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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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Vagrant darter
Sympetrum vulgatum

A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threatens dragonfly populations around the world. Adult dragonflies are characterised by a pair of large, multifaceted, compound eyes, two pairs of strong, transparent wings, sometimes with coloured patches, and an elongated body. Many dragonflies have brilliant iridescent or metallic colours produced by structural coloration, making them conspicuous in flight. An adult dragonfly's compound eyes have nearly 24,000 ommatidia each.

Dragonflies can be mistaken for the closely related damselflies, which make up the other odonatan infraorder (Zygoptera) and are similar in body plan, though usually lighter in build; however, the wings of most dragonflies are held flat and away from the body, while damselflies hold their wings folded at rest, along or above the abdomen. Dragonflies are agile fliers, while damselflies have a weaker, fluttery flight. (Full article...)

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... that the extinct Phlebotominae sandfly Pintomyia falcaorum is known only from Miocene age Dominican amber found on Hispaniola?
... that although true bugs eat aphids, they help the aphids by eating another predator, young lacewings?
... that the ground beetle, Lebia grandis, can eat about 23 eggs or three larvae of the Colorado potato beetle every day?
... that the weevil Hylobius transversovittatus has been introduced into the United States and Canada to help control the invasive wetland plant Lythrum salicaria (purple loosestrife)?
... that the larva of the Texas beetle, Brachypsectra fulva, can live for over two years without feeding?

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

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

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Credit: Chrumps

The rose chafer Cetonia aurata (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is a beetle, 20 mm (¾ in) long, that has metallic green coloration.

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WikiProject Insects

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