Insects Word Search

Illustrated Insects scene — AI-generated artwork behind this animal's word search puzzle
Illustrated Insects scene — AI-generated artwork behind this animal's word search puzzle

Insects, as a word search. 12 words drawn from the habitats, species, and behaviors of an animal group sit hidden in a 15×15 letter grid, running in every direction. Drag across a word to claim it, and clear the board to finish.

Words to find: ANTENNAE, BEETLE, BUTTERFLY, CATERPILLAR, CHITIN, COCOON, DRAGONFLY, EXOSKELETON, GRASSHOPPER, HABITAT, HONEYBEE, LARVA.

Words run in any of eight directions, backwards included — if one refuses to turn up, try reading the grid right to left.

Insects word list, defined

ANTENNAE /ænˈtɛniː/ · noun (plural)
The paired, jointed sensory appendages on the heads of insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods, used for feeling, smelling, and sensing the environment. 'Antennae' is the standard plural form of the noun 'antenna'. Related: feelers, antennas, sensory organs.
BEETLE /ˈbiːt(ə)l/ · noun
An insect of the order Coleoptera, characterized by hard front wings (elytra) that form a protective shell over the body and folded hind wings. As a verb, chiefly British informal, it means to move quickly or scurry. Related: insect, bug, cockchafer, scarab.
BUTTERFLY /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/ (US) /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ (UK) · noun
An insect with two pairs of large, often brightly colored wings covered in tiny scales, typically active during the day and feeding on nectar through a long coiled proboscis. Related: moth-like insect is not a synonym; no precise single-word synonyms exist.
CATERPILLAR /ˈkætərˌpɪlər/ · noun
The larval stage of a butterfly or moth: an elongated, segmented creature with a soft body and several pairs of legs that feeds voraciously on plants before metamorphosing. The word can also refer informally to a tracked vehicle with caterpillar-like treads. Related: larva, grub, maggot.
CHITIN /ˈkaɪtɪn/ · noun
A tough, semi-transparent nitrogen-containing polysaccharide that forms the outer skeleton of insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods, and is also found in the cell walls of fungi. It is one of the most abundant organic materials in nature. Related: cuticle, exoskeleton material.
COCOON /kəˈkuːn/ · noun
A silky protective case spun by the larvae of many insects, especially moths, in which they pass the pupal stage; figuratively, a snug, sheltering environment that wraps someone in comfort or seclusion. Related: chrysalis, pupa, case, covering.
DRAGONFLY /ˈdræɡənflaɪ/ · noun
A fast-flying predatory insect of the order Odonata, suborder Anisoptera, having a long slender body, two pairs of strong transparent wings, and very large eyes; it is typically found near water. Related: darner, darter, hawker, damselfly.
EXOSKELETON /ˌɛksoʊˈskɛlɪtən/ · noun
A rigid external covering or supportive structure that encases and protects the body of certain animals, such as insects, crustaceans, and other arthropods. Related: carapace, shell, cuticle.
GRASSHOPPER /ˈɡrɑːs.hɒp.ər/ · noun
A grasshopper is any of various large, short-horned jumping insects of the family Acrididae, typically with powerful hind legs. The word can also denote a green Chartreuse-based cocktail or, informally, a restless person who keeps moving from one activity or interest to another. Related: locust, hopper, short-horned grasshopper.
HABITAT /ˈhæbɪtæt/ · noun
The natural environment in which an organism or a community of organisms lives. In broader use, a habitat can also mean the characteristic setting or environment associated with a person, group, activity, or development. Related: home, dwelling, environment, surroundings.
HONEYBEE /ˈhʌnibɪp/ · noun
A honeybee is a bee that produces honey, especially the common western honeybee, Apis mellifera, kept by beekeepers for honey and pollination. The term can also refer more broadly to bees that collect nectar and make honey. Related: bee.
LARVA /ˈlɑːrvə/ · noun
A larva is the immature form of an insect or other animal that differs substantially from its adult form and typically develops through a major metamorphic change. In entomology, the term refers especially to the active feeding stage between the egg and the pupa or adult. Related: grub, larval form, immature form, caterpillar.

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