World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cricket): Cricket — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Crickets are jumping insects closely related to grasshoppers, best known for the chirping sound males make to attract mates. They are mostly active at night and feed on plants, fungi, and small insects.

## Introduction
Crickets are jumping insects closely related to grasshoppers, best known for the chirping sound males make to attract mates. They are mostly active at night and feed on plants, fungi, and small insects. Crickets are also widely raised as food for pets and, increasingly, for people. Most live for about a year or less.

## Takeaway
The chirping associated with crickets is made mostly by males, who rub a sharp edge on one wing against a rough surface on the other, a process called stridulation.

## Takeaway
Crickets are omnivores that eat plant matter, fungi, and small insects, scavenging a wide range of foods.

## Takeaway
Crickets are raised in large numbers as a reliable food source for pet reptiles, amphibians, and birds, and they are increasingly farmed as a protein source for human food in some regions.

## The familiar chirp
The chirping associated with crickets is made mostly by males, who rub a sharp edge on one wing against a rough surface on the other, a process called stridulation. The calls attract females and warn off rival males. Because chirping rate rises with temperature, the calls can even give a rough sense of how warm it is.

## Diet and behavior
Crickets are omnivores that eat plant matter, fungi, and small insects, scavenging a wide range of foods. They are mostly active at night, hiding by day under stones, logs, or vegetation. Like their grasshopper relatives, crickets have strong hind legs and can jump to escape danger.

## Crickets and people
Crickets are raised in large numbers as a reliable food source for pet reptiles, amphibians, and birds, and they are increasingly farmed as a protein source for human food in some regions. In several cultures their chirping is seen as a pleasant sound or even a sign of good luck.

## Life cycle and habitat
Crickets develop through incomplete metamorphosis, hatching as nymphs that resemble small wingless adults and molting as they grow. They live in grasslands, forests, gardens, and sometimes inside buildings, and are found across much of the world in warmer climates.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated cricket programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The cricket is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the cricket supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cricket): Cricket — wildlife guide.

## Why do crickets chirp?
Male crickets chirp to attract females and to ward off other males. They make the sound by rubbing their wings together, a process called stridulation.

## What do crickets eat?
Crickets are omnivores that eat plant material, fungi, and small insects. They are scavengers that will feed on a wide variety of organic matter.

## How long do crickets live?
Most crickets live for about a year or less. They hatch as nymphs, grow through several molts, and the adults usually die off after the breeding season.

## Can you eat crickets?
Yes. Crickets are edible and are farmed as a protein source for people in some parts of the world. They are also widely raised as food for pet reptiles, amphibians, and birds.

## Do crickets bite?
Large crickets can give a small nip if handled, but they are harmless to people. They have no venom and rely on jumping to escape rather than biting in defense.

## What is the difference between a cricket and a grasshopper?
Crickets and grasshoppers are related jumping insects, but crickets usually have longer antennae, are active mainly at night, and chirp by rubbing their wings, while grasshoppers are active by day and rub a leg against a wing.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bumblebee): Bumblebee — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is a large, fuzzy, black-and-yellow bee found in meadows, gardens, and farmland. Measuring about 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1 in) long, it flies at up to around 24 km/h (15 mph) and feeds on nectar and pollen, making it one of the most important pollinators in temperate regions.

## Introduction
The buff-tailed bumblebee (Bombus terrestris) is a large, fuzzy, black-and-yellow bee found in meadows, gardens, and farmland. Measuring about 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1 in) long, it flies at up to around 24 km/h (15 mph) and feeds on nectar and pollen, making it one of the most important pollinators in temperate regions. Workers live only a few weeks, while a queen can live about a year. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.

## Takeaway
Bumblebees are round, robust bees covered in dense fuzzy hair, which gives them their soft appearance and helps them stay warm.

## Takeaway
Bumblebees are strong, agile fliers that can reach speeds of around 24 km/h (15 mph) as they move between flowers.

## Takeaway
Bumblebees feed entirely on nectar and pollen, and in gathering them they pollinate a huge range of wild plants and crops.

## Appearance and identification
Bumblebees are round, robust bees covered in dense fuzzy hair, which gives them their soft appearance and helps them stay warm. The buff-tailed bumblebee is one of the largest common species, about 1.5 to 2.5 cm (0.6 to 1 in) long, with bands of black and yellow and a pale buff-coloured tail on the queen. Their thick coat, called pile, also traps pollen as they visit flowers. Queens are noticeably larger than the workers and males of the colony.

## Flight and foraging
Bumblebees are strong, agile fliers that can reach speeds of around 24 km/h (15 mph) as they move between flowers. They can warm up their flight muscles by shivering, which lets them fly in cooler and cloudier weather than most other bees. This gives them a long working day, foraging from early morning into the evening. A single bumblebee may visit hundreds of flowers on one trip, gathering nectar and pollen to carry back to the nest.

## Pollination and diet
Bumblebees feed entirely on nectar and pollen, and in gathering them they pollinate a huge range of wild plants and crops. They are especially valuable because of "buzz pollination", in which they grip a flower and vibrate their muscles to shake loose pollen that many other insects cannot reach. This makes them key pollinators of tomatoes, blueberries, and other crops. Their work in gardens and farmland supports both wild plant communities and food production.

## Colony life
Bumblebees are social insects that live in small colonies, usually of a few dozen to a few hundred individuals, far smaller than a honeybee hive. In spring a lone queen starts a new nest, often in an old rodent burrow or a tussock of grass, and raises the first workers herself. Those workers then take over foraging and brood care while the queen concentrates on laying eggs. Later in the year the colony produces new queens and males before the old colony dies off.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bumblebee): Bumblebee — wildlife guide.

## Life cycle and lifespan
The bumblebee colony follows a yearly rhythm. Only newly mated queens survive the winter, sheltering underground until spring, when each founds a fresh colony; a queen can live for about a year in total. Workers, by contrast, live just a few weeks during the active season. In late summer the new queens mate and go into hibernation while the rest of the colony, including the old queen and the workers, comes to an end.

## Bumblebees and people
Bumblebees are gentle and rarely sting unless their nest is threatened, and unlike honeybees a female can sting more than once. They are widely valued by gardeners and farmers, and buff-tailed bumblebees are even reared commercially to pollinate greenhouse crops. While this particular species is common and listed as Least Concern, many other bumblebees have declined, so wildflower-rich gardens and hedgerows help support them all.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated bumblebee programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The bumblebee is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the bumblebee supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/bumblebee): Bumblebee — wildlife guide.

## Do bumblebees sting?
Bumblebees can sting but are very gentle and rarely do so unless their nest is threatened. Unlike honeybees, a female bumblebee can sting more than once because her sting is not barbed.

## What do bumblebees eat?
Bumblebees feed entirely on nectar and pollen from flowers. They use nectar for energy and collect pollen as protein-rich food for the growing larvae back in the nest.

## How fast can a bumblebee fly?
Bumblebees are strong fliers that can reach speeds of around 24 km/h (15 mph). They can also warm their muscles by shivering, letting them fly in cooler weather than many other bees.

## How long do bumblebees live?
Worker bumblebees live only a few weeks during the active season, while a queen can live for about a year. Only mated queens survive the winter to start new colonies in spring.

## Why are bumblebees important pollinators?
Bumblebees pollinate many wild plants and crops, and they perform buzz pollination by vibrating flowers to release pollen other insects cannot reach. This makes them vital for crops such as tomatoes and blueberries.

## How big are bumblebee colonies?
Bumblebee colonies are small, usually a few dozen to a few hundred individuals, far smaller than a honeybee hive. A single queen founds each colony in spring and it lasts a single season.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hornet): Asian Giant Hornet — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the world's largest hornet, with queens reaching up to 5 cm long and a wingspan close to 7.5 cm. Native to the forests and low mountains of East and Southeast Asia, it is a powerful predator that hunts other insects and can fly at up to 40 km/h.

## Introduction
The Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) is the world's largest hornet, with queens reaching up to 5 cm long and a wingspan close to 7.5 cm. Native to the forests and low mountains of East and Southeast Asia, it is a powerful predator that hunts other insects and can fly at up to 40 km/h. Colonies last a single year, and despite its fearsome reputation the species is common and listed as Least Concern.

## Takeaway
The Asian giant hornet earns its name: queens can reach about 5 cm in length, with workers a little smaller at around 3.5 to 4.5 cm, and a wingspan approaching 7.5 cm.

