20 words are hidden in the letters, or ten short ones for a first try. Tap the first letter of a word, then its last letter.
The 20 words
ant beetle ladybug spider moth cricket worm snail wasp gnat firefly dragonfly flea bumblebee hornet termite slug centipede cicada mosquito
Small crawling and flying things such as the ant, ladybug, cricket and dragonfly, twenty in all. There are 20 words and 119 letters to find. The longest words are "dragonfly", "bumblebee" and "centipede", at 9 letters. No word on the list uses J, V, X and Z.
The words by length
| Length | How many | Words |
|---|---|---|
| 3 letters | 1 | ant |
| 4 letters | 6 | moth worm wasp gnat flea slug |
| 5 letters | 1 | snail |
| 6 letters | 4 | beetle spider hornet cicada |
| 7 letters | 4 | ladybug cricket firefly termite |
| 8 letters | 1 | mosquito |
| 9 letters | 3 | dragonfly bumblebee centipede |
A shorter puzzle of ten
Choose "10 short words" beside the heading for a smaller grid with these ten: ant, beetle, spider, moth, worm, snail, wasp, gnat, flea and slug. None has more than 6 letters. On a phone the full puzzle takes twelve of the 20, so the letters stay big enough to tap.
Hints for this puzzle
- Start with the longest words. Dragonfly, bumblebee and centipede take up the most room, so they are the easiest to spot.
- 3 words start with C. When you find a C, check it for cricket, centipede and cicada.
- 3 words start with S. When you find an S, check it for spider, snail and slug.
- Look for doubled letters. Two of the same letter side by side stand out in a grid: beetle and bumblebee.
Play it or print it
On the screen, tap the first letter of a word and then its last letter, and the word is crossed off the list. Easy hides words across and down, Medium adds corner to corner, and Hard adds backwards. Press Print for two pages, the puzzle and its answer key, and "New puzzle" for the same words in new places. The word search maker page explains how each grid is made and kept clean.
A fit for the first warm days of spring or after a bug hunt in the yard. Sort the found words into two columns on the back, bugs with wings and bugs without.
The same words on bingo cards and flash cards
The bingo card generator deals these words onto cards, each one a different mix, and the flash cards page prints them eight to a sheet.
More word searches
Zoo animals · Farm animals · Pets · Dogs · Cats · Birds · Butterflies · Dinosaurs · Ocean animals · Jungle animals · Safari animals · Arctic animals · Forest animals · Desert animals · Pond life · Reptiles · Baby animals · Horses · Bears · Animal homes · Animal sounds · All word searches · Word search maker
Questions
What words are in the bugs word search?
Ant, beetle, ladybug, spider, moth, cricket, worm, snail, wasp, gnat, firefly, dragonfly, flea, bumblebee, hornet, termite, slug, centipede, cicada and mosquito.
Is there an easier bugs word search?
Yes. Choose "10 short words" for a smaller puzzle with ant, beetle, spider, moth, worm, snail, wasp, gnat, flea and slug. On Easy, words only run across and down.
Can I print it with an answer key?
Yes. Press Print for two pages: the puzzle and its answer key. Each press of "New puzzle" makes a different sheet.
Is the bugs word search free?
Yes. There are no ads and nothing to sign up for.