The antennae of insect are often called ‘feelers’ because the insect waves them around. This is the wrong name because they are not only used for touch. The antennae are actually the insects ‘nose’ – they are used for the sense of smell.

The paired antennae are made up of a number of individual joints. This means they can be very mobile. The basic form of antenna is filiform. In this type, there are many segments that are more or less equal in size. Filiform antennae are seen in a wide variety of groups, such as Dragonflies , Grasshoppers and Crickets , Book Lice , Biting Lice , Scorpion Flies and Beetles .