## Takeaway
Asian giant hornets are carnivores that prey on other insects, particularly bees and wasps.

## Takeaway
Like other social wasps, the Asian giant hornet lives in an annual colony that lasts a single year.

## The world's largest hornet
The Asian giant hornet earns its name: queens can reach about 5 cm in length, with workers a little smaller at around 3.5 to 4.5 cm, and a wingspan approaching 7.5 cm. Its large orange-yellow head, dark thorax and boldly banded abdomen make it unmistakable. Powerful wings let it fly at speeds of up to 40 km/h and cover long distances in a day. This impressive size and strength make it a formidable hunter of other insects.

## Hunting and diet
Asian giant hornets are carnivores that prey on other insects, particularly bees and wasps. Adults hunt widely, using their large jaws to dismember prey, and carry protein-rich meat back to feed the colony's developing larvae. They are best known for raiding honeybee hives, where a small group of hornets can slaughter thousands of bees to seize the brood inside. In turn the adult hornets feed largely on sugary secretions produced by their own larvae.

## Colony life and life cycle
Like other social wasps, the Asian giant hornet lives in an annual colony that lasts a single year. A mated queen emerges in spring to found a nest, usually in a burrow or hollow at ground level, and raises the first workers herself. Through summer the colony grows as sterile female workers, which live only a few weeks each, expand the nest and gather food. In autumn the colony produces new queens and males; the old colony then dies, and only young mated queens survive the winter to start again.

## The sting and danger to people
The Asian giant hornet has a sting several millimetres long that can pierce ordinary clothing, delivering a potent venom. A single sting is very painful, and multiple stings can be dangerous, especially to people who are allergic. In parts of its range it is responsible for a number of deaths each year, usually where victims disturb a nest and are stung many times. That said, the hornet is not aggressive away from its nest and generally ignores people who leave it alone.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hornet): Asian Giant Hornet — wildlife guide.

## Range and habitat
The species is native to eastern and southern Asia, from Japan and the Korean Peninsula through China to parts of Southeast Asia. It favours forests and low mountains, where it can find both prey and suitable ground sites for nesting. Nests are typically hidden underground in abandoned rodent burrows or among tree roots. The hornet is widespread across this range and is classed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

## The "murder hornet" reputation
The Asian giant hornet drew worldwide attention when a few individuals turned up in North America, earning it the sensational nickname 'murder hornet'. The alarm centres on its ability to devastate honeybee colonies, which threatens both wild pollinators and beekeeping. Interestingly, some Asian honeybees have evolved a defence, swarming over an intruding hornet and cooking it to death with their combined body heat. Efforts to detect and remove any nests outside its native range aim to protect local bees.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated asian giant hornet programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The asian giant hornet is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the asian giant hornet supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hornet): Asian Giant Hornet — wildlife guide.

## How big is the Asian giant hornet?
It is the largest hornet in the world. Queens reach up to about 5 cm long, workers are around 3.5 to 4.5 cm, and the wingspan can approach 7.5 cm.

## What do Asian giant hornets eat?
They are carnivores that hunt other insects, especially bees and wasps. They famously raid honeybee hives to seize the brood, and adults also feed on sugary fluids produced by their own larvae.

## How dangerous is an Asian giant hornet sting?
A single sting is extremely painful and its long stinger can pierce ordinary clothing. Multiple stings can be dangerous, particularly to people with allergies, though the hornet is not aggressive when away from its nest.

## How fast can an Asian giant hornet fly?
Asian giant hornets are strong fliers and can reach speeds of up to about 40 km/h, allowing them to cover long distances while hunting.

## How long do Asian giant hornets live?
Colonies last a single year. Workers live only a few weeks each, while a queen lives about a year, founding a nest in spring and dying after new queens are produced in autumn.

## Why is it called the murder hornet?
The nickname comes from its ability to wipe out honeybee colonies, with a small group killing thousands of bees to reach the brood. It gained the name after a few appeared in North America, raising fears for local bees.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/dung-beetle): Dung Beetle — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on animal droppings, and many are famous for rolling dung into balls and pushing them away to bury as food or a brood chamber. They are remarkably strong for their size and play a vital role in recycling waste, improving soil, and reducing pests.

## Introduction
Dung beetles are beetles that feed on animal droppings, and many are famous for rolling dung into balls and pushing them away to bury as food or a brood chamber. They are remarkably strong for their size and play a vital role in recycling waste, improving soil, and reducing pests. Found on every continent except Antarctica, dung beetles include species that roll, tunnel, or simply dwell in dung.

## Takeaway
Dung beetles use dung in different ways depending on the species.

## Takeaway
Dung beetles are among the strongest animals for their size.

## Takeaway
Both adults and larvae feed on dung, which provides nutrients and moisture.

## Rollers, tunnelers, and dwellers
Dung beetles use dung in different ways depending on the species. Rollers shape dung into balls and push them away to bury, tunnelers dig down beneath a dung pat to store it, and dwellers simply live within the dung itself. The rolling species are the most famous, navigating in straight lines sometimes using the sun, the moon, or even the band of the Milky Way.

## Remarkable strength
Dung beetles are among the strongest animals for their size. Some species can pull loads many hundreds of times their own body weight, the equivalent of a person hauling several loaded trucks. This strength helps them move dung balls far larger and heavier than themselves across uneven ground.

## Diet and reproduction
Both adults and larvae feed on dung, which provides nutrients and moisture. Many species form a brood ball in which the female lays an egg, so the hatching larva has a ready food supply. By burying dung, the beetles also plant it underground where it nourishes the soil.

## Ecological importance
By burying and consuming dung, dung beetles recycle nutrients, improve soil structure, and reduce the breeding grounds of pest flies and parasites that thrive in droppings. They also help disperse seeds contained in dung. These services make them valuable to farmers and to natural grassland ecosystems worldwide.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated dung beetle programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The dung beetle is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the dung beetle supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/dung-beetle): Dung Beetle — wildlife guide.

## Why do dung beetles roll dung?
Rolling species shape dung into balls and push them away to bury as a food store or as a brood chamber for their eggs. Moving the dung away reduces competition from other beetles at the original pile.

## How strong are dung beetles?
Dung beetles are among the strongest animals relative to their size, with some species able to pull many hundreds of times their own body weight. This lets them move dung balls far heavier than themselves.

## What do dung beetles eat?
Dung beetles feed on animal droppings, which provide both nutrients and moisture. Both the adults and their larvae rely on dung as their main food source.

## Are dung beetles useful?
Yes. By burying dung they recycle nutrients, improve soil, disperse seeds, and reduce pest flies and parasites. These services make them valuable to farming and natural ecosystems.

## How do dung beetles navigate?
Rolling dung beetles move in straight lines using cues such as the position of the sun or moon, and some can even orient by the band of the Milky Way. This keeps them from circling back to the dung pile.

## Where do dung beetles live?
Dung beetles are found on every continent except Antarctica, in habitats ranging from grasslands and farmland to forests and deserts. They live wherever grazing animals leave droppings to feed on.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cicada): Cicada — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Cicadas are large sap-feeding insects of the family Cicadidae, famous for the loud song of the males and for spending most of their lives underground. Adults are 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2 in) long, fly on clear membranous wings, and feed on plant sap.

## Introduction
Cicadas are large sap-feeding insects of the family Cicadidae, famous for the loud song of the males and for spending most of their lives underground. Adults are 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2 in) long, fly on clear membranous wings, and feed on plant sap. Nymphs live underground for years, while adults survive only a few weeks. They are found in forests and grasslands worldwide.

## Takeaway
Cicadas are stout, broad-headed insects measuring 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2 in) long depending on the species, with prominent bulging eyes set wide apart.

## Takeaway
Male cicadas produce one of the loudest sounds of any insect using paired ribbed membranes called tymbals on the sides of the abdomen.

## Takeaway
Cicadas spend the great majority of their lives as nymphs living underground, where they feed on sap from plant roots.

## Appearance and identification
Cicadas are stout, broad-headed insects measuring 2 to 5 cm (0.8 to 2 in) long depending on the species, with prominent bulging eyes set wide apart. They have two pairs of clear, well-veined membranous wings that are held roof-like over the body at rest. Many species are green, brown, or black, sometimes with striking red or gold eyes. Adults are strong fliers but clumsy, and are often heard long before they are seen.

## The famous song
Male cicadas produce one of the loudest sounds of any insect using paired ribbed membranes called tymbals on the sides of the abdomen. Muscles buckle these membranes rapidly in and out, and the largely hollow abdomen amplifies the clicks into a continuous, penetrating call. The song is used mainly to attract females, and different species have distinct calls so that mates find the right partner. In large choruses the combined sound can be intense enough to be uncomfortable at close range.

## Life cycle underground
Cicadas spend the great majority of their lives as nymphs living underground, where they feed on sap from plant roots. Depending on the species this stage lasts from a couple of years to many years, and some North American periodical cicadas emerge together after 13 or 17 years. When ready, the nymphs dig to the surface, climb a plant or tree, and moult into winged adults, leaving behind the familiar empty shell. The adult stage that follows lasts only a few weeks.

