Insects

More than 900,000 insect species are alive today. The Museum's display of Carboniferous insects features giant-sized wings and 5-pronged sucking beaks.

Today, some 900,000 insect species inhabit this planet, more than the total of all other animal species combined.

Insects first appeared about halfway through the Palaeozoic Era. Extremely large forms, some bigger than hawks, quickly evolved. Many eventually developed into a life cycle in which individuals went through remarkable changes as they grew. Dragonflies, which grow from egg to larva to nymph to adult, are a modern example of this species.

The fossil record of insects is not good. Their thin, brittle external skeleton breaks down quickly after death. The best fossils have been found smothered in layers of volcanic ash or beautifully entombed in amber, the hardened resin of coniferous trees.

This document was prepared by Wayne Hortensius, Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the Royal Tyrrell Museum Cooperating Society. All information © 1995 Royal Tyrrell Museum. All Rights Reserved.
Updated: April 8, 1995

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