Body

Ranging in size from less than a millimetre (0.04in) to more than 18cm (7in), an insect’s adult form usually features a head, thorax and abdomen. The thorax has six legs (one pair per segment) and one or two pairs of wings. On the head are a pair of sensory antenna and two compound eyes. Most of the digestive, respiratory, excretory and reproductive organs are contained in the abdomen.

Examples

Common insect species include flies, crickets, mosquitoes, beetles, butterflies, and bees.

Sacred lotus plants (Nelumbo nucifera) abound in Beung Sie Fie swamp near Phichit, Thailand, and there are always some in flower throughout the year. Caterpillars make the most of this bounty by feeding on these large leaves. See the worms at work in the clip Caterpillars feed on sacred lotus.

Among a plethora of daisies in the Namaqualand region of South Africa, Paul Myburgh is drawn to weevils feeding in flowers. The small insects make their way up the plant stems, where they have been keeping cool in the shade, to the top of the flower and into the stamen bowl, to feed on the pollinated protrusions in the centre of the flowers.

In the process their bodies get covered with pollen, which they then transfer from plant to plant and from flower to flower, so playing their vital part in the propagation of species. See Weevils feed on flowers.

Paul Myburgh captured some captivating footage of a spider-hunting wasp (Tachypompilus ignites) dragging its prey across the ground towards a fallen tree trunk on the forest floor.

The prey was a female rain spider (Palystes sp.), and the predator in this instance was a female spider-hunting wasp. She stashed the paralysed spider in a hole burrowed into the soft rotting wood of the tree stump, but before she could lay her eggs on the spider, another female ambushed her in an attempt to steal her prey. A fierce battle between the two wasps ensued for almost an hour before the first wasp was able to return to her nest. Watch this battle in Wasps fight viciously over prey.

In Thailand, Darryl Sweetland is particularly pleased to get some film of a green dragontail butterfly (Lamproptera meges virescens) after trying on a number of occasions to photograph this species. He also finds two other butterflies, a common nawab (Polyura athamus athamus) and a tawny rajah (Charaxes bernardus hierax) feeding together on some animal droppings, both beautiful in their colouration if not their habits.

His field trip ends off with footage of two of the more common butterflies, straight Pierrots (Caleta roxus roxana) and common grass yellows (Eurema hecabe contubernalis). These are concentrated in several small locations where they appear to be feeding on animal urine. See Unusual butterflies feed on animal droppings.

 

The longhorn beetle (Cerambycidae sp.) filmed in the Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Game Reserve in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal province has two strong mandibles, which it uses to burrow into the wood and bark of certain trees. Longhorn beetles are often brightly coloured, but this particular species had black and white markings and shades of beige, which camouflage it on the bark of a tree.

Under the beetle’s shell are two strong wings which carry the insect for long distances, particularly in strong winds. They prefer to fly in short bursts, not covering more than 20m (66ft) at a time. At the time of filming, the beetle’s wings were still wet from a recent shower and it tried several times to unfold them. See the wet longhorn beetle in Beetle blends in with tree bark.

Study

The scientific study of insects is known as entomology.

For more information on insects and insect species, visit LiveScience or the Smithsonian Institution’s Department of Entomology.