Arthropods are animals that possess jointed limbs and body parts and an external skeleton. Insects are arthropods with six jointed legs and arachnids have eight. Twenty orders of insects are found in the U.A.E. and an unknown number of arachnids. The majority of V.A.E. insects are beetles, true flies, wasps, bees and ants and the arachnids include scorpions, spiders, mites and camel spiders. 

Blepharopsis mendica (Fils 50) 

Mantises are common insects in the U.A.E. wherever vegetation is found. The species illustrated is one of the largest and most attractively marked. The female insect is shown, but the male is similar except for being more slender and having feathery antennae. This mantis is a true inhabitant of the desert where it lurks in bushes and uses its excellent vision to detect other insects. These are seized between the interlocking spines of the raptorial forelegs and eaten. Because of its excellent camouflage, it is not easily seen during daytime, but like several other praying mantises, it flies to light at night and is then conspicuous.  

Galeodes sp. (Fils 150)

There are ten known families of these fast moving and extraordinary-look- ing arachnids, three of which probably occur in the U.A.E. The specimen illustrated is a male which has much longer legs than the female. Although armed with powerful jaws that are capable of penetrating the skin, they do not readily attack humans, and despite much controversy in the past there is no evidence that they are venomous. Most camel spiders are nocturnal and sense the world around them mainly through touch. Like insects they breathe through tubes, located on the sides of their body, called spiracles. 

Crocothemis erythraea (Fils 250) 

Dragonflies are insects of ancient origin which depend up on fresh in order to breed. Together with the related damsel flies, they are well rep- resented in the U.A.E. where the carmine darter is one of the most colourful and common species. Only the mature male insect is carmine red. Females and immature males are buff coloured. Not found inside oases, it frequents desert pools as well as mountain streams and perches on rocks or plants with the wings held well forwards. From this position, it darts off to catch and eat passing insects usually returning to the exact same perch. 

Xylocopa aestuans (Fils 350) 

Carpenter bees are amongst the largest of the many species of solitary bees found in the U.A.E. There are several common species, but the male illustrated is distinguished by the furry covering of yellow hairs on its thorax. The name comes from the fact that they construct hollowed out cells in dead wood and stock them with nectar and pollen to provide for their larvae. The glossy black females frequent many types of flowers especially Acacia blossom, whereas the quite different greenish-yellow and -smaller males spend hours hovering around vegetation ready to give chase to any passing female.