Portal:Insects

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The Insects Portal

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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A beehive is an enclosed structure in which some honey bee species of the subgenus Apis live and raise their young. Though the word beehive is used to describe the nest of any bee colony, scientific and professional literature distinguishes nest from hive. Nest is used to discuss colonies that house themselves in natural or artificial cavities or are hanging and exposed. The term hive is used to describe an artificial/man-made structure to house a honey bee nest. Several species of Apis live in colonies. But for honey production, the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the eastern honey bee (Apis cerana) are the main species kept in hives.

The nest's internal structure is a densely packed group of hexagonal prismatic cells made of beeswax, called a honeycomb. The bees use the cells to store food (honey and pollen) and to house the brood (eggs, larvae, and pupae). (Full article...)

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... that only one side of the extinct parasitoid wasp Neanaperiallus is visible in its sole fossilised specimen?
... that the queen ant of the Acropyga acutiventris carries a mealybug Xenococcus annandalei in her jaws on her nuptial flight?
... that the only known specimen of the extinct planthopper Glisachaemus jonasdamzeni is preserved with a parasitic mite?
... that the extinct planthopper Tainosia quisqueyae was named for the Taíno people and Hispaniola?
... that the discovery of the fossil giant ant Titanomyrma in Wyoming indicates that warmth-loving fauna spread through the north between Europe and America during hot spells in the Eocene?

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

Image 1Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 2Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 3Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 4Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 5
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 6Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 7Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 8Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 9Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 10Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 11The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)
Image 12Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 13Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 14The 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 15Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 16Head 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 17A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 18A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 19Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 20Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 21Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 22Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 23Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 24Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 25Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 26Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be an oldest insect, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 27The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)
Image 28The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 29Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 30Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 31Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 32Diagram of a typical insect leg (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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WikiProject Insects

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