Invertebrate fact sheets | Field of Mars EEC
Explore our invertebrate fact sheets featuring insects, spiders, crustaceans and other small animals found across Sydney and NSW. These student-friendly resources explain life cycles, habitats, adaptations and the important roles invertebrates play in ecosystems.
Browse by invertebrate group
Browse fact sheets by major invertebrate groups to help students compare body features, habitats and roles in the environment.
Insect fact sheet
The largest group of invertebrates, with six legs, three body parts and, in many species, wings.
Arachnid fact sheet
Eight-legged invertebrates such as spiders, mites and ticks that are important predators and parasites in ecosystems.
Crustacean fact sheet
Invertebrates with a hard outer covering, including crabs and pill bugs, often found in damp, freshwater, marine or intertidal habitats.
Myriapod fact sheet
Many-legged invertebrates such as centipedes and millipedes that live in soil, leaf litter and under logs.
Gastropod fact sheet
Slugs and snails that move slowly, live in moist places and play a role in breaking down plant material.
Annelid fact sheet
Segmented worms such as earthworms that live in soil or water and help recycle organic matter.
All invertebrate fact sheets
Browse all invertebrate fact sheets below. Fact sheets are grouped to make it easier to find related animals and compare different types of invertebrates.
Insects
Insects are the largest group of invertebrates. They are found in nearly every habitat and show a wide range of body shapes, life cycles and feeding adaptations.
Beetle fact sheet
An insect with chewing mouthparts and hardened front wings that protect its flying wings.
Blue-banded bee fact sheet
A native solitary bee with bright blue stripes that helps pollinate flowering plants.
Bull ant fact sheet
A large ant with strong jaws, large eyes and a painful sting.
Bush cockroach fact sheet
A bushland cockroach that lives in leaf litter and helps break down dead plant material.
Butterfly fact sheet
A flying insect with clubbed antennae, scaled wings and a long tube-like mouthpart.
Cicada fact sheet
An insect with clear veined wings whose males produce loud calls during summer.
Common garden katydid fact sheet
A leaf-mimicking insect with excellent camouflage and long hind legs for jumping.
Cricket fact sheet
An insect with chewing mouthparts and strong hind legs for jumping.
Damselfly fact sheet
A slender predatory insect often found near freshwater habitats.
Dragonfly fact sheet
A fast-flying predatory insect commonly found near freshwater habitats.
Earwig fact sheet
A small insect with pincer-like tails that shelters under logs, bark and leaves.
Fly fact sheet
A insect with one pair of normal wings and a second pair of tiny balancing wings called halteres.
Golden tailed spiny ant fact sheet
A spiny-bodied ant with a golden tail section and a strong sting.
Green lacewing fact sheet
A delicate green insect with lace-like wings that are held roof-like over its body.
Lady beetle fact sheet
A small beetle that hunts plant pests such as aphids in gardens and bushland.
Mole cricket fact sheet
A burrowing insect with shovel-like front legs adapted for digging through soil.
Moth fact sheet
A flying insect that is usually active at night and has scales on its wings.
Phasmid fact sheet
A stick insect that looks like a twig or leaf to help it avoid predators.
Plant hopper fact sheet
A small sap-feeding insect with strong camouflage and powerful jumping legs.
Praying mantid fact sheet
A predatory insect with grasping front legs that lives in bushland and gardens across Australia.
Stingless bee fact sheet
A tiny native bee that is an important pollinator in bushland and gardens.
True bug fact sheet
An insect with a beak-like mouthpart used to pierce and suck fluids from plants or animals.
Wasp fact sheet
Most native wasps are solitary, but some species, such as paper wasps, live in small colonies.
Arachnids
Arachnids have eight legs and no antennae. Many are predators that help control other invertebrate populations in bushland, gardens and homes.
Black house spider fact sheet
A spider that makes lacy sheet webs with one or more funnel-like entrances.
Flower spider fact sheet
A spider with strong front legs that ambushes prey on flowers and leaves.
Golden orb weaving spider fact sheet
A large spider that spins strong golden webs to catch flying insects.
Huntsman spider fact sheet
A fast, flat-bodied spider often seen on bark, walls and tree trunks.
Jumping spider fact sheet
A small spider with excellent vision and strong back legs for jumping.
Leaf curling spider fact sheet
A spider that curls a leaf into a shelter where it hides and ambushes prey.
Lynx spider fact sheet
A plant-dwelling hunting spider with spiny legs and excellent eyesight.
Net-casting spider fact sheet
An unusual hunting spider with very large forward-facing eyes.
Red velvet mite fact sheet
A tiny bright red arachnid with a soft, velvety body.
St Andrews Cross spider fact sheet
A spider that builds a web with a white cross-shaped pattern in the centre.
Sydney funnel-web spider fact sheet
A large, dark, ground-dwelling spider found in the Sydney region.
Tick fact sheet
A parasitic arachnid that feeds on the blood of animals.
Trapdoor spider fact sheet
A ground-dwelling spider that waits in a hidden burrow for passing prey.
Wolf spider fact sheet
A fast-moving ground hunting spider with long legs.
Crustaceans
Crustaceans often have a hard outer skeleton and are usually associated with damp habitats, waterways, estuaries and the coast.
Common rough slater fact sheet
A small flat crustacean that lives in damp places.
Pill bug fact sheet
A small crustacean that rolls into a ball when disturbed and lives in damp places.
Red fingered marsh crab fact sheet
A marsh-dwelling crab with red-tipped claws that hides under rocks and debris.
Semaphore crab fact sheet
A small crab with long eye stalks that lives in mangroves and intertidal mudflats.
Myriapods
Myriapods are many-legged invertebrates that usually live in soil, leaf litter and under logs, where they hunt or feed on decaying matter.
Centipede fact sheet
A fast-moving predator with many legs that hunts small animals in soil and leaf litter.
Millipede fact sheet
A many-legged invertebrate that helps break down dead plant matter in leaf litter and soil.
Gastropods
Gastropods include slugs and snails. They move slowly, need moisture and are often found in leaf litter, gardens and bushland.
Red triangle slug fact sheet
A large land slug with a red triangle marking that lives in moist bushland habitats.
Annelids
Annelids are segmented worms that play an important role in breaking down organic matter and improving soil health.
Earthworm fact sheet
A segmented worm that improves soil by digging tunnels and recycling organic matter.
Learn with us
Learning programs
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Learning resources
Find online lessons and classroom activities that support learning about invertebrates in bushland, school grounds and local environments.
Flora and fauna fact sheets
Learn more about Australian animals and plants through our flora and fauna fact sheets.