## Diet and feeding
Both nymphs and adults are herbivores that feed on plant sap rather than solid food. Using needle-like mouthparts, nymphs draw sap from roots underground, while adults feed on the fluids of twigs and branches. Because the sap is watery and low in nutrients, cicadas process large volumes and are not considered serious pests of crops in most cases. Their feeding and egg-laying can, however, cause minor damage to young twigs.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cicada): Cicada — wildlife guide.

## Predators and defence
Cicadas are eaten by birds, small mammals, reptiles, and predatory insects, and they have few active defences beyond flight and camouflage. Periodical species rely on a strategy of overwhelming numbers, emerging all at once so that predators cannot possibly eat them all before they breed. A specialised wasp known as the cicada killer hunts them to provision its nest. When handled, adults may emit a sharp distress squawk and take off quickly.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated cicada programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The cicada is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the cicada supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cicada): Cicada — wildlife guide.

## Why are cicadas so loud?
Male cicadas make sound with ribbed membranes called tymbals on the abdomen, which they buckle rapidly while the hollow abdomen amplifies the noise. The call attracts females, and large choruses rank among the loudest sounds made by any insect.

## How long do cicadas live?
Cicadas spend most of their lives as nymphs underground, which can last from a few years up to 13 or 17 years in periodical species. The winged adults that emerge live only a few weeks.

## What do cicadas eat?
Cicadas are herbivores that feed on plant sap. Nymphs draw sap from roots underground, while adults feed on the fluids of twigs and branches using needle-like mouthparts.

## Do cicadas bite or sting?
Cicadas do not bite or sting and are harmless to people. Their mouthparts are built for piercing plants to feed on sap, not for defence.

## Why do periodical cicadas emerge every 13 or 17 years?
Emerging together after 13 or 17 years floods the area with so many cicadas that predators cannot eat them all, ensuring many survive to breed. The long, prime-numbered cycles are also thought to make it harder for predators to sync with them.

## Are cicadas the same as locusts?
No. Cicadas are a separate group of sap-feeding insects and do not swarm to destroy crops. Locusts are a type of grasshopper, and the two are often confused only because of the noise and large numbers of emerging cicadas.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/housefly): Housefly — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The housefly (Musca domestica) is a small grey fly, about 6 to 7 mm long, found almost everywhere people live. It feeds by sponging up liquids and decaying matter, flies at up to around 8 km/h (5 mph), and completes its entire life cycle from egg to adult in a week or two.

## Introduction
The housefly (Musca domestica) is a small grey fly, about 6 to 7 mm long, found almost everywhere people live. It feeds by sponging up liquids and decaying matter, flies at up to around 8 km/h (5 mph), and completes its entire life cycle from egg to adult in a week or two. Adults live only about two to four weeks and the species is of Least Concern.

## Takeaway
A housefly measures just 6 to 7 mm and weighs a tiny fraction of a gram, yet it is one of the most agile fliers in the insect world.

## Takeaway
Houseflies cannot bite or chew because they have no jaws.

## Takeaway
Few animals breed as fast as the housefly.

## Anatomy and flight
A housefly measures just 6 to 7 mm and weighs a tiny fraction of a gram, yet it is one of the most agile fliers in the insect world. It has a single pair of working wings, while the hind pair is reduced to club-shaped halteres that act as gyroscopes and let it change direction almost instantly. In level flight it moves at up to roughly 8 km/h (5 mph), and its large compound eyes, each built from thousands of lenses, detect movement so quickly that a looming hand is spotted long before it lands. Sticky pads on its feet allow it to walk upside down across ceilings and glass.

## Feeding and mouthparts
Houseflies cannot bite or chew because they have no jaws. Instead they use a soft, sponge-like mouthpart called a proboscis to soak up liquids, and they dissolve solid food such as sugar or dried residue by dribbling saliva onto it first. Their diet is broadly omnivorous, taking in anything from spilled drinks and rotting fruit to animal waste and decaying matter. Taste receptors on their feet mean a fly effectively samples a surface the moment it touches down.

## Life cycle and reproduction
Few animals breed as fast as the housefly. A female lays batches of around 100 to 150 white eggs, often several times in her short life, in moist decaying material such as manure, compost, or rubbish. The eggs hatch within a day into pale legless larvae known as maggots, which feed and grow before pupating and emerging as winged adults. In warm conditions the whole cycle takes little more than a week, so a single pair can give rise to enormous numbers in a season.

## Where houseflies live
The housefly is one of the most widespread insects on Earth, following humans to almost every inhabited place from the tropics to cool temperate cities. It thrives around farms, kitchens, markets, and waste, wherever warmth and decaying organic matter provide food and breeding sites. It cannot survive hard winters outdoors in cold regions, but heated buildings let it persist year-round. This close association with people is why it carries the name housefly.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/housefly): Housefly — wildlife guide.

## Houseflies and human health
Because houseflies move freely between waste and food, they can carry bacteria and other pathogens on their bodies and mouthparts, and are linked to the spread of illnesses such as food poisoning and dysentery. They transfer germs by landing, walking, and regurgitating saliva onto surfaces where we eat. Good hygiene, covered food, sealed bins, and fly screens are the most effective ways to keep numbers down. Despite the risks, adult houseflies live only about two to four weeks, so populations turn over quickly.

## Role in nature
For all the nuisance they cause indoors, houseflies and their maggots are important recyclers of decaying material, helping to break down dung and dead matter and return nutrients to the soil. They are also a ready food source for birds, spiders, frogs, and countless other predators. Their rapid breeding and short generation time have made them a favourite laboratory animal for studying genetics and development. The species remains extremely common and is classed as Least Concern.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated housefly programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The housefly is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the housefly supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/housefly): Housefly — wildlife guide.

## How long does a housefly live?
An adult housefly lives only about two to four weeks. Its full life cycle from egg to adult, however, can be completed in as little as a week in warm weather, which is why the flies appear in such large numbers.

## What do houseflies eat?
Houseflies are omnivores that feed on liquids and decaying matter, including spilled food, rotting fruit, sugar, and animal waste. They cannot chew, so they use a sponge-like mouthpart to soak up liquid and dissolve solids with their saliva first.

## How fast can a housefly fly?
A housefly flies at up to around 8 km/h (5 mph). It is not fast in a straight line, but its club-shaped halteres act as balance organs that let it turn and dodge almost instantly, making it very hard to swat.

## Why are houseflies so hard to swat?
Houseflies have huge compound eyes that detect movement extremely fast and process it far quicker than we do, so an approaching hand looks slow to them. Combined with their rapid, jerky flight and quick take-off, this gives them plenty of time to escape.

## Do houseflies spread disease?
Yes. Because they move between waste and food, houseflies can carry bacteria and other pathogens on their bodies and are associated with illnesses such as food poisoning and dysentery. Covering food, sealing bins, and using fly screens greatly reduces the risk.

## How big is a housefly?
An adult housefly is small, about 6 to 7 mm long (roughly a quarter of an inch). Females tend to be slightly larger than males, and the body is grey with four dark stripes on the thorax.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/flea): Flea — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Fleas are tiny, wingless insects that live as parasites on the bodies of mammals and birds, feeding on their blood. They are renowned for their jumping ability, able to leap many times their own body length thanks to powerful hind legs and a spring-like protein.

## Introduction
Fleas are tiny, wingless insects that live as parasites on the bodies of mammals and birds, feeding on their blood. They are renowned for their jumping ability, able to leap many times their own body length thanks to powerful hind legs and a spring-like protein. Fleas can be a nuisance to pets and people and can transmit disease, and they are found nearly worldwide.

## Takeaway
Fleas are famous for their extraordinary jumps, able to leap distances and heights many times their own body length.

## Takeaway
Fleas are external parasites that feed on the blood of mammals and birds, with each species often favoring particular hosts.

## Takeaway
A flea's life cycle moves through egg, larva, pupa, and adult, much of it taking place off the host in bedding, carpets, or nests.

## Built for jumping
Fleas are famous for their extraordinary jumps, able to leap distances and heights many times their own body length. The power comes from a rubber-like protein called resilin that stores energy and releases it like a spring. This lets a flea launch onto a passing host with explosive acceleration.

## A parasitic lifestyle
Fleas are external parasites that feed on the blood of mammals and birds, with each species often favoring particular hosts. Their bodies are flattened from side to side, helping them slip easily through fur and feathers, and backward-pointing bristles make them hard to remove. Mouthparts adapted for piercing skin let them feed on blood.

