INSECTS (sometimes called bugs) |
Insects are one Class within the Phylum Arthropoda
The term "bug" today may mean any of many things, depending upon the intention of the person who is using the term and such person's sophistication with terminology. To many people a "bug" is anything small with more than four legs which is nasty.
To an entomologist, a bug is specifically an insect in the Order Hemiptera or what are call 'true bugs'.
In this section, we aren't discussing germs nor listening devices, but we will be more specific than just any six legged invertebrate.
However, not all "bugs" are insects.
The Phylum Arthropoda (members of which Phylum
are called Arthropods) includes several Classes
therein. Arthropods are invertebrate animals
which have a jointed body and limbs, usually
a chitinous shell which is molted (i.e. shed) at intervals (usually as the animal grows and needs a
larger outer body). The brain is dorsal to the alimentary canal
and connected with a ventral chain of ganglia.
Included, Now that was clear enough wasn't
it?
Included in the Phylum Arthropoda are three
Classes: Insecta, Arachnida, and Crustacea.
Crustaceans are mostly aquatic Arthropods
which have a chitinous or calcereous and
chitinous exoskeleton, a pair of often much
modified appendages on each segment and two
pair of antennae. Crustaceans include lobsters,
shrimps, crawfish, crabs, wood lice, water
fleas and surprisingly barnacles. We do not
include crustaceans on this page, but click
here to go to the page on crustaceans.
The Class Uniramia or Insecta (i.e. insects and kin) includes many Orders.
CHECKLIST OF INSECT ORDERS
Subclass Apterygota Order Protura Order Collembola Order Ditlura Order Thysanura Order Microcoryphia Subclass Apterygota Division Exopterygota Order Ephmeroptera Order Odonata Order Orthoptera Order Dermaptera Order Isoptera Order Embioptera Order Plecoptera Order Zoraptera Order Psocoptera Order Mallophaga Order Anoplura Order Thysanoptera Order Hemiptera Order Homoptera Division Endopterygota Order Neuroptera Order Coleoptera Order Strepsiptera Order Mecoptera Order Trichoptera Order Lepidoptera Order Diptera Order Siphonaptera Order Hymenoptera
Here are some of the Insect Orders.
Coleoptera (Beetles) |
Isoptera (Termites) |
Collembola (Springtails) |
Lepidoptera (Butterflies & Moths) |
Dermaptera (Earwigs) |
Odonata (Dragonflies & Damselflies) |
Dictyoptera (Cockroaches and Mantids) |
Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets & Katydids) |
Diptera (True Flies & Mosquitos) |
Neuroptera (Lacewings) |
Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) |
Phthiraptera (Lice) |
Hemiptera (True Bugs) |
Plecoptera (Stoneflies) |
Homoptera (Cicadas, hoppers, etc.) |
Siphonaptera (Fleas) |
Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees & Wasps) |
Thysanura (Silverfish) |
This section is just being constructed so the pages referred to are now being set up and are not yet available
The Class Arachnida (Arachnids) includes Araneae (Spiders), Scorpiones (Scorpions), Acarii (Mites and Ticks).
We will discuss some of these in this Section.
Acarii (Mites and Ticks) | Araneae (Spiders) | Scorpiones (Scorpions) |
This section is under construction, so there is much more to be added. Thanks for your patience as we build the section on "Bugs & Insects"
Here is sample of the type of things you
will see on this Master page and other related
linked pages,
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This is a pet millipede which I found on the hot pavement of a highway in West Texas in August, 1996. |