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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Locusts, such as this migratory locust (*Locusta migratoria*), are grasshoppers in a migratory phase of their life.

Locusts (derived from the Latin locusta, locust or lobster) are various species of short-horned grasshoppers in the family Acrididae that have a swarming phase. These insects are usually solitary, but under certain circumstances they become more abundant and change their behaviour and habits, becoming gregarious. No taxonomic distinction is made between locust and grasshopper species; the basis for the definition is whether a species forms swarms under intermittently suitable conditions; this has evolved independently in multiple lineages, comprising at least 18 genera in 5 different subfamilies.

Normally, these grasshoppers are innocuous, their numbers are low, and they do not pose a major economic threat to agriculture. However, under suitable conditions of drought followed by rapid vegetation growth, serotonin in their brains triggers dramatic changes: they start to breed abundantly, becoming gregarious and nomadic (loosely described as migratory) when their populations become dense enough. They form bands of wingless nymphs that later become swarms of winged adults. Both the bands and the swarms move around, rapidly strip fields, and damage crops. The adults are powerful fliers; they can travel great distances, consuming most of the green vegetation wherever the swarm settles. (Full article...)

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... that the fungus Entomophthora muscae makes flies climb upwards before killing them, so they are better able to release a shower of spores for the next cycle of infection?
... that the bee Anthidium manicatum scrapes fur from leaves to line its nest?
... that the extinct sandfly species Lutzomyia adiketis is host to the Paleoleishmania species P. neotropicum?
... that all species of the fruit fly genus Zaprionus have the same characteristic white stripes over the head and thorax?
... that the wasp Megarhyssa macrurus paralyzes her prey by injecting it with an ovipositor 4 inches (10 cm) long?

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

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

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Credit: Fir0002

Simosyrphus grandicornis is an Australasian species of hoverfly (Diptera: Syrphidae), and is one of the two most common hoverflies in Australia, alongside Melangyna viridiceps. Pictured above is a pair of S. grandicornis mating in flight.

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