## Life cycle
A flea's life cycle moves through egg, larva, pupa, and adult, much of it taking place off the host in bedding, carpets, or nests. Eggs laid on a host often fall into the surrounding environment, where the larvae feed on debris before pupating. Adults emerge ready to jump onto a host and feed, sometimes after waiting for the right cue such as warmth or vibration.

## Fleas and disease
Beyond the irritation of their bites, fleas can transmit diseases and parasites. Historically, certain fleas spread the bacteria responsible for plague, and fleas can also carry tapeworms and other pathogens between animals. Controlling fleas on pets and in the home helps protect both animals and people.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated flea programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The flea is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the flea supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/flea): Flea — wildlife guide.

## How far can a flea jump?
Fleas can leap many times their own body length, an extraordinary feat for their size. The jump is powered by a spring-like protein called resilin that releases stored energy in an instant.

## What do fleas eat?
Fleas are parasites that feed on the blood of mammals and birds. Different species tend to favor particular hosts, such as cats, dogs, or rodents.

## How long do fleas live?
Adult fleas typically live several weeks to a few months when they have a host to feed on. Much of the life cycle, including the egg, larva, and pupa stages, takes place off the host.

## Can fleas spread disease?
Yes. Fleas can transmit diseases and parasites, and historically certain fleas spread the bacteria that cause plague. They can also carry tapeworms between animals, which is why flea control matters.

## Why are fleas so hard to get rid of?
Much of the flea population lives off the host as eggs, larvae, and pupae in bedding and carpets, so treating only the animal misses many fleas. Effective control treats both the pet and its environment.

## Do fleas have wings?
No. Fleas are wingless insects. Instead of flying they rely on their powerful hind legs to jump onto hosts and move between them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hermit-crab): Hermit Crab — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Hermit crabs are crustaceans that protect their soft, spiraled abdomens by living inside empty snail shells. As they grow, they leave their old shell and move into a larger one, sometimes lining up to swap shells in sequence.

## Introduction
Hermit crabs are crustaceans that protect their soft, spiraled abdomens by living inside empty snail shells. As they grow, they leave their old shell and move into a larger one, sometimes lining up to swap shells in sequence. Found on shorelines and seabeds worldwide, many species live 10 to 30 years, and they are popular, low-cost pets.

## Takeaway
Unlike true crabs, most hermit crabs have a soft, curled abdomen with no hard shell of its own.

## Takeaway
As a hermit crab grows it outgrows its shell and must find a larger one.

## Takeaway
Hermit crabs are omnivorous scavengers that feed on algae, plankton, food scraps, and dead animals, helping clean the shoreline.

## Borrowed homes
Unlike true crabs, most hermit crabs have a soft, curled abdomen with no hard shell of its own. To protect it, the crab backs into an empty snail shell and carries it everywhere, gripping the inside with specially shaped rear legs. The shell shields the crab from predators and from drying out.

## Shell swapping
As a hermit crab grows it outgrows its shell and must find a larger one. When a good empty shell appears, crabs sometimes gather and form a line by size, each moving into the next-biggest shell in a chain swap. Competition for shells can be intense where suitable shells are scarce.

## Diet and behavior
Hermit crabs are omnivorous scavengers that feed on algae, plankton, food scraps, and dead animals, helping clean the shoreline. They are mostly active at night and use their antennae and claws to find and handle food. Many species are social and gather in groups, especially around food or fresh shells.

## As a pet
Land hermit crabs are common, inexpensive pets that need humid, warm enclosures, a choice of empty shells to grow into, and both fresh and salt water. With good care they can live well over a decade, far longer than many owners expect. They are wild-caught in some regions, so responsible sourcing matters.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated hermit crab programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The hermit crab is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the hermit crab supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/hermit-crab): Hermit Crab — wildlife guide.

## Why do hermit crabs live in shells?
Most hermit crabs have a soft, vulnerable abdomen and no shell of their own, so they move into empty snail shells for protection from predators and from drying out.

## Do hermit crabs change shells?
Yes. As they grow, hermit crabs must move into larger empty shells. They sometimes gather and line up by size to swap shells in a chain, each taking the next-biggest one.

## What do hermit crabs eat?
Hermit crabs are omnivorous scavengers. They eat algae, plankton, food scraps, and dead animals, which makes them useful cleaners of the shoreline.

## Are hermit crabs good pets?
Hermit crabs can make low-cost, low-maintenance pets, but they need a warm, humid tank, spare shells to grow into, and both fresh and salt water. With proper care they can live for over a decade.

## Are hermit crabs actually crabs?
Hermit crabs are crustaceans closely related to true crabs but in a different group. Unlike true crabs, they have a soft, asymmetrical abdomen that they protect inside a borrowed shell.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/earthworm): Earthworm — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Earthworms are segmented worms that burrow through soil, eating organic matter and recycling nutrients as they go. They breathe through their moist skin, have no eyes or lungs, and are hermaphrodites.

## Introduction
Earthworms are segmented worms that burrow through soil, eating organic matter and recycling nutrients as they go. They breathe through their moist skin, have no eyes or lungs, and are hermaphrodites. By aerating and mixing soil and producing nutrient-rich castings, they are among the most important animals for healthy ground and farming.

## Takeaway
An earthworm's body is divided into many ring-like segments, most carrying tiny bristles called setae that grip the soil as it moves.

## Takeaway
As earthworms tunnel and feed, they swallow soil and organic matter and excrete nutrient-rich waste called castings.

## Takeaway
Earthworms are detritivores that feed on decaying leaves, roots, and other organic matter in the soil.

## Body and breathing
An earthworm's body is divided into many ring-like segments, most carrying tiny bristles called setae that grip the soil as it moves. It has no eyes, ears, or lungs, and breathes by absorbing oxygen directly through its moist skin. This is why earthworms must stay damp and often come to the surface after heavy rain.

## Soil engineers
As earthworms tunnel and feed, they swallow soil and organic matter and excrete nutrient-rich waste called castings. Their burrows loosen and aerate the ground, improve drainage, and mix decaying material deeper into the soil. These actions make earthworms vital for fertile soil and healthy plant growth.

## Diet and digestion
Earthworms are detritivores that feed on decaying leaves, roots, and other organic matter in the soil. Because they have no teeth, they swallow small stones and grit that grind food inside a muscular gizzard. Their digestion releases nutrients in a form plants can readily absorb.

## Reproduction and regeneration
Earthworms are hermaphrodites, with each worm carrying both male and female organs, but two worms still mate to exchange sperm. After mating, a band on the body called the clitellum forms a cocoon in which the eggs develop. Some species can regrow a lost tail end, though they cannot regenerate a whole new worm from any piece.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated earthworm programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The earthworm is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the earthworm supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/earthworm): Earthworm — wildlife guide.

## Do earthworms have eyes?
No. Earthworms have no eyes, ears, or lungs. They sense light and vibration through special cells in their skin and breathe by absorbing oxygen through their moist surface.

## Why are earthworms good for soil?
Earthworms loosen and aerate soil as they burrow, improve drainage, and produce nutrient-rich castings. This recycling of organic matter makes them essential for fertile soil and healthy plant growth.

## If you cut an earthworm in half, do both halves survive?
No, that is a myth. An earthworm cannot become two worms. The head end may survive and regrow part of its tail, but the tail end generally dies.

## What do earthworms eat?
Earthworms are detritivores that eat decaying leaves, roots, and other organic matter in the soil. They swallow grit that helps grind the food inside a muscular gizzard.

## Why do earthworms come out after rain?
Earthworms breathe through their skin and need moisture, but waterlogged soil can be low in oxygen. After heavy rain they often surface to breathe and move more easily across the wet ground.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/giant-clam): Giant Clam — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The giant clam is the largest living bivalve mollusk, growing over 1.2 m (4 ft) wide and weighing more than 200 kg (440 lb). It lives anchored to coral reefs in the warm Indo-Pacific, where it feeds partly by filtering water and partly through algae living in its colorful tissue.

## Introduction
The giant clam is the largest living bivalve mollusk, growing over 1.2 m (4 ft) wide and weighing more than 200 kg (440 lb). It lives anchored to coral reefs in the warm Indo-Pacific, where it feeds partly by filtering water and partly through algae living in its colorful tissue. Giant clams grow slowly and can live more than 100 years.

## Takeaway
The giant clam is the biggest of all living bivalve mollusks, with two heavy, ribbed shells joined by a hinge.

## Takeaway
Much of the giant clam's food comes from tiny algae called zooxanthellae that live inside its brightly colored mantle tissue.

## Takeaway
The exposed mantle of a giant clam can be vivid blue, green, gold, or brown, with patterns created partly by the algae and by light-sensing cells.

## The largest bivalve
The giant clam is the biggest of all living bivalve mollusks, with two heavy, ribbed shells joined by a hinge. Once it settles on a reef as a young clam, it stays fixed in place for the rest of its life. Its huge shells can weigh hundreds of kilograms and outlast the animal itself.

