Scientists have known that some insects can hold their breath for hours or even days. A new study suggests why: Too much air would kill them. Insects breathe in and out through holes, called spiracles ...

What might be mistaken for a waterslide in this image is actually the breathing tube, or trachea, of a dragonfly. This tube connects to openings in the insect's exoskeleton (outer “shell”) called ...

Rather than rely solely on passive diffusion, insects use discontinuous patterns of gas exchange to avoid the toxic effects of oxygen, according to researchers at the University of California, Irvine.

I like big bugs. I cannot lie. But which insect is the biggest? I asked my friend Rich Zack. He’s an insect scientist at Washington State University. He told me the answer depends on how you define ...