For ESL students, one of the most fun and interesting aspects of learning English is discovering all the different insect and bug names. From ants to cicadas, each creature has a specific name that only native English speakers might know!
In this blog post, you’ll learn the A to Z of insects and bugs found around the world—from common critters like dragonflies and butterflies to more unfamiliar species like water striders or velvet ants.
With this list, you’ll have not just an amazing new vocabulary but also greater appreciation for our planet’s small creatures. So get ready as we dive deep into bug-infested waters!
There are insects and bugs that go by just about every letter of the alphabet.
Table of Contents
Insects Name Starting With A to Z with Pictures
Here are a to z insects.
A | Ant
An insect that lives in colonies. |
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B | Beetle
A type of bug with hard shells. |
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C | Caterpillar
The larval stage of a butterfly or moth. |
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D | Dragonfly
A flying insect with large eyes. |
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E | Earwig
A bug that likes to live in dark, damp places. |
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F | Fly
An insect that can be annoying because it buzzes around your head. |
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G | Grasshopper
A type of cricket that can jump high into the air. |
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H | Honeybee
Which produces honey and beeswax. |
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I | Inchworm
A slow-moving caterpillar that eats leaves. |
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J | June Bug
A type of beetle that can be seen in late spring or summer. |
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K | Katydid
An insect that looks like a grasshopper but has longer antennae. |
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L | Ladybug
Also known as a ladybird, which eats aphids and other plant-eating bugs. |
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M | Mosquito
A flying insect that can bite and suck blood. |
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N | Nymph
The immature stage of an insect before it reaches adulthood. |
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O | Orb Weaver Spider
Which spins a beautiful circular web. |
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P | Praying Mantis
An insect that looks like it’s in a praying position. |
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Q | Queen Bee
The leader of a beehive. |
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R | Roly-Poly
An insect that rolls itself into a ball when disturbed. |
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S | Silverfish
A small bug that lives in dark, damp places and eats paper and cloth. |
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T | Termite
An insect that lives in colonies and eats wood. |
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U | Unicorn Beetle
An insect with a single horn on its head. |
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V | Velvet Ant
A type of wasp that looks like an ant but has bright colors like red or yellow. |
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W | Water Strider
An aquatic insect that can walk on the surface of still water. |
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X | Xylophagous Beetle
An insect that eats wood. |
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Y | Yellow Jacket
A type of wasp that builds nests underground and can sting if provoked. |
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Z | Zebra Spider
A type of jumping spider with black-and-white stripes on its body. |
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A To Z Insect and Bug Names
A:
Antlions | Alderflies | Atlas Moth |
Army Ants |
B:
Bugs | Butterfly | Bumblebee |
Bees | Beetles |
C:
Cutworm | Cockroaches | Cicada |
Crane Fly |
D:
Dragonflies | Dung Beetle | Damselfly |
E:
- Earwigs
F:
- Firefly
- Flea
G:
- Grasshoppers
- Grub
H:
- Hornet
- House Fly
I:
- Imago
- Io Moth
J:
- Julia butterfly
- Junebug
K:
- kissing bug
- Ked
L:
Lice | Locust | Larva |
M:
Midge | Moths | Mantid |
N:
- Nymph
- Nit
O:
- Owl butterfly
- Owlfly
P:
- Pupa
- Praying Mantids
Q:
- Queen bee
R:
- Rice Weevil
- Robber Fly
S:
Snakeflies | Stink Bug | Stag Beetle |
T:
- Tsetse Fly
- Thrips
U:
- Ulysses butterfly
- Uncas skipper
W:
wood-borer | Wasps | Wasp |
Y:
- Yellow mealworm
Z:
- Zorapterans
Insect And Bug Names A to Z – Pictures
Download this lesson in PDF, Here.