## A partnership with algae
Much of the giant clam's food comes from tiny algae called zooxanthellae that live inside its brightly colored mantle tissue. The algae photosynthesize using sunlight and share sugars with the clam, which is why giant clams live in clear, shallow, sunlit reef water. The clam also filters plankton from the water for extra nutrition.

## Colorful and harmless
The exposed mantle of a giant clam can be vivid blue, green, gold, or brown, with patterns created partly by the algae and by light-sensing cells. Despite old myths about clams trapping divers, giant clams close too slowly to be a danger and cannot hold a person. They simply pull their mantle in and shut gradually when disturbed.

## Conservation
Giant clams grow slowly and are threatened by overharvesting for food, shells, and the aquarium trade, as well as by reef damage. They are listed as Vulnerable and protected under international trade rules, with farming and reef restocking helping some populations recover. Healthy reefs are essential to their survival.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated giant clam programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The giant clam faces documented conservation pressure in the wild, which is why clear, sourced public information about it matters. Building public understanding of species like the giant clam supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/giant-clam): Giant Clam — wildlife guide.

## How big do giant clams get?
Giant clams are the largest living bivalves, growing more than 1.2 m (4 ft) wide and weighing over 200 kg (440 lb). They reach this size by growing slowly over many decades.

## Can a giant clam trap a person?
No. Despite old myths, giant clams close their shells far too slowly to trap a diver and cannot hold a person. When disturbed, they simply retract their mantle and shut gradually.

## What do giant clams eat?
Giant clams get much of their food from algae living in their tissue, which photosynthesize and share sugars with the clam. They also filter plankton from the surrounding water.

## How long do giant clams live?
Giant clams grow slowly and can live more than 100 years in the wild. Their large shells can persist long after the animal has died.

## Are giant clams endangered?
Giant clams are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to overharvesting and reef damage. They are protected under international trade rules, and clam farming helps support struggling populations.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cuttlefish): Cuttlefish — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is a soft-bodied marine mollusc found over sandy seabeds and seagrass in coastal seas of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Despite its name it is not a fish but a cephalopod, related to octopuses and squid, and it can transform its colour and skin texture in a fraction of a second.

## Introduction
The common cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis) is a soft-bodied marine mollusc found over sandy seabeds and seagrass in coastal seas of the eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean. Despite its name it is not a fish but a cephalopod, related to octopuses and squid, and it can transform its colour and skin texture in a fraction of a second. It grows to about 50 cm including its arms, weighs around 2 kg, and lives only one to two years.

## Takeaway
Cuttlefish are among the most accomplished quick-change artists in the animal kingdom, altering their colour, pattern and even skin texture almost instantly.

## Takeaway
The common cuttlefish is a patient carnivore that preys on fish, crabs and shrimp.

## Takeaway
For everyday travel a cuttlefish swims gracefully by rippling the fin that runs around the edge of its body.

## Camouflage and colour change
Cuttlefish are among the most accomplished quick-change artists in the animal kingdom, altering their colour, pattern and even skin texture almost instantly. They achieve this using thousands of pigment cells called chromatophores, layered over reflective iridophores and leucophores that bounce light. Remarkably, cuttlefish are colour-blind, yet they still match the hues of their surroundings, probably by sensing light through their skin and detecting polarised light. This mastery lets them melt into a sandy seabed to ambush prey or vanish from a passing predator.

## Hunting and diet
The common cuttlefish is a patient carnivore that preys on fish, crabs and shrimp. It stalks or waits in ambush, then shoots out two long, sucker-tipped feeding tentacles to seize prey in a fraction of a second. Its parrot-like beak, hidden at the base of the arms, breaks apart hard shells, while venom in its saliva helps subdue struggling crustaceans. Some cuttlefish also hypnotise prey with rippling bands of colour that pulse across the body before they strike.

## Movement and the cuttlebone
For everyday travel a cuttlefish swims gracefully by rippling the fin that runs around the edge of its body. When it needs to flee, it draws water into its mantle and jets it out through a funnel, rocketing backwards at bursts of up to 25 km/h (16 mph). Buoyancy is controlled by the cuttlebone, a porous internal shell whose tiny gas-filled chambers let the animal hover effortlessly at any depth. If threatened it can also release a cloud of dark ink to confuse an attacker while it makes its escape.

## Intelligence and senses
Cuttlefish have the largest brain-to-body ratio of almost any invertebrate and show genuine problem-solving ability. Their W-shaped pupils give excellent vision, and experiments suggest they can exercise self-control, waiting for a preferred meal rather than taking an inferior one immediately. They can even remember details of past meals, adjusting their foraging accordingly. This combination of sharp senses and a large brain makes them formidable hunters despite their short lives.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cuttlefish): Cuttlefish — wildlife guide.

## Reproduction and short life
Cuttlefish live fast and die young, surviving only one to two years. Males compete intensely for females and court them with dazzling displays of shifting colour, while smaller males sometimes disguise themselves as females to sneak past rivals. After mating, the female lays clusters of grape-like eggs, often stained black with her own ink, and attaches them to seaweed or rocks. Both parents die soon after breeding, a life cycle known as semelparity.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated cuttlefish programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The cuttlefish is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the cuttlefish supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/cuttlefish): Cuttlefish — wildlife guide.

## Is a cuttlefish a fish?
No. Despite the name, a cuttlefish is a cephalopod, a soft-bodied mollusc closely related to octopuses and squid. It swims rather than having fins and gills like a true fish, and it belongs to the invertebrates.

## How do cuttlefish change colour?
They use thousands of pigment sacs called chromatophores in their skin, backed by reflective cells that scatter light. By expanding and contracting these cells they can shift colour, pattern and even skin texture in a fraction of a second.

## How long do cuttlefish live?
Common cuttlefish live only about one to two years. They grow quickly, breed once, and die shortly after laying their eggs.

## What do cuttlefish eat?
Cuttlefish are carnivores that hunt fish, crabs and shrimp. They ambush prey and shoot out two long feeding tentacles to grab it, then break it apart with a hard, beak-like mouth.

## How big do cuttlefish get?
The common cuttlefish reaches about 50 cm (20 in) in length including its arms and weighs up to roughly 2 kg. Some tropical species grow considerably larger, but this is the typical size for the common Atlantic and Mediterranean species.

## Are cuttlefish intelligent?
Yes. Cuttlefish have an unusually large brain for an invertebrate and can solve problems, remember past experiences and even show self-control by waiting for a preferred food. Their intelligence rivals that of some vertebrates.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/blue-crab): Blue Crab — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is a swift swimming crab of the western Atlantic, abundant in the brackish estuaries of the United States east coast and Gulf of Mexico. It has a broad shell up to about 23 cm (9 in) across and a pair of flattened rear legs that let it swim sideways through the water.

## Introduction
The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) is a swift swimming crab of the western Atlantic, abundant in the brackish estuaries of the United States east coast and Gulf of Mexico. It has a broad shell up to about 23 cm (9 in) across and a pair of flattened rear legs that let it swim sideways through the water. An omnivore that lives three to four years, it is listed as Least Concern.

## Takeaway
Unlike most crabs, the blue crab is a strong swimmer rather than a purely bottom-dwelling walker.

## Takeaway
Blue crabs live along the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia south through the Gulf of Mexico and down to Argentina, with their heartland in the estuaries of Chesapeake Bay and the US east coast.

## Takeaway
The blue crab is an opportunistic omnivore that eats almost anything it can catch or scavenge.

## Swimming and body plan
Unlike most crabs, the blue crab is a strong swimmer rather than a purely bottom-dwelling walker. Its last pair of legs is flattened into broad paddles that beat rapidly, propelling the crab sideways through open water. On the seabed it also crawls on its walking legs, but the swimming paddles let it cover distance quickly and escape predators. The shell can reach about 23 cm (9 in) from spine to spine, and the crab weighs up to roughly 0.45 kg (1 lb).

## Habitat and range
Blue crabs live along the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia south through the Gulf of Mexico and down to Argentina, with their heartland in the estuaries of Chesapeake Bay and the US east coast. They thrive in the brackish mixing zone where rivers meet the sea, tolerating a wide range of salinity. Adults move between deeper, saltier water and shallow grassy flats depending on the season and their stage of life. Seagrass beds and marsh edges offer both feeding grounds and shelter for moulting individuals.

## Diet and feeding
The blue crab is an opportunistic omnivore that eats almost anything it can catch or scavenge. Its menu includes small fish, clams, mussels and other molluscs, worms, plant matter, and carrion. Powerful claws let it crush shellfish, while it also scours the bottom for decaying material, helping to clean the estuary. This broad diet makes the blue crab an important link in the coastal food web.

## Life cycle and reproduction
Female blue crabs mate only once, shortly after their final moult into adulthood, and store sperm to fertilise multiple batches of eggs. A female carries a spongy egg mass beneath her abdomen, sometimes holding two million eggs, and migrates to saltier water near the sea mouth to release the larvae. The tiny larvae drift in the plankton before settling and growing through a series of moults. Blue crabs typically live three to four years.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/blue-crab): Blue Crab — wildlife guide.

## Fisheries and human use
The blue crab supports one of the most valuable shellfish fisheries on the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts, and its scientific name sapidus means "savoury" or "tasty". Crabs caught just after moulting, while their new shell is still soft, are sold as prized soft-shell crabs. Chesapeake Bay in particular has a long crabbing culture built around the species. Careful management of catch limits and female crabs helps keep the fishery sustainable.

## Conservation status
The blue crab is listed as Least Concern and remains widespread and common across its range. Populations do rise and fall with fishing pressure, water quality, and habitat condition in estuaries such as Chesapeake Bay. Loss of seagrass and pollution can reduce local numbers, so monitoring and catch limits are used to keep stocks healthy. Overall the species is not considered threatened.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated blue crab programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The blue crab is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the blue crab supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/blue-crab): Blue Crab — wildlife guide.

## Can blue crabs swim?
Yes. Blue crabs are among the few crabs that swim well, using their flattened rear legs as paddles to move sideways through the water. On the seabed they also crawl on their walking legs, but swimming lets them travel quickly and escape danger.

## How big do blue crabs get?
A blue crab's shell can span up to about 23 cm (9 in) from spine to spine, and a large adult weighs around 0.45 kg (1 lb). Males tend to be larger than females.

## What do blue crabs eat?
Blue crabs are omnivores that eat small fish, clams, mussels and other molluscs, worms, plants, and carrion. Their strong claws crush shellfish, and they also scavenge decaying material from the seabed.

## Where do blue crabs live?
Blue crabs live in the estuaries and coastal waters of the western Atlantic, from Nova Scotia through the Gulf of Mexico to Argentina. They are most abundant in brackish bays such as Chesapeake Bay, where fresh river water mixes with the sea.

## How long do blue crabs live?
Blue crabs typically live three to four years. They grow by moulting their shell repeatedly, and females mate only once during their lifetime, after their final moult.

## What is a soft-shell crab?
A soft-shell crab is simply a blue crab caught soon after it has moulted, before its new shell hardens. During this brief window the entire crab is edible, which makes soft-shells a prized delicacy along the US Atlantic and Gulf coasts.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/horseshoe-crab): Atlantic Horseshoe Crab — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is an ancient marine arthropod, more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to true crabs. It has a domed horseshoe-shaped shell, a long spike-like tail, and reaches about 60 cm (24 in) including the tail.

## Introduction
The Atlantic horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is an ancient marine arthropod, more closely related to spiders and scorpions than to true crabs. It has a domed horseshoe-shaped shell, a long spike-like tail, and reaches about 60 cm (24 in) including the tail. Found in shallow coastal waters and sandy beaches, it crawls along the bottom feeding on worms and molluscs, often living more than 20 years. It is listed as Vulnerable.

## Takeaway
Horseshoe crabs belong to an ancient lineage whose body plan has changed remarkably little for hundreds of millions of years, earning them the nickname "living fossils".

## Takeaway
The horseshoe crab has a hard, domed carapace shaped like a horseshoe, a smaller abdominal section, and a long, pointed tail called a telson.

## Takeaway
Atlantic horseshoe crabs live in shallow coastal waters and estuaries along the western Atlantic, moving onto sandy beaches to breed.

## A living fossil
Horseshoe crabs belong to an ancient lineage whose body plan has changed remarkably little for hundreds of millions of years, earning them the nickname "living fossils". Despite the name, they are not true crabs but chelicerates, more closely related to spiders and scorpions. The Atlantic species, Limulus polyphemus, is one of only four horseshoe crab species alive today. Their long evolutionary history makes them a favourite subject for studies of animal design and survival.

## Anatomy and blue blood
The horseshoe crab has a hard, domed carapace shaped like a horseshoe, a smaller abdominal section, and a long, pointed tail called a telson. It grows to about 60 cm (24 in) including the tail and weighs around 2 kg, with several pairs of legs and multiple eyes, including large compound eyes on the shell. Its blood is copper-based and appears blue, and it contains a clotting agent that reacts to bacterial contamination. That property makes horseshoe crab blood valuable for testing the safety of medical products.

## Habitat and movement
Atlantic horseshoe crabs live in shallow coastal waters and estuaries along the western Atlantic, moving onto sandy beaches to breed. They are slow-moving bottom-dwellers that crawl and plough through the sand rather than swim quickly, with a top speed of only around 1 km/h. The tail is used mainly as a lever to right themselves if a wave flips them over, not as a weapon. They tend to stay in soft-bottomed areas where food is easy to find.

## Diet and feeding
Horseshoe crabs are omnivores that feed on marine worms, small molluscs, crustaceans, algae, and carrion. Lacking jaws, they crush food between the bristly bases of their legs and push it toward the mouth as they move. They forage mainly along the seabed, ploughing through sand and mud in search of buried prey. Their scavenging helps keep the shallow-water bottom clear of dead material.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/horseshoe-crab): Atlantic Horseshoe Crab — wildlife guide.

## Breeding and conservation
In spring and early summer horseshoe crabs gather on sandy beaches in large numbers to spawn, with females laying thousands of eggs in the sand and males fertilising them. These eggs are a vital food source for migrating shorebirds, so the crabs' breeding success affects other species too. The Atlantic horseshoe crab is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, threatened by habitat loss, harvesting for bait, and collection for the biomedical industry. Long-lived individuals, often surviving more than 20 years, take about a decade to reach breeding age.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated atlantic horseshoe crab programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The atlantic horseshoe crab faces documented conservation pressure in the wild, which is why clear, sourced public information about it matters. Building public understanding of species like the atlantic horseshoe crab supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/horseshoe-crab): Atlantic Horseshoe Crab — wildlife guide.

## Is a horseshoe crab really a crab?
No. Despite its name, the horseshoe crab is not a true crab but a chelicerate, more closely related to spiders and scorpions. It belongs to an ancient group that has existed for hundreds of millions of years.

## Why is horseshoe crab blood blue and valuable?
Their blood is copper-based, which makes it appear blue, and it contains a clotting agent that reacts to bacterial contamination. This property is used to test that medicines and medical devices are free of dangerous bacteria.

## Are horseshoe crabs dangerous?
Horseshoe crabs are harmless to people. They have no claws or stinger, and their long tail is used only to flip themselves upright if a wave turns them over, not to attack.

## What do horseshoe crabs eat?
They are omnivores that eat marine worms, small molluscs, crustaceans, algae, and carrion. Lacking jaws, they crush food between the bases of their legs as they crawl along the seabed.

## How long do horseshoe crabs live?
Atlantic horseshoe crabs often live more than 20 years. They grow slowly and take around a decade to reach breeding age, which makes their populations sensitive to overharvesting.

## Are horseshoe crabs endangered?
The Atlantic horseshoe crab is listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Habitat loss, harvesting for bait, and collection for the biomedical industry have reduced their numbers, and their eggs are also crucial food for migrating shorebirds.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/centipede): Centipede — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Centipedes (class Chilopoda) are fast, venomous invertebrate predators recognised by their long, flattened bodies and many legs, one pair per body segment. Found in soil, leaf litter, and damp places worldwide, they range from a few millimetres to over 30 cm (12 in) long and run swiftly on their many legs to catch insects, spiders, and other small animals.

## Introduction
Centipedes (class Chilopoda) are fast, venomous invertebrate predators recognised by their long, flattened bodies and many legs, one pair per body segment. Found in soil, leaf litter, and damp places worldwide, they range from a few millimetres to over 30 cm (12 in) long and run swiftly on their many legs to catch insects, spiders, and other small animals. Most species live 1 to 6 years and are listed as Least Concern.

## Takeaway
A centipede has a long, flattened body divided into many segments, each bearing a single pair of legs, which is what sets it apart from the millipede with its two pairs per segment.

## Takeaway
Centipedes are active carnivores, hunting insects, spiders, worms, and, in the largest species, small vertebrates such as lizards.

## Takeaway
The centipede is built for speed and runs rapidly on its many legs, coordinating them in smooth waves so it can dart across the ground to catch prey or flee danger.

## Body and legs
A centipede has a long, flattened body divided into many segments, each bearing a single pair of legs, which is what sets it apart from the millipede with its two pairs per segment. Despite the name, which means hundred-footed, the number of leg pairs varies widely between species and is always odd. The many legs are set out along the sides so they do not tangle during a quick escape or chase. Body length ranges enormously, from tiny species just a few millimetres long to tropical giants exceeding 30 cm (12 in).

## Venom and hunting
Centipedes are active carnivores, hunting insects, spiders, worms, and, in the largest species, small vertebrates such as lizards. Just behind the head sits a pair of modified front legs called forcipules, curved fang-like claws that inject venom to subdue prey. They seize a victim, pin it with their legs, and deliver a venomous bite that quickly overwhelms it. Their swift movement and quick strike make them formidable ambush and pursuit predators in the leaf litter.

## Speed and movement
The centipede is built for speed and runs rapidly on its many legs, coordinating them in smooth waves so it can dart across the ground to catch prey or flee danger. Its low, flattened shape lets it slip through narrow cracks in soil, bark, and stone. Long rear legs and sensitive antennae help it feel its way and react instantly in the dark. This combination of quickness and agility is central to how it both hunts and avoids being eaten.

## Where centipedes live
Centipedes are found almost worldwide, thriving in soil, leaf litter, rotting wood, and other damp, sheltered places. Because they lose water easily through their bodies, they need moisture and generally hide by day, coming out at night to hunt. Some species enter houses in search of prey and humidity, most famously the house centipede that patrols bathrooms and basements. From tropical forests to temperate gardens, damp cover is the common thread in their habitats.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/centipede): Centipede — wildlife guide.

## Life cycle and lifespan
Depending on the species, centipedes live anywhere from about one to six years, which is long-lived for such small invertebrates. In many species the female guards her eggs and newly hatched young, curling protectively around them until they can fend for themselves. The young hatch resembling small adults and add segments and legs as they grow and moult. This slow maturation and parental care are unusual among the small predators of the leaf litter.

## Centipedes and people
A centipede bite can be painful to humans, and large tropical species deliver enough venom to cause significant local pain and swelling, though bites are very rarely dangerous to healthy people. In gardens and homes they are broadly beneficial, preying on cockroaches, flies, and other pests. Most of the roughly 8,000 known species are harmless to us and are assessed as Least Concern. Leaving them undisturbed usually means free pest control.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated centipede programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The centipede is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the centipede supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/centipede): Centipede — wildlife guide.

## How many legs does a centipede have?
A centipede has one pair of legs per body segment, and the total is always an odd number of pairs that varies by species. Despite the name meaning hundred-footed, different centipedes may have anywhere from around 30 to well over 300 legs.

## Are centipedes venomous?
Yes. Centipedes have a pair of fang-like front legs called forcipules that inject venom to subdue prey. A bite can be painful to humans, and large tropical species can cause notable swelling, but bites are very rarely dangerous to healthy people.

## What do centipedes eat?
Centipedes are carnivores that hunt insects, spiders, and worms, while the largest species can take small animals such as lizards. They catch prey by running it down, pinning it with their legs, and delivering a venomous bite.

## What is the difference between a centipede and a millipede?
A centipede has one pair of legs per body segment, a flattened body, and is a fast venomous predator. A millipede has two pairs of legs per segment, a rounded body, moves slowly, and feeds mainly on decaying plant matter rather than hunting.

## How fast can a centipede move?
Centipedes are quick runners for their size, sprinting on their many legs to chase prey and escape danger. Their flattened bodies also let them dart into narrow cracks in soil, wood, and stone.

## Where do centipedes live?
Centipedes live worldwide in soil, leaf litter, rotting wood, and other damp, sheltered spots. They lose moisture easily, so they hide by day and hunt at night, and some species come indoors into humid bathrooms and basements.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/black-widow-spider): Black Widow Spider — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is a small, glossy black spider famous for the red hourglass marking on the underside of the female's abdomen. It shelters in dark, undisturbed spots such as sheds, woodpiles and field debris, where it builds a tangled web to trap insects.

## Introduction
The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is a small, glossy black spider famous for the red hourglass marking on the underside of the female's abdomen. It shelters in dark, undisturbed spots such as sheds, woodpiles and field debris, where it builds a tangled web to trap insects. The female's body is only about 1.3 cm long, yet her venom is a potent neurotoxin. Females live one to three years; males are far smaller and shorter-lived.

## Takeaway
The female black widow is unmistakable: a shiny jet-black body roughly 1.3 cm (0.5 inch) long, with legs spanning wider, and a vivid red hourglass on the underside of her rounded abdomen.

## Takeaway
Black widows are ambush hunters that rely entirely on their web rather than chasing anything down.

## Takeaway
Black widow venom is a neurotoxin called latrotoxin, drop for drop far more potent than a rattlesnake's, which is why the spider has such a fearsome reputation.

## Appearance and identification
The female black widow is unmistakable: a shiny jet-black body roughly 1.3 cm (0.5 inch) long, with legs spanning wider, and a vivid red hourglass on the underside of her rounded abdomen. Males are much smaller and paler, often marked with red or yellow streaks, and are rarely noticed. The glossy sheen and bold warning colour advertise the spider's toxicity to would-be predators. Juveniles look different again, with lighter, more patterned bodies that darken as they mature.

## Web and how it catches prey
Black widows are ambush hunters that rely entirely on their web rather than chasing anything down. They spin an irregular, tangled cobweb of exceptionally strong silk in a sheltered corner, then wait, hanging upside down at its centre. When an insect blunders into the sticky threads, the spider rushes over, wraps it in silk and delivers a paralysing bite. It then injects digestive enzymes and drinks the liquefied remains. Prey is mostly insects and other small arthropods.

## Venom and danger to people
Black widow venom is a neurotoxin called latrotoxin, drop for drop far more potent than a rattlesnake's, which is why the spider has such a fearsome reputation. A bite can cause intense muscle pain, cramping, sweating and nausea, a set of symptoms known as latrodectism. In practice, however, the spider injects only a tiny dose, and with modern medical care bites are very rarely fatal. Deaths are extremely uncommon, and most affect the very young, the elderly or those already unwell.

## Behaviour and temperament
Despite their reputation, black widows are shy and reclusive, biting people only when accidentally pressed against the skin or trapped. They are largely nocturnal and slow-moving, ambling across their web at little more than 1.5 km/h. Females spend almost their entire lives within a small web, rarely straying far from this sheltered refuge. Left alone, a black widow poses very little threat and would much rather retreat than confront a much larger animal.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/black-widow-spider): Black Widow Spider — wildlife guide.

## Mating and life cycle
The black widow earns its name from the female's occasional habit of eating the much smaller male after mating, though this happens far less often than folklore suggests. After mating, the female produces several round, papery egg sacs, each holding hundreds of eggs, which she guards within her web. The spiderlings hatch and disperse by releasing silk threads that carry them on the breeze, a technique called ballooning. Females can live one to three years, while males survive only a few months.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated black widow spider programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The black widow spider is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the black widow spider supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/black-widow-spider): Black Widow Spider — wildlife guide.

## How dangerous is a black widow bite?
A black widow's venom is a potent neurotoxin that can cause severe muscle pain, cramps, sweating and nausea. Despite this, the spider injects only a small dose, and with prompt medical care bites are very rarely fatal.

## How do you identify a black widow spider?
Look for a glossy jet-black female about 1.3 cm long with a bright red hourglass marking on the underside of her rounded abdomen. Males are much smaller, paler and usually go unnoticed.

## Do female black widows really eat the male?
Sometimes, but far less often than the name implies. Cannibalism after mating does occur in this species, yet in many encounters the male escapes unharmed, and the behaviour is more common in captivity than in the wild.

## What do black widow spiders eat?
They are carnivores that feed mainly on insects and other small arthropods caught in their web. The spider waits at the centre of its tangled web, then wraps and bites any prey that becomes stuck.

## How long do black widow spiders live?
Females typically live one to three years. Males are much smaller and live only a few months, often dying not long after they mate.

## Where do black widow spiders live?
They favour dark, sheltered and undisturbed places such as sheds, woodpiles, rock crevices and debris in fields. There they build a tangled cobweb close to the ground and remain hidden during the day.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/jumping-spider): Jumping Spider — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) are small, sharp-eyed hunters found on sunny walls, plants, and woodlands worldwide. Most are just 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) including their legs, yet they have superb vision and can leap many times their body length to pounce on prey.

## Introduction
Jumping spiders (family Salticidae) are small, sharp-eyed hunters found on sunny walls, plants, and woodlands worldwide. Most are just 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) including their legs, yet they have superb vision and can leap many times their body length to pounce on prey. Rather than build webs to catch food, they stalk and ambush insects by day. Individuals typically live about a year and are of Least Concern.

