What are the characteristics of insects?

Answer:
Compound eyes; external skeleton; three (3) main body parts; three (3) sets of legs; and two (2) antennae are the characteristics of insects.

Specifically, insects have eyes that detect rapid movement and provide a large-angle view of the immediate environment. Their skeleton is hard and located on the outside of their bodies to protect their inner parts and to handle stress from moisture and temperature extremes. Their bodies are divided into a head, thorax and abdomen. They have six (6) legs, with three (3) on each side of the body. All legs are segmented, as are their two (2) antennae.
This answer is closed to changes. This is done in rare cases when questions are being vandalized or answers have become debates. E-mail reopen @ answers.com (no spaces) if you would like it to be reopened.
First answer by Meggamegk. Last edit by Ginezumi. Contributor trust: 904 [recommend contributor recommended]. Question popularity: 9 [recommend question].
user-generated content