THE presence of peripheral inhibitory nerves in insects is now well established and in many respects they seem to be similar to those in Crustacea 1–3. Their physiological properties are well defined ...

DIAPAUSING pupae of some saturniid moths overwinter in an environment in which temperatures may drop to −30° C. In such conditions of cold and low humidity there are opportunities for pupae to ...

What might be mistaken for a waterslide in this image is actually the breathing tube, or trachea, of a dragonfly. This tube connects to openings in the insect's exoskeleton (outer “shell”) called ...

Scientists have known that some insects can hold their breath for hours or even days. A new study suggests why: Too much air would kill them. Insects breathe in and out through holes, called spiracles ...

Invertebrates are a wildly diverse lot — far more diverse than the relatively small group known as vertebrates. Accordingly, the inverts have a huge diversity of life styles and body plans. Consider ...

FOR insects, heavy breathing can be fatal. If resting butterflies breathed all the time, so much oxygen would build up in their delicate bodies that it would kill them. Most animals use proteins such ...