilio cresphontes is an amazing butterfly. It looks very exotic and is found in large numbers across North and South America. The adult is a welcome visitor in gardens, plantations, and other landscapes. The larvae or…
There are many amazing facts about the life of bees that few of us know. Let’s start by saying that some believe these insects are the most important living beings for human life. This is because 90% of the crops…
People often associate mites with fleas for several reasons. Firstly, they are small, and sometimes even microscopic size. Secondly, they live in groups and can infest our homes and our pets. As this article will explain, many species of mite…
Wheat weevils are beetles of the Curculionidae family. However, there are a few subgroups within this group. The subgroup we’re about to discuss here today belongs to the genus Sitophilus. Wheat weevils are a subgroup that belongs to the order…
Leeches are hermaphroditic invertebrates in the Annelida phylum. There are lots of different species of leech, with a wide range of biological diversity. Today, though, we’re going to focus on their use in medicine, and one specific species, Hirudo medicinalis, or…
Commonly, when people write about scorpions they mainly focus on how dangerous they are. Unfortunately, they only promote the myth of how terrifying these creatures are. Enough is enough. The bad reputation attributed to scorpions is undeserved. So, in today’s…
The echinoderms are a group of marine invertebrates. This group includes some of the most iconic marine animals in the world, from sea urchins and starfish, to sea lilies. The name echinoderm literally means “spiny skin”. Although not all members…
Soft corals are a type of Cnidaria which stand out for their lack of an internal calcium carbonate skeleton. They form some of those gorgeously colorful coral reefs you’ve probably seen in pictures, especially in tropical areas. These marine invertebrates…
Chagas disease is a condition that mostly affects people in rural areas of Central and South America. It’s almost entirely caused by a tiny little insect: the kissing bug. Also known as the “barber bug” and the “winchuka,” the kissing bug has…
In this article, we shall be taking a trip to New Zealand to discover one of the world’s largest insects. While it might look like it could have hopped straight out of a sci-fi film, the weta can be found…
Hirudo medicinalis is a leech, and therefore an invertebrate in the Annelida phylum and the Hirudinae family. This specific kind of leech has been used for medical purposes for many centuries, which is where it got its more common name: the medicinal…