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Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals, with more than a million described species; they represent more than half of all animal species. (Full article...)

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Pijnackeria hispanica

The Phasmatodea (also known as Phasmida, Phasmatoptera or Spectra) are an order of insects whose members are variously known as stick insects, stick-bugs, walkingsticks, stick animals, or bug sticks. They are also occasionally referred to as Devil's darning needles, although this name is shared by both dragonflies and crane flies. They can be generally referred to as phasmatodeans, phasmids, or ghost insects, with phasmids in the family Phylliidae called leaf insects, leaf-bugs, walking leaves, or bug leaves. The group's name is derived from the Ancient Greek φάσμα phasma, meaning an apparition or phantom, referring to their resemblance to vegetation while in fact being animals. Their natural camouflage makes them difficult for predators to detect; still, many species have one of several secondary lines of defense in the form of startle displays, spines or toxic secretions. Stick insects from the genera Phryganistria, Ctenomorpha, and Phobaeticus include the world's longest insects.

Members of the order are found on all continents except Antarctica, but they are most abundant in the tropics and subtropics. They are herbivorous, with many species living unobtrusively in the tree canopy. They have an incomplete metamorphosis life cycle with three stages: egg, nymph and adult. Many phasmids are parthenogenic, and do not require fertilized eggs for female offspring to be produced. In hotter climates, they may breed all year round; in more temperate regions, the females lay eggs in the autumn before dying, and the new generation hatches in the spring. Some species have wings and can disperse by flying, while others are more restricted. (Full article...)

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... that Clouded Magpie moths resemble bird droppings while they are resting on the upper surface of leaves?
... that the caterpillars of the moth Mompha raschkiella cause a yellowish blotch on the leaves of Rosebay Willowherb that bleach rapidly after the caterpillars leave them?
... that the scientific name of the peacock carpenter bee (Xylocopa bombylans) means "bumblebee-like wood-cutter"?
... that the mayfly Rhithrogena germanica can emerge from a river, moult and fly off in 30 seconds?
... that the first entomological article written by a New World native concerned the "Great Black Waſp"?

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The following are images from various insect-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 2Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 3Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 4Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 5Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 6Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 7The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)
Image 8Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 9Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 10A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 11The development of insect mouthparts from the primitive chewing mouthparts of a grasshopper in the center (A), to the lapping type (B) of a bee, the siphoning type (C) of a butterfly and the sucking type (D) of a female mosquito.
Legend: a – antennae
c – compound eye
lb – labium
lr – labrum
md – mandibles
mx – maxillae (from Insect morphology)
Image 12Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 13Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 14Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 15Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 16Head of Orthoptera, Acrididae. a:antenna; b:ocelli; c:vertex; d:compound eye; e:occiput; f:gena; g:pleurostoma; h:mandible; i:labial palp; j:maxillary palps; k:maxilla; l:labrum; m:clypeus; n:frons (from Insect morphology)
Image 17Hoverfly (Xanthogramma pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 18Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 19Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 20Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 21A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 22Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 23Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 24Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 25The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 26Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 27
Insect morphology
Legend of body parts
Tagmata: A – Head, B – Thorax, C – Abdomen.
1. antenna
2. ocelli (lower)
3. ocelli (upper)
4. compound eye
5. brain (cerebral ganglia)
6. prothorax
7. dorsal blood vessel
8. tracheal tubes (trunk with spiracle)
9. mesothorax
10. metathorax
11. forewing
12. hindwing
13. mid-gut (stomach)
14. dorsal tube (heart)
15. ovary
16. hind-gut (intestine, rectum & anus)
17. anus
18. oviduct
19. nerve cord (abdominal ganglia)
20. Malpighian tubes
21. tarsal pads
22. claws
23. tarsus
24. tibia
25. femur
26. trochanter
27. fore-gut (crop, gizzard)
28. thoracic ganglion
29. coxa
30. salivary gland
31. subesophageal ganglion
32. mouthparts
(from Insect morphology)
Image 28Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 29The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)
Image 30Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be an oldest insect, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 31Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 32Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)

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Credit: Noodle snacks

Green lacewings (Neuroptera: Chrysopidae) is a family of lacewings containing about 85 genera and (according to different sources) 1,300–2,000 species. Members of the genera Chrysopa (pictured) and Chrysoperla are very common in North America and Europe; they are very similar and many of their species have been moved from one genus to the other times and again.

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