Visitors to a rain forest quickly notice its huge biodiversity. That means variety of life forms.
The number of different species of plants and animals is astounding. No group has more biodiversity than insects and other arthropods. Those are invertebrates with jointed legs, segmented bodies, and external skeletons. There may be as many as a million different species of insects.
Arthropods are a crucial link in the rain forest food chain. They are necessary for the survival of all living things there. With so many predators hunting them, insects have evolved many defenses. These include spines, camouflage, and even chemicals. Some species are huge, while others are microscopic. Some insects help humans (like those that pollinate crops), while others harm us (like bugs that spread diseases). In the rain forest, big, bizarre, and beautiful insects often live in the same area.