There are over 2000 termite species, most of which are found in the tropics. Beetles and bugs Beetles are insects in which one of the two pairs of wings are modified into a protective 'shell' called the elytra. There are many thousands of species of beetle in tropical rainforests, including the 3 inch long harlequin beetle and the mouse-sized rhinoceros beetle, recognised by the enormous horns which the male uses to repel other beetles. Although people often use the names beetle and bug interchangeably, they are really two different kinds of insect. Bugs are sucking insects, with mouthparts modified for sucking juices of animals or plants.
Some bugs can also give painful bites, and are often found in warm rainforest environments.
Butterflies Butterflies are important rainforest insects. The Atlantic coast rainforests of Brazil alone are home to over 2,000 species of butterfly, many of which are in danger of extinction. Butterflies feed on nectar, and are important because they pollinate flowers. Major butterfly families found in the rainforests include the ithomids, heliconids and morphids. Centipedes and millipedes Centipedes and millipedes are arthropod animals with many legs.