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Giant centipede Geographical Range Tropical and subtropical regions worldwide Various habitats, from forests to deserts Habitat

Scientific Name Scolopendra spp. Conservation Status Common Giant centipedes rest by day under stones, fallen bark, and other debris. At night, they move about quickly in search of prey. With the help of their venomous bite, they not only catch a variety of insects and scorpions, but also small lizards and rodents.

Pillbug Geographical Range Worldwide, mainly in temperate regions Various habitats, including woodlands, marshes, gardens, and lawns Habitat Scientific Name Suborder: Oniscoidea Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN Wood lice are crustaceans that live on the land. Some species live at the edge of the sea or in marshes. Other types have colonized drier land. They spend their lives beneath stones, in tree bark, or in leaf mold -- locations that help keep the wood lice from drying out. The little animals feed on algae, fungi, moss, bark, and any decaying plant or animal matter.

Honeybee Geographical Range Tropical and temperate regions worldwide Open woodlands, grasslands, agricultural areas, gardens Habitat Scientific Name Apis mellifera Conservation Status Common Honeybees are highly social insects that live in large colonies of up to 60,000 members. A hive is home to three 'classes' of honeybees, each of which has its own specific job.

Termite Geographical Range Western North America Forests and woodlands; also found in and around human-made structures Habitat Scientific Name Reticulitermes hesperus Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN Termites are well known for their ability to quickly eat through wooden structures and dead wood. They can do this because of a tiny protozoan and a bacterium that live together in the termites' gut. These small life forms work together to digest wood cellulose, thus making the nutrients available to the insects.

House fly Geographical Range Worldwide (except Antarctica) Various habitats; found in and around houses, farms, and ranches Habitat Scientific Name Musca domestica Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN House flies are found virtually everywhere that people live. But their ability to spread disease makes them unwelcome companions. Flies also have a nasty (to us) habit of vomiting on their food before sucking it up with their sponge-like mouth parts!

Flower mantis Geographical Range Western Africa Forests and woodlands Habitat Scientific Name Pseudocreobotra ocellata Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN This mantid's name comes from its habit of hiding between the petals of flowers while waiting for a meal to come to it. It is not a wilting wallflower, however. It will readily tackle dangerous prey much larger than itself, like wasps and hoverflies.

Atlas beetle Geographical Range Malaysia (in southeastern Asia) Forests Habitat Scientific Name Chalcosoma atlas Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN This massive beetle is found in the forests of Malaysia. The impressive horns on the males can be nearly a third of their body length. They use them for turning over other males in fights for dominance during mating season.

Blue morpho butterfly Geographical Range Central and South America Rainforest Habitat Scientific Name Morpho peleides Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN Morpho adults spend most of their time on the forest floor and in the understory (among the lower shrubs and trees). This is where they do their eating and sleeping. But when they're mating, these butterflies flit through all layers of the forest.

Cochineal insects Geographical Range Habitat Scientific Name Conservation Status Southwestern United States to South America; introduced to the Canary Islands (off the northwestern coast of Africa) Deserts, shrublands, cactus plantations Dactylopius coccus Not listed by IUCN

If you've ever eaten or drunk processed food products that are dyed red, you've probably eaten parts of these insects! You wouldn't know it by looking at their fuzzy, white bodies, but cochineal insects contain an edible red dye. The dye is used to color cloth and many foods, such as jellies and juices. The cochineal insect is a type of scale insect

Red spot assassin bug Geographical Range Central Africa Forests, scrublands, grasslands, croplands Habitat Scientific Name Platymeris laevicollis Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN The striking red-on-black coloration of these African bugs warns attackers that the insects pack a painful bite. Assassin bugs are such tenacious hunters that farmers use them for pest control on coconut plantations. They help control the crop-damaging rhinoceros beetle

Trapdoor spider Geographical Range Southwestern United States Grassy or rocky hillsides Habitat Scientific Name Bothriocyrtum californicum Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN Got'cha! This clever spider digs a tunnel and outfits it with a hinged trap door lined with silk. When the spider feels vibrations from an insect or other small invertebrate at the door, it jumps out and grabs its victim.

Earthworms Geographical Range Tropical and temperate regions worldwide Various habitats, including forests, grasslands, lawns, gardens Habitat Scientific Name Lumbricus terrestris Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN You may know this common earthworm species by its other name: nightcrawler. Worms are the ultimate earth movers and shakers. Earthworms in one acre of soil can break down over 10 tons of organic material and transfer it to the surface!

Banana slug Geographical Range Northwestern North America Forests, gardens Habitat Scientific Name Ariolimax columbianus Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN As you can probably guess, the banana slug is named for its bright yellow color and large size. It makes its home among the leaf litter of the cool, moist forests of the Pacific Northwest, feeding on a variety of plants, mosses and fungi. It is the largest land slug in North America, growing up to 8 inches long.

Desert millipede Geographical Range Southwestern United States Deserts Habitat Scientific Name Orthoporus ornatus Conservation Status Not listed by IUCN These desert dwellers feed mostly on decaying plant material. They live in burrows that they build themselves, emerging after summer rains. They often find their way into buildings in search of dry ground. When disturbed, desert millipedes curl up and emit a nasty substance that irritates a predator's skin and eyes.

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