Insects
Classification of Insects
• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
– Jointed legs
– Exoskeleton
A hard outer covering
Used for protection
Made of chitin
• 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
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
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
• 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
Why insects are successful in their species
diversity
• They can adapt to even harshest living conditions.
i.e. some live in streams at temperature 0oC &
below while others survive in hot springs at above
49oC.
• Most insects have adapted to eat on almost
anything
• Their small size enable insects to live in places that
are too small to other animals, and where they can
also find food and protection from enemies.
• Since insects are small, they also need little food
Why insects are successful
• Most insects have wings that make flying easier to search
for food, to escape from enemies and to find mates
• The power of reproduction.
Most insects have short lives.
They quickly become adults and reproduce;
Most lay many eggs and produce several generations
during a season
• The exoskeleton of insects protects them against injury
and loss of moisture
Economic Importance of insects
A. Beneficial Insects
1. Pollination of plants
About 50 seed and fruit crops depend on honeybees, for
pollination.
Economic Importance of insects
2. Silk production
The caterpillar of the silk producing moth (Bombyx mori) spins
a cocoon prior to changing to the adult stage
Economic Importance of insects
3. Production of Lac and Shellac:
• A resinous substance secreted by a tiny insect called
Laccifer lacca
Uses
• In shoe polishes
• In sealing parcels, packets
and envelopes
• Polishing wooden furniture
• Insulating material in
electrical work
Economic Importance of insects
4. Production of honey and wax
Honey is food and medicinal while wax is used to make candles,
varnishes, paints etc.
5. Improvement of soil fertility
The burrowing of ants, beetles and other insects enables air to
penetrate the soil
6. Insects are valuable as food for humans and animals.
Chickens, turkeys, hogs and fish utilize many insects as an
important source of their food.
Some races of man use insects for food. E.g. grasshopper,
cricket, beetle, caterpillar, termite and ant
7. Insects are significant components of food chains in virtually
all environments
Economic importance of insects
8. Some insects are predators
They prey upon and destroy other animals and that help to
reduce the number of insects.
Economic importance of insects
9. Some insects are parasitoids
They lay their eggs on the larva of other insects, the eggs
hatch and the young larvae feed upon the body juice of the
host as a parasite
Economic Importance of insects
B. Harmful Insects
1. Insects transmit diseases to human and other animals
Mosquitoes spread malaria, filariasis and yellow fever;
Tsetse flies transmit sleeping sickness
Black flies transmit river blindness
Sandflies transmit Leishmaniasis
Fleas transmit Jiggers
Leishmaniasis
Economic Importance of insects
River blindness Loiasis
Elephantiasis
Jiggers
Economic Importance of insects
2. Agricultural pests
Some of the major serious pests affecting man’s food crop
(both in the field and in stores) are insects.
3 Destructive pests to other products
Some insects are quite destructive to man’s products such as
timber, wood, electrical cables and wires i.e. termites