Portal:Insects

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Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals, with more than a million described species; they represent more than half of all animal species. (Full article...)

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Female Dichrostigma flavipes

Snakeflies are a group of predatory insects comprising the order Raphidioptera with two extant families: Raphidiidae and Inocelliidae, consisting of roughly 260 species. In the past, the group had a much wider distribution than it does now; snakeflies are found in temperate regions worldwide but are absent from the tropics and the Southern Hemisphere. Recognisable representatives of the group first appeared during the Early Jurassic. They are a relict group, having reached their apex of diversity during the Cretaceous before undergoing substantial decline.

An adult snakefly resembles a lacewing in appearance but has a notably elongated thorax which, together with the mobile head, gives the group their common name. The body is long and slender and the two pairs of long, membranous wings are prominently veined. Females have a large and sturdy ovipositor which is used to deposit eggs in some concealed location. They are holometabolous insects with a four-stage life cycle consisting of eggs, larvae, pupae and adults. In most species, the larvae develop under the bark of trees. They may take several years before they undergo metamorphosis, requiring a period of chilling before pupation takes place. Both adults and larvae are predators of soft-bodied arthropods. (Full article...)

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... that the cicada Aleeta curvicosta of eastern Australia is known as the floury baker from its appearance of being dusted with white powder?
... that a blister beetle was introduced in Hawaii to trim the wood-boring Sonoran carpenter bee population, but the beetle failed to survive in the islands?
... that the termite Globitermes sulphureus uses autothysis, a form of suicidal altruism, to entangle intruder ants in a sticky substance?
... that male Coastal Petaltails have unique, bright orange anal appendages called 'petaltails' that are believed to be used to attract a mate?
... that some beetles of the genus Zopherus are used as living brooches?

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The following are images from various insect-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)
Image 2Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 3Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 4A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 5Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 6Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 7Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 8Head of Orthoptera, Acrididae. a:antenna; b:ocelli; c:vertex; d:compound eye; e:occiput; f:gena; g:pleurostoma; h:mandible; i:labial palp; j:maxillary palps; k:maxilla; l:labrum; m:clypeus; n:frons (from Insect morphology)
Image 9Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 10The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)
Image 11
Insect morphology
Legend of body parts
Tagmata: A – Head, B – Thorax, C – Abdomen.
1. antenna
2. ocelli (lower)
3. ocelli (upper)
4. compound eye
5. brain (cerebral ganglia)
6. prothorax
7. dorsal blood vessel
8. tracheal tubes (trunk with spiracle)
9. mesothorax
10. metathorax
11. forewing
12. hindwing
13. mid-gut (stomach)
14. dorsal tube (heart)
15. ovary
16. hind-gut (intestine, rectum & anus)
17. anus
18. oviduct
19. nerve cord (abdominal ganglia)
20. Malpighian tubes
21. tarsal pads
22. claws
23. tarsus
24. tibia
25. femur
26. trochanter
27. fore-gut (crop, gizzard)
28. thoracic ganglion
29. coxa
30. salivary gland
31. subesophageal ganglion
32. mouthparts
(from Insect morphology)
Image 12Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 13Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 14Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 15Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 16Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 17Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 18Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 19A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 20Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 21Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 22Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 23Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 24Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be an oldest insect, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 25The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 26Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 27Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 28Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 29Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 30Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 31The development of insect mouthparts from the primitive chewing mouthparts of a grasshopper in the center (A), to the lapping type (B) of a bee, the siphoning type (C) of a butterfly and the sucking type (D) of a female mosquito.
Legend: a – antennae
c – compound eye
lb – labium
lr – labrum
md – mandibles
mx – maxillae (from Insect morphology)
Image 32Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)

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Credit: Richard Bartz

Mayflies (subimago of Rhithrogena germanica pictured) comprise around 2,500 species of insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera. They are aquatic insects whose immature stage usually lasts one year in fresh water, while the adults are short-lived, surviving from a few minutes to a few days.

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