## Takeaway
Jumping spiders are compact and often furry, with most species measuring just 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) including the legs.

## Takeaway
Rather than snaring prey in a web, jumping spiders are active daytime hunters that stalk and pounce.

## Takeaway
Jumping spiders do not have large muscles in their legs to power a jump.

## Appearance and remarkable eyes
Jumping spiders are compact and often furry, with most species measuring just 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) including the legs. Their standout feature is a set of eight eyes, dominated by two large forward-facing eyes that give them the sharpest vision of any spider. This excellent eyesight lets them judge distance accurately before a leap and recognise prey, mates, and rivals. Many species are boldly patterned, and the males of some are strikingly colourful.

## How jumping spiders hunt
Rather than snaring prey in a web, jumping spiders are active daytime hunters that stalk and pounce. Using their keen eyes, a spider will spot an insect, creep closer, carefully line up the distance, and then leap onto it with a precise pounce. Before jumping it anchors a silk dragline to the surface, which acts as a safety line if it misses. They do not run down their prey over long distances, relying instead on stealth and a sudden, accurate leap.

## The secret of the leap
Jumping spiders do not have large muscles in their legs to power a jump. Instead they rapidly increase the blood-like fluid pressure inside the body, which extends the rear legs almost explosively and launches the spider forward. This hydraulic mechanism lets them leap many times their own body length despite an overall crawling speed of only about 1.6 km/h. The trailing silk dragline helps steady them in flight and lets them climb back if a jump falls short.

## Diet and behaviour
Jumping spiders are carnivores that feed on insects and other small arthropods, including flies, moths, and even other spiders. A few species supplement their diet with nectar or plant matter, and some specialise in hunting particular prey. They are curious and alert by nature, often turning to face and track movement, which gives them an unusually inquisitive appearance. Being active by day, they are among the spiders people most often notice on sunlit walls and leaves.

## Courtship and life cycle
Male jumping spiders perform elaborate courtship displays, waving their legs and, in some colourful species, showing off bright body patterns to females. After mating, the female lays eggs in a silk nest, often tucked under bark or a leaf, and may guard them until the young hatch. Most jumping spiders live for around a year, growing through a series of moults before reaching adulthood. They are harmless to humans and are of Least Concern.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/jumping-spider): Jumping Spider — wildlife guide.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated jumping spider programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The jumping spider is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the jumping spider supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/jumping-spider): Jumping Spider — wildlife guide.

## Do jumping spiders build webs?
No, jumping spiders do not build webs to catch prey. They are active hunters that stalk and pounce, though they do spin silk for shelter, egg sacs, and a safety dragline used when they leap.

## How far can a jumping spider jump?
Jumping spiders can leap many times their own body length, which is remarkable given their tiny size. They power the jump by increasing internal fluid pressure to extend their legs rather than using large leg muscles.

## Are jumping spiders dangerous to humans?
Jumping spiders are harmless to people. They are small, shy, and not aggressive, and a bite is rare and no worse than a mild sting.

## What do jumping spiders eat?
They are carnivores that eat insects and other small arthropods such as flies, moths, and even other spiders. A few species also take nectar or plant matter to supplement their diet.

## Why do jumping spiders have such good eyesight?
Because they hunt by stalking and pouncing rather than trapping prey in a web, sharp vision is essential. Their two large forward-facing eyes give them the best eyesight of any spider, allowing them to judge distance before a leap.

## How long do jumping spiders live?
Most jumping spiders live for around a year, though this varies by species. They grow through several moults before reaching adulthood.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/coral): Coral — wildlife guide.

## One-line answer
Corals are tiny colonial animals of the class Anthozoa that build the vast limestone structures we call reefs. Each coral is a colony of soft-bodied polyps, only millimetres wide, that secrete a hard calcium-carbonate skeleton and live fixed in place in warm, shallow tropical seas.

## Introduction
Corals are tiny colonial animals of the class Anthozoa that build the vast limestone structures we call reefs. Each coral is a colony of soft-bodied polyps, only millimetres wide, that secrete a hard calcium-carbonate skeleton and live fixed in place in warm, shallow tropical seas. Reef-building corals depend on symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae for most of their food and colour, and colonies can survive for decades to centuries.

## Takeaway
Although they look like colourful rocks or plants, corals are animals, closely related to sea anemones and jellyfish.

## Takeaway
Each polyp is a soft, sac-like body topped by a ring of stinging tentacles surrounding a central mouth.

## Takeaway
Reef-building corals owe their success to a partnership with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside the coral's tissues.

## What corals are
Although they look like colourful rocks or plants, corals are animals, closely related to sea anemones and jellyfish. A single coral is actually a colony of tiny individuals called polyps, each only a few millimetres across, joined by shared living tissue. Reef-building species secrete a hard skeleton of calcium carbonate beneath their bodies, and generation after generation builds on the remains of the last. Over centuries these skeletons accumulate into the massive limestone framework of a coral reef.

## Polyps and how they live
Each polyp is a soft, sac-like body topped by a ring of stinging tentacles surrounding a central mouth. Corals are fixed permanently in place and do not move about; they are sessile animals anchored to their skeleton. At night many polyps extend their tentacles to capture drifting plankton and tiny particles from the water using stinging cells. By day the polyps often retract, relying on their algal partners for energy while the colony rests.

## Symbiosis with zooxanthellae
Reef-building corals owe their success to a partnership with microscopic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside the coral's tissues. Through photosynthesis these algae produce sugars that supply most of the coral's energy, while the coral gives them shelter and nutrients in return. The algae also lend corals much of their brilliant colour. This symbiosis is why reef corals thrive in the clear, sunlit, nutrient-poor waters of the tropics, where sunlight can reach them.

## Reefs as ecosystems
Coral reefs are among the richest habitats on Earth, often called the rainforests of the sea. Though they cover a tiny fraction of the ocean floor, reefs shelter roughly a quarter of all marine species, providing food and refuge for fish, invertebrates and larger animals. The three-dimensional structure of the reef creates countless nooks and crannies for creatures to live in. Reefs also protect coastlines by absorbing the force of waves and storms.

## Coral bleaching and threats
When the water grows too warm, corals expel the zooxanthellae living in their tissues, turning ghostly white in a process called bleaching. Without their algae the corals lose their main food supply, and if stress continues they can starve and die. Rising sea temperatures, ocean acidification, pollution and destructive fishing have all put reefs under severe pressure worldwide. Some coral species are now threatened, though corals as a whole are broadly assessed as Least Concern.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/coral): Coral — wildlife guide.

## Growth and lifespan
Corals grow slowly, with many reef-building species adding only a centimetre or two of skeleton each year. Because colonies keep building over long periods, individual coral colonies can live for decades to centuries, and whole reefs are thousands of years old. Corals reproduce both by budding new polyps and through mass spawning events, when whole reefs release eggs and sperm into the water on the same night. New larvae drift away to settle and start fresh colonies elsewhere.

## WARN work
WARN does not run a dedicated coral programme — this guide is part of the World Animal Rescue Network's free educational library. The coral is currently widespread and not globally threatened, and this guide helps readers understand the pressures that can change that. Building public understanding of species like the coral supports the broader conservation awareness that underpins WARN's partner-led rescue work across its network.

## Donation hook
If clear, science-based wildlife guides like this help you understand and value animals, please consider supporting the World Animal Rescue Network's educational and rescue work so we can keep producing them.


World Animal Rescue Network (https://worldanimalrescuenetwork.org/wildlife-guides/coral): Coral — wildlife guide.

## Is coral a plant or an animal?
Coral is an animal, belonging to the class Anthozoa alongside sea anemones and jellyfish. A coral is a colony of tiny animals called polyps, which is why it is easily mistaken for a plant or a rock.

## Do corals move?
No. Corals are sessile animals, fixed permanently in place on their hard skeleton, so they do not move about. Only their tiny polyps move, extending and retracting stinging tentacles to feed.

## What are zooxanthellae and why do corals need them?
Zooxanthellae are microscopic algae that live inside coral tissues. Through photosynthesis they produce sugars that supply most of the coral's energy, and they also give corals much of their colour, which is why reef corals thrive in sunlit tropical waters.

## What is coral bleaching?
Coral bleaching happens when stressed corals, usually from water that is too warm, expel the zooxanthellae living in their tissues and turn white. Without their algae the corals lose their main food supply and can starve and die if the stress continues.

## How do coral reefs form?
Reef-building corals secrete a hard skeleton of calcium carbonate beneath their polyps. As colonies grow on the remains of earlier ones over centuries, these skeletons accumulate into the vast limestone structures we call reefs.

## How long do corals live?
Individual coral colonies can live for decades to centuries because they keep building on their own skeletons over time. Whole reefs are far older still, with some structures thousands of years in the making.