Insects

Classification of Insects
• Kingdom Animalia
– Invertebrates
• Phylum Arthropoda
– Exoskeleton

– Jointed legs
 • Class Centipedes Class Millipedes

Class Crustaceans
Class Arachnids
 Class Insecta Characterisitics
• 3 body parts

• Six legs
 Class Insecta Characteristics
• Two pairs of wings

• Two kinds of eyes

– compound
 Class Insecta Characteristics
• Two Antennae

• Two sets of jaws

 Class Insecta Characteristics
• All insects begin their life cycle as an egg.
Insect Orders
 Insects place in the Animal Kingdom
• 1 million species identified (Most populous
of all living things)

• Most diverse of
all organisms
 Insects place in the Animal Kingdom
• Can live in any environment
• Well adapted to their environment
– camouflage
 Harmful Insects
• Destroy Crops

• Carry/Spread Diseases
Parasitic
 Helpful Insects
Food for other organisms

Pollinate flowers to
produce fruits and
vegetables
 Helpful Insects

Eat other harmful insects

Help in decay of dead organisms

 True Bugs
All bugs are insects but not all insects are bugs

Order Hemiptera
Long feeding tubes
 Exoskeleton
• A hard outer covering

• Used for protection

• Made of chitin
Insect Head – Eyes, mouthparts, antennae

Insect Thorax – legs, wings

Insect Abdomen – digestive and reproductive organs

 Insect Antennae (Feelers)
• Sensory Organs
– Touch
– Taste
– Smell
– Hearing
 Insect Mouthparts
Sponging/Lapping
Ex. housefly

Siphoning/Proboscis
Ex. butterfly
Insect Mouthparts Piercing/Sucking
Ex. Wheel bug and Mosquito

Chewing
Ex. caterpillars

None
Ex. mayfly
 Insect Wings

Membranous
Clear with veins showing

Hard shell like outer wings

Powdery Scales
 Insect Life cycles
• Simple Metamorphosis
hatches from egg looking just like the adult
grows in size by molting
 Insect Life Cycles
• Incomplete Metamorphosis
– Hatches from egg and becomes a nymph
– Nymph does not have fully developed wings
– Molts to become an adult
 Insect Life Cycles
• Complete Metamorphosis
– Egg

– Larva (Caterpillar)

– Pupa (Chrysalis or Cocoon

– Adult