Skip to content ↓
Whitewater CE Primary School

Whitewater CE Primary School

Mini-beasts, Insects and Bugs, Oh My!

Dear Otters,

I'm so enjoying learning all about the little creepy crawlies that share our planet. Now you've done your research, answer this question in the comments below:

What do the words 'mini-beast', 'insect' and 'bug' describe?

Have a happy weekend!

Love from,

Ms Lamble

  • Leo Otter 5 years ago
    Dear Ms Lamble, Thank you for your message. I hope to see you at school soon too. A mini-beast is an invertebrate which means a creature that does not have a backbone. They include: worms, leeches, snails, slugs, beetles, ants and other insects. An insect is an invertebrate with 6 legs. A true bug is different to other minibeasts because they have something that sucks stuff up into their bodies, such as an aphid does. Have a good weekend. Love Leo xx :-)
  • Otter Lola 5 years ago
    Mini beasts include insects and bugs. None of them have a skeleton. Some have an exoskeleton. An exoskeleton is basically the back of a bug that has like a shield not exactly like a Shield bug but it is really hard. Insects always have 6 legs and wings.
  • Otter Freya 5 years ago
    Dear Ms Lamble, A 'mini-beast' is an invertebrate which means it has no backbone, such as a butterfly, spider, bee, beetle, slug, worm, snail, hoverfly, moth and centipede and lots more! An 'insect' is a six-legged, winged creature, such as bees, butterflies, ladybirds, flies and moths. Insects are also invertebrates which is why a butterfly is both a mini-beast and an insect. A 'true bug' has sucking mouthparts, such as a shield bug, a bed bug and an aphid. I watched a video about bed bugs and they look creepy because they start off clear as babies and then turn red as they suck up blood. As Toothless the Dragon would say in dragonese: "issa yukyuk issa doubly doubly yukyuk" which means "it's disgusting, it's really really disgusting". My favourite mini beast show is "Brave Wilderness" where the guy gets deliberately stung by hornets, bullet ants and lots of other stinging and nipping creatures. Love from Freya xxx
  • Ms Lamble 4 years ago
    Dear Leo, A fantastic explanation, WOW! I think you understand this better than I do. Love from, Ms Lamble
  • Ms Lamble 4 years ago
    Dear Lola, A very clear explanation, well done. You are a Super Scientist! Love from, Ms Lamble
  • Ms Lamble 4 years ago
    Dear Freya, I think you've become an entomologist over the past few weeks! I agree that bed bugs are issa yukyuk issa doubly doubly yukyuk :-( 'Brave Wilderness' sounds scary but fun to watch! Love from, Ms Lamble