Portal:Insects

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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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Female (left) and male (right) cochineals

The cochineal (/ˌkɒtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkɒtʃɪniːl/ KOTCH-ih-NEEL, -⁠neel, US also /ˌkoʊtʃɪˈniːl, ˈkoʊtʃɪniːl/ KOH-chih-; Dactylopius coccus) is a scale insect in the suborder Sternorrhyncha, from which the natural dye carmine is derived. A primarily sessile parasite native to tropical and subtropical South America through North America (Mexico and the Southwest United States), this insect lives on cacti in the genus Opuntia, feeding on plant moisture and nutrients. The insects are found on the pads of prickly pear cacti, collected by brushing them off the plants, and dried.

The insect produces carminic acid that deters predation by other insects. Carminic acid, typically 17–24% of dried insects' weight, can be extracted from the body and eggs, then mixed with aluminium or calcium salts to make carmine dye, also known as cochineal. Today, carmine is primarily used as a colorant in food and in lipstick (E120 or Natural Red 4). (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 1Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 2Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 3Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 4Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 5The 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 6A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 7Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 8Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 9Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 10Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 11The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)
Image 12Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 13Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 14
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 15Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 16Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 17Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 18Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 19A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 20The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (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 22Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 23Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 24Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 25Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 26The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 27Head 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 28Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 29Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 30Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 31Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 32Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)

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Credit: Noodle snacks

Abantiades latipennis (Lepidoptera: Hepialidae) is one of fourteen species in the Australian genus Abantiades. It thrives in regrowth forests that were previously clearfelled; the phytophagous larvae of A. latipennis feed primarily on the root systems of two species of tree, Eucalyptus obliqua (messmate stringybark) and Eucalyptus regnans (mountain ash).

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