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Article: Social insects.
- Article from:
- Science Weekly
- Article date:
- January 18, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Science Weekly, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Background
What Are Social Insects?
DID YOU KNOW??
People really do eat insects.
Insects are members of the phylum arthropoda. They have hard exoskeletons made of chitin. You can distinguish insects from other arthropods because they have six jointed appendages, and three body parts: head, thorax and abdomen. Insects often have a pair of antennae and wings as well. Lots of insects are loners. But some, like ants, termites and certain bees and wasps, are social creatures. Their existence depends on their ability to work together.
Social insects, or as they are known scientifically, eusocial ...