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French insects vocabulary: 12 small garden creatures in pictures

Edited by Chris Lee · Updated · About the library

Learn the French names and articles for eight insects and four other garden creatures, with close-up picture cards and a recognition quiz.

In short

A bee is une abeille, a butterfly is un papillon and a ladybird is une coccinelle. This set has eight insects and four other small garden creatures. Learn the articles with the pictures, then identify each creature by its visible features.

Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn

A quiet garden detail shows a bee on a flower, a red ladybird on a leaf and an orange butterfly above nearby flowers.
Flowers and leaves bring une abeille and une coccinelle into view. Illustration: Atelier

Look closely: twelve small creatures

On flowers and leaves

l’abeillef.beeL’abeille est sur une fleur.
la guêpef.waspLa guêpe est près du verre.
le papillonm.butterflyLe papillon a des ailes orange.
la coccinellef.ladybirdLa coccinelle est rouge avec des points noirs.

Walking, jumping and flying

la fourmif.antLa fourmi marche sur le chemin.
la mouchef.flyLa mouche est sur la table.
le moustiquem.mosquitoIl y a un moustique sur le mur.
la sauterellef.grasshopperLa sauterelle est verte.

Four other garden creatures

l’araignéef.spiderL’araignée a huit pattes.
l’escargotm.snailL’escargot porte sa coquille.
la limacef.slugLa limace est sous une feuille.
le ver de terrem.earthwormLe ver de terre est dans la terre.
Four ways to distinguish the pictures
FrenchEnglish
L’araignée a huit pattes.The spider has eight legs.
L’insecte a six pattes.The insect has six legs.
L’escargot a une coquille.The snail has a shell.
La limace n’a pas de coquille.The slug has no shell.

The article l’ hides the gender: une abeille and une araignée are feminine; un escargot is masculine. The spider, snail, slug and earthworm belong to the final group because they are other garden creatures. The first two groups contain the eight insects.

Dans le petit jardin

Au printemps, Lou regarde le jardin. Une abeille est sur une fleur. Sur une feuille, elle voit une coccinelle1 rouge. Un papillon passe au-dessus des fleurs. Près du chemin, une fourmi marche devant un escargot.

Lou regarde sous une grande feuille : il y a une limace2. Elle n’a pas de coquille. Dans la terre humide, Lou voit aussi un ver de terre3. Elle montre les petits animaux à son frère.

Read it in English

In spring, Lou looks at the garden. A bee is on a flower. On a leaf, she sees a red ladybird. A butterfly passes above the flowers. Near the path, an ant walks in front of a snail.

Lou looks under a large leaf: there is a slug. It has no shell. In the damp soil, Lou also sees an earthworm. She shows the small animals to her brother.

Question 1No account needed
Which French name fits the red creature with black spots?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la coccinelle. The red, black-spotted creature in the cards is la coccinelle.

Question 2No account needed
Which creature has a spiral shell?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

l’escargot. L’escargot carries a shell; the slug in the other card has none.

Question 3No account needed
Which name fits the eight-legged creature beside a web?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

l’araignée. The eight legs and web identify l’araignée, the spider.

Question 4No account needed
Which insect is shown with long hind legs for jumping?

Choose one answer.

Answer and explanation

la sauterelle. The long folded hind legs identify la sauterelle, the grasshopper.

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