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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Mosquito-borne diseases or mosquito-borne illnesses are diseases caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites transmitted by mosquitoes. Nearly 700 million people get a mosquito-borne illness each year, resulting in over tens million deaths. The devastation is almost equivalent to the entire 3 year COVID-19 global pandemic. Diseases transmitted by mosquitoes include malaria, dengue, West Nile virus, chikungunya, yellow fever, filariasis, tularemia, dirofilariasis, Japanese encephalitis, Saint Louis encephalitis, Western equine encephalitis, Eastern equine encephalitis, Venezuelan equine encephalitis, Ross River fever, Barmah Forest fever, La Crosse encephalitis, and Zika fever, as well as newly detected Keystone virus and Rift Valley fever. In January 2024, an Australian research group proved that Mycobacterium ulcerans, the causative pathogen of Buruli ulcer is transmitted by mosquitos. This is the first described mosquito-borne transmission of a bacterial disease. (Full article...)

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... that the fungus Entomophthora muscae makes flies climb upwards before killing them, so they are better able to release a shower of spores for the next cycle of infection?
... that the bee Anthidium manicatum scrapes fur from leaves to line its nest?
... that the extinct sandfly species Lutzomyia adiketis is host to the Paleoleishmania species P. neotropicum?
... that all species of the fruit fly genus Zaprionus have the same characteristic white stripes over the head and thorax?
... that the wasp Megarhyssa macrurus paralyzes her prey by injecting it with an ovipositor 4 inches (10 cm) long?

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

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

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Credit: Muhammad Mahdi Karim

The yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae), is a mosquito that can spread the dengue fever, Chikungunya and yellow fever viruses, and other diseases. It can be recognized by white markings on legs and a marking in the form of a lyre on the thorax.

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WikiProject Insects

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