Portal:Insects

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 Clouded Magpie moths resemble bird droppings while they are resting on the upper surface of leaves?
... that the caterpillars of the moth Mompha raschkiella cause a yellowish blotch on the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb that bleach rapidly after the caterpillars leave them?
... that the scientific name of the peacock carpenter bee (Xylocopa bombylans) means "bumblebee-like wood-cutter"?
... that the mayfly Rhithrogena germanica can emerge from a river, moult and fly off in 30 seconds?
... that the first entomological article written by a New World native concerned the "Great Black Waſp"?

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

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

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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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