Learn how insects adapt to thrive in all kinds of environments in this colorful nonfiction book! How do insects survive in different environments? Insects are masters of adaptation! Insect Adaptations: Mouthparts, Mimicry, and Flying introduces readers 5 to 8 to the wild world of insect adaptations. Grasshoppers bound on their long, springlike legs to escape predators in the tall grass. The giant swallowtail caterpillar avoids being eaten by looking like poop. But stick insects blend in with their surroundings so no one even sees them! How do insects adapt in the first place? Through natural selection, which happens as survival traits are passed down through many generations. Insects with characteristics that help them survive live long enough to reproduce and pass those characteristics down to their offspring. Traits that don’t help with survival appear less and less often in the population. The species has adapted! Scientific concepts including biological evolution, heredity, and ecology come clear with engaging illustrations and lots of familiar, real-life examples. An introductory poem offers language arts connections while a hands-on activity at the end reinforces concepts in the book. A glossary and photographs offer even more supplemental learning opportunities.