There are millions of insects on the planet. They constitute the largest group of living beings and have very varied characteristics, although they share some peculiarities, such as the fact that they are animals with exoskeleton.
Although not all do, many insects are capable of flight. Could you name some of them? If not, learn about the different types of flying insects, their names, characteristics and photos in the next article on our site. Keep reading!
Characteristics of flying insects
Insects are the only invertebrates that have wings The appearance of these occurred when the dorsal plates of the thorax expanded. Originally, they served only to glide, but over the centuries they developed to allow these animals to fly. Thanks to them, insects are able to move, search for food, flee from predators and mate.
The size, shape, and texture of insect wings are so different that there is no single way to classify them. However, they share some peculiarities:
- