Author: Andy P.

Moths are often thought of as pests that feast on clothes and carpets, but there is a lot more to these creatures than meets the eye. Moths are actually interesting animals with a complex diet that helps them survive in a wide range of environments. Moths as a group are actually omnivores, which mean they…

Dragonflies are carnivores that live near water and consume flies, midges, and mosquitoes. They are important predators in many ecosystems because they help to control the population of these insects. Dragonflies are carnivorous consumers that eat other animals. They are not herbivores, decomposers or scavengers, but rather they hunt and kill their prey. This makes…

Butterflies are nectarivores, which means that their diet consists of nectar from flowers. They are able to extract the nectar using their long proboscis (tongue). While feeding on the nectar, butterflies also collect pollen on their body, which they spread to other flowers as they move about. Butterflies are not decomposers, but their babies (their…

Aphids are small, soft-bodied insects that are typically green or black. They have long antennae and two short tubes (cornicles) protruding from their backs. Aphids feed on plant juices, sugars, and nectar by piercing plant tissues with their needle-like mouthparts and sucking out the fluid. Aphids are not decomposers, but rather primary consumers as they…

Elk are grazing herbivores that live in wooded areas. In the wild, elk eat a variety of plants including grasses, shrubs, and bark. Their diet changes between seasons as different plants become more or less available. Elks are strictly herbivores. Elk live on plants like grasses and moss, but they would never eat a living…

Beetles are a type of insect that lives in nearly every habitat on Earth. There are more than 350,000 species of beetle and they vary greatly in size, shape, and color. Beetles tend to be herbivores (primary consumers) feeding on plants, but they may also be secondary consumers (omnivores) and also play an important role…

Mountain lions are carnivores that live in the western United States. They are tertiary consumers, which mean they eat animals are predators themselves. Mountain lions are also known as pumas, cougars, catamounts or panthers. The mainstay of their diet is deer, but they will also eat rabbits, turkey, raccoon, and porcupine depending on what is…