Hobbies And Interests
Chewing
Some insects feed by biting, tearing and pinching off parts of plants, animals, or organic matter and swallowing the material. Chewing insects can leave behind holes and ripped leaves on plants or sores on animals. Some insects will remove all the foliage off of a plant. When targeting flowers insects sometimes focus on destroying the reproductive parts of the flowers, such as the stamens and carpals, while others just eat the petals. Plants sometimes use thorns or spines to harm insects but insects can often eat around these defenses, or can chew through them. Plants also sometimes produce poisons but many insects can cut the veins carrying the poisons and then consume a different part of the plant that doesn't have poisons coursing through it.
Sucking
Sucking insects puncture and suck the fluids out of plants or animals. Some sucking insects can inject their mouthparts directly into the cells of the host, bypassing their defenses. Plants produce seeds that usually have hard coatings to protect them from insects but some insects have elongated mouths that penetrate through the seed coating to get to the nutritious part inside. When eating poisonous plants, some insects can make their gut more acidic or basic to neutralize the toxins or can produce special enzymes designed to neutralize the toxin.
Burrowing
Some insects will actually burrow into the host and live inside. Some live in plants that create a wall around the insect that protects it, allowing it to feed off the nutrients in safety. Insects can also sometimes tie leaves together to protect themselves while feeding.
Preying
Some insects are predators, catching and eating prey. They typically use force or surprise to overcome prey. Some predator insects will attack anything smaller than them, while others focus on hunting specific insects. Faster insects rely on chasing down other slower insects, capturing them and killing them. Other insects hide and wait until their prey approaches before ambushing them. Some insects even use attractive smells to lure in prey.
Parasites
Parasites seek out warm-blooded animals and suck their blood or bite off flesh. Most try not to kill their prey so that they can continue to live off of them. Endoparasites actually live within the body and feed off of tissues. Similar to parasites are parasitoids, which eventually kill their hosts by eating internal organs and tissues.
Pollinating
Phytophagous insects live off of plants, but do not actually harm them. Some insects serve as pollinators for plants in exchange for nectar, such as with bees and butterflies. These insects usually do not harm the plants to avoid losing access to future nectar or other benefits.