An insect’s legs are adaptations that help it move, eat, and survive predators. Aquatic insects sometimes have legs that look like boat oars, and as you might expect, these legs are made for swimming. Terrestrial insects like ants spend most of their time walking, and have legs designed for quick movement on the ground. Look at a grasshopper’s legs. The third pair is folded and much larger than the others; these powerful legs propel the grasshopper through the air and away from predators. Some insects are predators themselves, and have front legs designed for catching and grasping smaller insects.
Photo credits: (top left) Whitney Cranshaw, Colorado State University, Bugwood.org; (top right) Debbie Hadley, WILD Jersey; (bottom right) Flickr user Neil Phillips; (bottom left) Susan Ellis, Bugwood.org
