2.4 Designer HeadsPrepared by: Tr. Em Agcaoili

Insect Head

• God created each kind of insect with

special head gear- antennae, mouthparts

and eyes –exactly to fit its needs.

Two Antennae• Antennae or feelers are designed for as a sense organ

that allows insects to taste, smell, touch, keep it’s

balance and find direction.

• Of course, insect antennae ,too, are designed

differently from one another.

Polyphemus Moth

Painted lady butterfly

The housefly has 2 thick antennae that it uses to

feel movement and rotting meat or garbage.

The female mosquito has a large

antennae that is covered by tiny hairs

called sensilla which she uses to feel heat

of warm blooded animal or people.

She also hears because of this antennae.

Sensilla• Most antennae are covered with tiny sense organs

called sensilla. Most of them looks like tiny hairs.

• Some insects are covered with sensilla.

• Some have it on their legs that’s why a butterfly or a

housefly can “taste” the food it walks on.

Eyes• Compound eyes – most insects have compound eyes

that are made up of many small eyes. This enables

insects to see all the directions at once.

• Simple eyes- insects usually also have several simple

eyes in between the large ones. It can detect light and

movement

Eyes• Insects living underground have smaller eyes.

• The dragonfly, a fast moving insect, has large eyes that

helps it to catch prey while it and it’s prey are moving.

Mouth• Chewing mouths – grasshopper, crickets, cochroaches

and termites

Mouth• Sucking Mouths– designed like a straw for sucking

Mouth• Piercing sucking mouths – have mouthparts that are

designed to pierce and eventually suck

• Samples are the weevil, milkweed, flies and

mosquitoes.

• Male mosquitoes eat juices of fruit and plants but

female mosquitoes would rather eat YOU!

Mouth• Chewing Lapping mouths – for bees.