Entomology is the Study of Insects

Insects

are the most diverse and abundant forms of life on earth. There are over a million described speciesmore than 2/3 of all known organisms There is more total biomass of insects than of humans. Insects undergo either incomplete or complete metamorphosis (Egg to larva to pupa to insect) Larva have a soft tubular body and look like worms. Fly species larvae are maggots

A single insect bears 3 pairs of legs, 2 pairs of wings, compound and simple eyes, and 2 antennae. The insect exoskeleton provides tremendous strength ... Insects are upside-down ... they have a dorsal heart and a ventral nerve cord. The insect respiratory system is comprised of holes (spiracles) in the abdomen and thorax, and tubes (tracheae) that allow outside air to reach locations next to body organs. Insects smell with antennae and taste with tarsal (foot) pads (and other organs). Their phenomenal features include stalked eyes, brightly colored hairs and spines, large horns, powerful jaws, and ovipositors adapted for spectacular uses.

 Respiratory

system (tracheal system): Spiracles: External openings on each side of most body segments Tracheae: large tubes that run the length of the body on each side. Smaller tubes are called tracheal branches and tracheoles. Air sacs that store air (air, not just oxygen) may be located in the abdomen and/or the thorax.

Most insects are oviparous females lay eggs. The act of egg-laying is called oviposition. Eggs may be laid singly or in masses; often they are coated with a sticky substance secreted from the female accessory gland to glue them to each other and a plant surface (or other substrate). In most insect groups, eggs are laid shortly after fertilization; egg development does not occur in the mother.

Exceptions to the general rule include: Ovovivipary: Eggs are incubated in the female until nearly ready to hatch, and hatching occurs almost immediately after oviposition; this occurs in some cockroaches, aphids,scales, beetles, thrips, and flies (but is not the rule in any of these groups). Pseudoplacental vivipary: Egg develops in maternal tissue where nutrients aretransferred to the developing embryo; offspring is born immediately upon hatchingfrom the egg. Common in many aphids; also occurs in some earwigs, Psocoptera, Nad, one family of Hemiptera. In a few fly families, larval development occurs entirely within the mother, and the fully grown larva pupates immediately after birth. This occurs in the tsetse fly, the louse flies or keds, and the bat flies.

 Sperm

storage in the spermatheca allows females to store sperm to fertilize eggs later, in the absence of males (sperm remain viable in the spermatheca of queen honey bees for up to 3 years).

 Parthenogenesis:

Reproduction via development of unfertilized eggs Eggs may be all female (thelytokous parthenogenesis) aphids Eggs may be all male (arhenotokous parthenogenesis) many Hymenoptera Polyembryony: Two or more embyos develop from one egg; common in Hymenoptera.

Pupae of a Hymenopteran parasite on a hornworm, Manduca sp. An adult wasp inserted one egg into this larva, and multiple embryos developed. Larvae of the wasp fed inside the hornworm and have exited the body and spun cocoons in which they have pupated.

 Most

insects are diploid, with one set of chromosomes from each parent. XX individuals usually are female; XO are male. Haploid diploid sex determination occurs when unfertilized eggs develop into haploid individuals and are male; fertilized eggs develop into diploid females occurs in Hymenoptera.

Thoracic tympanae of moths ... for avoiding bats / sometimes they aid in attracting bats Stridulation ... the sound-producing process of crickets Compound eyes ... 30,000 facets in one compound eye in a dragonfly ... they sense movement and some color, but provide poor resolution. Bioluminescence ... In fireflies, flying males flash first; stationary females respond by flashing back. If the flash intervals are correct, the male flies to source to mate.

 Phylum

(and subphylum) Class (and subclass) Order (and suborder) Superfamily Family (and subfamily) (Tribe) Genus (and subgenus) Species (and subspecies)