Boy we bugs really get "bugged" by humans who think every creepy-crawly thing with legs is a bug. How many times have you heard someone scream "Oooooh, get this bug out of here?"

Well, we bugs are tired of it. Bugs have gotten a bad name because most humans don't know what a real bug is and what isn't. So now we are going to set the record straight.

We bugs are a special group of insects. Bugs come in so many shapes and sizes that it's amazing. Now you are probably mumbling to yourself, "Well, if all bugs look so different, how can I tell what is a bug and what isn't?"

That's easy if you know what you are looking for. The easiest way to tell bugs from other insects is by looking at our mouths. Maybe you didn't even know that different kinds of insects have different kinds on mouths.

Well bugs have piercing, sucking mouths. They are like tubes with sharp points. Our mouths are a lot different from the chewing mouths of grasshoppers and the lapping mouths of some flies. With our mouth parts we suck juices from plants and animals almost the same way you humans suck up milk with a straw.

We also have wings that are different from other insects, but that's a story for another time. Just make sure you don't call all insects bugs. We real bugs would appreciate it!

Click on any of the bugs on this page to go back to "Bugs, Bugs, Bugs."