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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Eldana is a genus of moths of the family Pyralidae containing only one species, the African sugar-cane borer (Eldana saccharina), which is commonly found in Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and South Africa. Adults have pale brown forewings with two small spots in the centre and light brown hindwings, and they have a wingspan of 35mm. This species is particularly relevant to humans because the larvae are a pest of the Saccharum species as well as several grain crops such as sorghum and maize. Other recorded host plants are cassava, rice and Cyperus species. When attacking these crops, E. saccharina bores into the stems of their host plant, causing severe damage to the crop. This behavior is the origin of the E. saccharrina's common name, the African sugar-cane borer. The African sugar-cane borer is a resilient pest, as it can survive crop burnings. Other methods such as intercropping and parasitic wasps have been employed to prevent further damage to crops. (Full article...)

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... that scientists first discovered the biological screw joint in the Papuan weevil Trigonopterus oblongus?
... that fossils of extinct giant cicadas were once misidentified as the oldest known butterflies?
... that some species of the stick insect genus Timema have not had sex for over a million years?
... that the family placement for the fossil moth genus Dominickus was not noticed until entomologist Norman Tindale looked at pictures of modern moths from Australia?
... that tiny Paederus beetles may have caused some of the ten Plagues of Egypt?

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

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

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Credit: Noodle snacks

The Meadow Argus, Junonia villida (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), is a butterfly commonly found in Australia. It is also known as Albin's Hampstead Eye in the United Kingdom, where it has occurred only as an accidental import.

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WikiProject Insects

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