Insects

• Butterflies • Moths • Ants • Flies

Introduction to Class Insects (= Insecta =Hexapods)

1. Subclass Apterygota (Primitive wingless insects with incomplete metamorphosis)

   1. Order Archaeognatha or Microcoryphia (jumping bristletails) 

   2. Order Zygentoma (Silverfish and firebrats)

2. Subclass Pterygota (winged insects)

3. Subclass Paleoptera (Primitive winged insects, with their wings held upright or outstretched at rest and incomplete metamorphosis)

   1. Order Odonata (Dragonflies and damselflies)

   2. Order Ephemeroptera (Mayflies or upwing flies)

4. Subclass Polyneoptera (Winged insects, with a broad, fan-like extension to their hind wings, and incomplete metamorphosis)

   1. Order Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, crickets and bush-crickets)

   2. Order Phasmida (Stick-insects)

   3. Order Plecoptera (Stoneflies)

   4. Order Dermaptera (Earwigs)

   5. Order Dictyoptera (Cockroaches, termites and mantids)

   6. Order Embioptera (Webspinners)

   7. Order Grylloblattaria (Rock crawlers)

   8. Order Mantophasmatodea (Heelwalkers)

   9. Order Zoraptera (Zorapterans)

5. Subclass Paraneoptera (Higher insects, with mostly incomplete metamorphosis, where a nymph generally resembles the adult)

   1. Order Hemiptera (True bugs)

   2. Order Phthiraptera (Sucking and biting lice)

   3. Order Psocoptera (Booklice and barklice)

   4. Order Thysanoptera (Thrips)

6. Endopterygota (Higher insects, with a clear metamorphosis from larva via a pupa to adult, also called Holometabola.)

   1. Order Coleoptera (Beetles)

   2. Order Diptera (True flies)

   3. Order Hymenoptera (Ants, bees, and wasps)

   4. Order Lepidoptera (Butterflies and moths)

   5. Order Mecoptera (Scorpion flies)

   6. Order Megaloptera (Alderflies)

   7. Order Neuroptera (Lacewings)

   8. Order Siphonaptera (Fleas)

   9. Order Raphidioptera (Snakeflies)

   10. Order Strepsiptera (Twisted wing flies)

   11. Order Trichoptera (Caddisflies or sedge flies)