Glossary terms beginning with W

Walking stick

cf. Phasmatodea - the Stick and Leaf insects (Order Phasmatodea) are insects well known for their camouflage. They are commonly kept as pets.

Warm-blooded

cf. Endothermic - animals that maintain their body temperature above the ambient temperature of the environment.

Wasp

cf. Vespoidea - the superfamily that contains solitary and social wasps as well as ants.

Water net

cf. Pond net - a common piece of equipment used by a biologist. The pond net is used to catch animals within water bodies such as ponds, rivers and streams.

Wax

cf. Beeswax - a substance secreted by worker honey bees and used to build honey combs.

Web-spinners

cf. Embioptera - the Embioptera/Web-spinners are an Order of insects capable of producing silk from glands in their front legs.

Weevil

beetles in the Superfamily Curculionoidea. The group includes several pests of economic importance.
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Weta

a group of around 70 species of large insects that are endemic to New Zealand.
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Wine rope

a way of attracting moths. An absorbent rope or piece of fabric is soaked in a sugar and wine solution that attracts moths.
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Wing bud

flattened structures possessed by nymphs from which the wings will develop in the adult insect.
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Wing pad

cf. Wing bud - flattened structures possessed by nymphs from which the wings will develop in the adult insect.

Winged insects

cf. Pterygota - the name given to the Subclass of insects that possess wings.

Wingless insects

cf. Apterygota - a subclass of the Class Insecta. This subclass contains the Orders of wingless insects.

Wireworm

cf. Click beetle - a family of beetles known for their ability to fling themselves into the air. Their larvae are called wireworms.

Wood borer

insects that feed on wood by boring holes into it.
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Woodworm

the common name of the larvae of a variety of wood boring insects but is most commonly used for larvae of the furniture beetle.
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Woolly bear

a common name given to the larvae of various insects due to the dense hair covering their bodies.
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Woolly worm

cf. Woolly bear - a common name given to the larvae of various insects due to the dense hair covering their bodies.

Worker

females within social insect colonies that are not able to reproduce.
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Worm

cf. Earthworm - the common name given to annelids within the Class Oligocheata. Earthworms are very important for introducing organic matter to soil.