The world is full of bizarre animals. It might be hard to believe that some of these creepy crawlies are real. But they are!

The giant walking stick is the longest insect in the world. It can grow up to a massive 32cm long! It is one of the rarest types of stick insect in the world.

Stick insects are hard to find because they look just like the branches around them. The stick insect uses its woody appearance to stay alive. It cannot fly. It cannot move fast. It can only walk!

The puss moth caterpillar is one strange bug. To scare off bigger animals, the puss moth caterpillar has a scary ‘face’ on one side of its body. This is not a real face at all. It’s just a few spots and lines!

Treehoppers are some of the weirdest insects in the world. Thorn treehoppers have big, pointy shells. Together, a group of thorn treehoppers look like thorns on a branch. That's where they get their other name, thorn bugs.

Treehoppers spend their lives on trees. They get their food by putting a hole in the tree. They drink the liquid that comes out of the tree.

Stink bugs don't have the nicest name. But they deserve it. When there is danger around, they let off a stench. It is to make predators back off.

Some stink bugs have amazing patterns. The man-faced stink bug has a face on its back. It is a warning. It stops its enemies from trying to eat it.

The silk moth is a funny looking moth. It has comblike antennae on its head. They are receptors that help it find females. It is a small moth with a 40-50mm wingspan.

Silk moths get their name because they make silk. They have been making silk in China for 5,000 years. Sadly, the moth now needs humans. They do not live in the wild anymore. They are only used to make silk. Humans let the moth make its silk cocoon, then they kill it.

The saddleback caterpillar looks very unusual. Its midsection is bright and looks like a saddle. But don't get too close. Its body is covered in small, poisonous barbs. If you touch them, they will poison you. The pain is worse than being stung by a bee. It is best not to touch a caterpillar if you see one in the wild!

From cute and leafy to dangerous and spiky, we are surrounded by weird insects. What is the strangest insect that you have ever seen?

Exercises

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