What is an insect? Taxonomy: Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Physical Features: Hard exoskeleton (adults), 6 legs, 3-part body, 2 antennae Diverse and Abundant!! More than one million described species!! Represent more than half of ALL living organisms on Earth!! Insect Body Plan Centipedes & milipedes
Not Insects!! spiders scorpions Isopods Centipedes & milipedes Familiar Insect Orders
Hymenoptera: bees, wasps & ants; many social species Coleoptera: beetles;hardened wings called elytra Lepidoptera: moths and butterflies; nectar-feeding (proboscis) Orthoptera: grasshoppers, crickets and locusts Diptera: true flies, mosquitoes, gnats Pollinators Are Cool!