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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Novomessor albisetosus worker specimen

Novomessor albisetosus, also known as the desert harvester ant, is a species of ant found in the United States and Mexico. A member of the genus Novomessor in the subfamily Myrmicinae, it was first described by Austrian entomologist Gustav Mayr in 1886. It was originally placed in the genus Aphaenogaster, but a recent phylogenetic study concluded that it is genetically distinct and should be separated. It is a medium-sized species, measuring 6 to 8.5 millimeters (0.2 to 0.3 in) and has a ferruginous body color. It can be distinguished from other Novomessor species by its shorter head and subparallel eyes.

Novomessor albisetosus is found in desert and woodland habitats, nesting underground or under stones. The ants are active during the morning and evening but not when it is midday or the middle of the night. They forage for foods such as insect pieces, plant tissues and fruit. They may forage individually but cooperate when transporting large food items. Army ants are known to prey on this species. Nuptial flights begin in June. Workers are considered matured when half of their time is spent outside. (Full article...)

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... that along with Ithonidae, Polystoechotidae are regarded as the most primitive living members of the insect order Neuroptera?
... that the white-throated round-eared bat creates roosts inside the nests of the termite, Nasutitermes corniger?
... that Leptofoenus pittfieldae is the only species of Leptofoenus documented from the West Indies and the only member of Leptofoenus in the fossil record?
... that fluffy bums suck on passion vine juice?
... that Diorhabda carinata, D. sublineata and D. elongata, three species of leaf beetle in Eurasia and North Africa, are used as biological pest control agents against invasive tamarisk trees in North America?

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

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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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