Mecoptera, an order of insects in the superorder Endopterygota with roughly 600 species in nine families worldwide, gets its name from the Greek words mecos, which means “long,” and ptera, which means “wings.” Mecopterans are frequently referred to as scorpionflies after its largest family, the Panorpidae, in which the males have long, beak-like rostra and […]
The hover flies family Syrphidae also called flower flies or syrphid flies. Many species of adults feed primarily on pollen and nectar. As compared to adults, the larvae (maggots) devour a variety of foods, as suggested by their common name (hovering or nectarine at flowers). Saprotrophic larvae of some species devour decomposing plant and animal
Mayflies are aquatic insects that are members of the Ephemeroptera order. They are also known as shadflies or fishflies in Canada and the upper Midwestern United States. This order is a member of the Palaeoptera, a phylum of extinct insects that includes dragonflies and damselflies. There are approximately 3,000 species of mayflies that have been
Termites are classified as “workers” and “soldiers,” which are typically sterile, just as ants, some bees, and some wasps from the distinct order Hymenoptera. There are one or more reproductive females called “queens” and at least one fertile male named “king” in every colony. Termites primarily consume cellulose and dead plant matter, which can be
Small sap-sucking insects known as aphids belong to the Aphidoidea group. Despite the fact that individuals within a species can have a wide range of hue, common names for insects include greenfly and blackfly. The group consists of the white, fluffy wooly aphids. A common life cycle comprises female nymphs, who may also be pregnant,
The family Culicidae includes a group of insects known as mosquitoes (or mosquitoes) containing over 3,600 species of tiny flies. The Spanish word “mosquito” (made up of the noun “mosca” and the suffix “-ito”) means “small fly.” The life cycle of a mosquito contains four stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Eggs are laid on
Especially in North America, insects belonging to the Tettigoniidae family are frequently referred to as bush crickets or katydids. They were formerly referred to as “long-horned grasshoppers.” Over 8,000 species have been identified. With loud mating sounds, they are primarily nocturnal in their habits. Many species engage in mimicry and camouflage, frequently adopting leaf-like forms
Ground-dwelling grasshoppers go through five molts before becoming adults. They have compound eyes that can change color and behavior according to the surrounding environment and can detect light intensity. Grasshoppers are plant-eating insects that, if they swarm, can be a significant pest. They defend themselves by disguising themselves and startling predators with a burst of
Apis genus, which includes honey bees, is a group of eusocial flying insects that are all indigenous to Afro-Eurasia. Honey bees are renowned for building long-lasting colony nests out of wax, because of their ability to form big colonies, and for the abundance of honey they produce and store. Because of these traits human hunter
Doodlebug is another name for a little Antlion larva. Doodlebugs live on the ground and have enormous, menacing jaws. Although these tiny larvae have a beetle-like appearance, they can only move backward. They leave behind wavy patterns of sand or loose soil that resemble scribbles. These paths can take a bug hunter all the way