Insect

Insects are arthropods with six legs and a body consisting of three sections: the head, abdomen and thorax. They have an exoskeleton composed of chitin, and segmented eyes. Many, but not all, insect species are winged.

There are an enormous number of insect species on earth, including flies, beetles, and ants. Some are notably mentioned in the sacred texts of some religions, such as locusts, in the Egyptian plagues, and rules regarding their consumption in the book of Leviticus.

The life cycle of insects involves several stages, during each of which the creature has a distinctly different appearance. These are:

• Egg
• Larva - a feeding stage. Some insect larvae are very familiar, such as caterpillars and maggots.
• Pupa - a dormant stage during which the next form develops inside a protective casing - the butterfly chrysalis being the most familiar example.
• Adult - the form we recognize as the "insect", with its defining characteristics as listed above.