There are millions of insects on the planet. They are the largest group of living beings and have very varied characteristics, although they share certain characteristics, such as being animals with exoskeletons.
Although not everyone does, many insects can fly. Do you know how to say some of them? If you don’t know, learn about the different types of flying insects, their names, features and photos in this Animal Expert article. Read!
- Insects are the only invertebrates with wings.
- Its appearance occurred when the dorsal plates of the chest dilated.
- Originally.
- They were only used for planning.
- But over the centuries they developed to allow these animals to fly.
- Thanks to them.
- Insects can move.
- Find food.
- Escape predators and mate.
The size, shape and texture of insect wings are so different that there is no single way to classify them. However, the wings share some peculiarities:
In addition to being animals with exoskeletons and wings, flying insects can be very different from each other, as they are classified into different groups and each of them has its own characteristics.
The general characteristics of flying insects, which are common to all of them, are those mentioned in the previous section. However, as we have said, there are different types of flying insects, allowing them to be categorized according to various criteria. Thus, winged insects are divided into several groups or orders:
The orthoptera appeared on earth during the Triassic. This order of insects is characterized mainly by its mouth, which is the type of chewing and because most of them are jumpers, such as crickets and grasshoppers. The wings have a parchment-like texture and are straight, although not all insects in this order have wings of the same size. Some of them don’t even have wings and therefore are not flying insects.
As types of flying insects of the order of orthoptera, we can cite the following as the most common:
Among the examples cited, we will focus on this type of flying insect for its peculiarities. Desert lobster (Schistocerca gregarious) is an insect considered a pest in Asia and Africa. In fact, this is the type to which ancient biblical texts refer. During some seasons, they gather in swarms responsible for the disappearance of crops in many regions.
These insects appeared during the Jurassic. They have a abdomen divided into segments, a tongue capable of stretching, retracting and a mouthpiece for chewing. They are insects that live in society and sterile varieties have no wings.
The order of hymenoptera is one of the most important that exist because it includes more than 150,000 species. Within this large group, we also find some of the most common and known flying insects, as all species of wasps, bees, bumblebees and ants are part of it. Thus, some examples of hymenoptera are:
In addition, the honey bee and the oriental mangava, two of the world’s most common insects, are also examples of flying insects that we will discuss in more detail below.
Apis mellifera is the most well-known species of bee. Today, it is distributed worldwide and plays a crucial role in the pollination of plants, in addition to producing most of the honey consumed by humans.
In a hive, worker bees can travel several kilometers in search of pollen. Meanwhile, the Queen does not perform the bridal flight until before mating, an event that occurs once in her life.
The Eastern wasp or eastern mangava is a species of flying insect that is distributed in Asia, Africa and part of Europe. Like bees, wasps are Euro-social, that is, they form groups led by a queen and hundreds of workers.
This insect feeds on nectar, other insects and some small animals because it needs proteins for the development of its young. Your bite can be dangerous for allergy sufferers.
Diptera appeared during the Jurassic period. Most of these insects have short antennae, but males of some species have feathery antennae, i.e. covered with hairs. Your mouthpiece is a suction cup.
One of the curiosities of this group of flying insects is that they do not have four wings, like most. Due to evolution, the diptera have only two wings. Within this order, we find all species of flies, mosquitoes, taones and typical. Examples of diptera include:
In addition, we highlight the fruit fly, the striped taon and the Asian tiger mosquito for its popularity and we talk about some of its main features.
A mosca-da-fruta (Ceratitis capitata) é nativa da África, embora atualmente seja possível encontrá-la em áreas tropicais ao redor de todo o mundo. É um inseto voador que se alimenta das substâncias açucaradas das frutas, um comportamento que lhe dá seu nome.
This species and all species of flies fly for short periods and then land to rest and feed. Fruit flies are considered a pest in many countries because they cause serious crop damage. If this species is present in your house and you want to know how to hunt it without damaging it.
Another species on this list of flying insects is the striped tawny (Tabanus subsimilis). This insect diptera inhabits the United States and Mexico, where it can be found in natural and urban environments.
The striped taon is about 2 centimeters tall and has a brown body with scratches on the abdomen. Like other species of taons, its wings are grey and broad, with some ribs.
The Asian tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is widespread in many parts of Africa, Asia and America. It is an insect capable of transmitting diseases to humans, such as dengue and yellow fever.
Contrary to popular belief, only women feed on blood. Meanwhile, males ingest the nectar from the flowers. The species is considered invasive and triggers health emergencies in tropical countries or during the rainy season.
They appeared on the planet during the Tertiary. Lepidoptera have a suction-like nozzle, similar to a tube. The wings are membranes and have nested, single-celled or flat scales. This command includes moths and butterflies.
Examples of lepidoptera include
One of the most curious and beautiful flying insects is the bird-winged butterfly, so we’ll talk about it in more detail below.
Ornithoptera alexandrae is endemic to Papua New Guinea. It is considered the largest butterfly in the world, reaching a wingspan of 31 centimeters. The females’ wings are brown with some white spots, while smaller males have green and blue colors.
This species lives at 850 meters high in tropical forests. It feeds on pollen from different ornamental flowers and reaches adulthood at 131 days. It is currently endangered due to habitat destruction.
If you like butterflies and want to know more about them, check out this other article on butterfly breeding.
As an example of a flying cockroach, we highlight the Pennsylvania cockroach and then see why.
Parcoblatta pensylvanica is a species of cockroach found in North America. It is characterized by a dark body with lighter stripes on the back. It inhabits forests and areas with a lot of vegetation, in addition to urban areas.
Most cockroaches fly at low altitudes and can use their wings to glide from high places to other surfaces. In all species, including Pennsylvania, only males have wings.
Beetles are flying insects that, instead of conventional wings, have two hard elites that serve as protection when the animal is at rest. They have a chewing nozzle and elongated legs. Fossils indicate that they already existed during the Permian.
In the order of beetles, we find beetles, ladybugs and fireflies, among others. Therefore, some of the names of the most representative flying beetles are:
Among the flying insects that are part of this list with names, features and photos, it is also possible to mention the seven-pointed ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). It is the species that inspires most cartoons, as it has typical bright red wings with black dots.
The giant Ceramicide (Titanus giganteus) is an animal that inhabits the Amazon rainforest. It has a reddish-brown body, claws and antennae, but the most interesting thing about this beetle is its size because it measures 17 centimeters.
The species lives in the trees, from where it can fly to the ground. Males also make sounds to intimidate their predators.
Read this article to learn more about beetle types
These insects appeared during the Permian. They have very large eyes and an elongated cylindrical body. Its wings are membranes, thin and transparent. The order of the odonates is composed of more than 6000 species, among which are dragonflies or horses of the devil. In this way, some of the examples of odonate insects are:
This dragonfly is distinguished by the bright blue color of its body, accompanied by black stripes. In addition, it has elongated wings that can be folded when you want to rest.
If you would like to read articles similar to, we recommend that you visit our Curiosities section of the animal world.