Insect dying of natural causes

[marmaduke]

What makes an insect reach the end of its days naturally, i.e. without being drowned or trodden on?

[annacwood]

My guess - and it is a guess - is an ageing gene of some sort.  I say this as our family owns a tortoise and we have been told that they are pretty much the only creatures NOT to have an ageing gene, hence why Plods live for so long.  So it's a logical guess -but I can't back it up!  Perhaps Clanad can offer another succinct and accurate answer! :-)

[amarillis]

A lot of insects are cold-blooded, which doesn't allow them to function in winter time, so an annual life cycle is common.

[newtron]

They get eaten.  That's pretty natural.

[marmaduke]

I saw a spider carcass while gardening, obviously an old thing that died of natural causes.