Portal:Insects

The Insects Portal

Insects (from Latin insectum) are invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have an 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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The Lulworth skipper (Thymelicus acteon) is a butterfly of the family Hesperiidae. Its name is derived from Lulworth Cove in the county of Dorset, England, where the first specimens in Great Britain were collected in 1832 by English naturalist James Charles Dale.

The species occurs locally across Central Europe, Asia Minor and North Africa, where its population is considered stable. Its numbers have declined in Northern Europe, leading to its European status of "vulnerable". Its range in Britain is restricted to the south coast of Dorset, however it is locally abundant and its numbers currently are perhaps at their greatest since its discovery there. (Full article...)

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... that scientists first discovered the biological screw joint in the Papuan weevil Trigonopterus oblongus?
... that fossils of extinct giant cicadas were once misidentified as the oldest known butterflies?
... that some species of the stick insect genus Timema have not had sex for over a million years?
... that the family placement for the fossil moth genus Dominickus was not noticed until entomologist Norman Tindale looked at pictures of modern moths from Australia?
... that tiny Paederus beetles may have caused some of the ten Plagues of Egypt?

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

Image 1A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 2Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 3A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 4Ctenopisma lineatum showing the two cerci and the central caudal filament. (from Insect morphology)
Image 5Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 6The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 7Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 8Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 9Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be one of the oldest insects, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 10Reconstruction of Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
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 12Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 13The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 14Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 15Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 16Showing the paired white paraprocts at the posterior tip. (from Insect morphology)
Image 17Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 18Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil (from Evolution of insects)
Image 19Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 20Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 21Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 22Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 23Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 24Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 25Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 26Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 27Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 28The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)

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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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