How many legs does an insect have?

An insect always has six legs. Along with three main body parts, six legs is one of the defining features scientists use to identify a true insect, no matter how different two insects look.

Spiders have eight legs instead of six, which is one of the easiest ways to tell a spider apart from an insect, since spiders belong to a different animal group called arachnids.

Insects are the most diverse animals on the planet, with far more known species than all other animal groups combined, from tiny ants to giant beetles.