RUE Episode 60: Invertebrate Life Cycles

Life Cycles of Invertebrates

All living things have Life Cycles, and we learn about some pretty awesome invertebrate life cycles in Episode 60. Welcome! This episode explores the life cycles of invertebrates, including insects and other pollinators.

Watch the sea turtle below. Sea turtles need safe beaches to initiate the life cycles of their offspring.

Here are some visuals included in this episode.

Watching Episode 60

You can view Episode 60 ad-free by visiting the archive site. Click here to watch.

Viewing by Segment

Click here to watch Segment 1.

Our longest segment is the second one. Watch Segment 2.

Segment 3

The larva stage of darkling beetles. Notice the skin on the side from the previous instar. These are sometimes called meal worms, but they’re not worms. They are insects.

Language Objectives

Describe a multi-step process. Use sequencing words to demonstrate change over time.

Academic Content Objectives

Science: Identify living organisms according to whether they are vertebrates or invertebrates. List Examples of invertebrates. Trace the life cycles of darkling beetles.

English students learn about insects by observing darkling beetle larva.

Videos Used in This Episode

First Larva Encounters

The same video can be seen and downloaded from archive.org. Click here to view.

Click here to watch the instructional video about Insects.

For the same video ad-free, click here.

Honeybees Video courtesy of Alex McGlassen.

Here it is on archive.org. Click here.

Links to YouTube Videos

For a short video on dragonfly life cycles, click here.

To see the life cycle of a darkling Beetle, Click here.

This is a fabulous video of honey bee reproduction. Click here.

The larva change into pupa. These are darkling beetle pupa. One group of English Learners witnessed the transformation from larva into pupa.

Episode 60 Summary

While some invertebrates give some people the creeps, they are nonetheless fascinating life forms. Notwithstanding the “creep factor” of invertebrates like scorpions, the invertebrate family also contains some beautiful members. Think of sea coral, butterflies, and honey bees. In this episode we look closely at complete metamorphosis, however not all invertebrates have such life cycles. We explore those who have incomplete metamorphosis as well. Viewers get a good look at darkling beetles and honey bees, as well as the general concept of life cycles in the animal world.

The final stage of metamorphosis, the beetle turns into an adult – on the hand of Alex.

Instructional Sources Used in This Episode

Next Episode

Click here to go to the Episode 61 page.