The word Insect comes from the Greek word which translates as ‘sect’ which means segment. Insect is one of the animal groups that have segmented body and exoskeleton. This type of animals is called arthropod, animals with segmented body and paired jointed legs. What separates them from other arthropods is the fact that insects have six legs. Most insects possess wings while others have none.
Insect is popular for undergoing the process called metamorphosis, a wonderful process that changes an insect from egg to adulthood. In majority of insect species, the immature insect is different in form compared to the adult. This adaptation gives these animals the opportunity to exploit available food sources.
Insect Division
Taxonomically speaking, types of insects are grouped into orders like Coleoptera for beetles and Lepidoptera for butterflies. These orders are then subdivided into whether they have wings or none.
- Apterygota – insects with no wings
- Pterygota – insects that have wings
Here are some of the common types of insects according to orders
Common Insect Orders
ORDER BLATTODEA– cockroaches
The term Blattodea comes from “blatta”, the Greek terminology for cockroach.
ORDER COLEOPTERA – Beetles
The word Coleoptera was derived from the Greek terms “koleos” meaning sheath and “ptera” meaning wings. These words refer to the modified front wings which serve as protective coverings for the membranous and delicate hind wings.
ORDER COLLEMBOLA – Springtails
The word Collembola comes from the Greek “coll” which means glue and “embol” which means a wedge. This terms refer to a peg-shaped structure, the collophore, on the underside of the first abdominal segment. The collophore was once thought to function as an adhesive organ.
DERMAPTERA- Earwigs
DIPLURA – Diplurans
DIPTERA – Mosquito, Gnats, Flies
EMBIOPTERA – Webspinners
EPHEMEROPTERA – Mayflies
GRYLLOBLATTODEA – Ice Insec
HEMIPTERA – “True” Bugs
HOMOPTERA – Leafhoppers
HYMENOPTERA – Bee, Wasp, Ants
ISOPTERA – Termites
LEPIDOPTERA – Butterfly, Moth, Skippers
MALLOPHAGA – Chewing Louse
MANTODEA – Mantids
MEGALOPTERA – Alder, Dobsonfly
NEUROPTERA – Lacewings
ODONATA – Dragonflies
ORTHOPTERA – Crickets, Grasshoppers, Katydids
THYSANOPTERA – Thrips
THYSANURA – Silverfish
ZORAPTERA – Zoraptera
Some people identify the types of insects based on its habit (flying, crawling, running etc.) and its economic importance (insect pest, beneficial insects, neutral insects etc.). Whichever the case, it is very important to classify insects. This will not only avoid you from chaos and confusion, this will give us an idea how to deal with them judiciously.
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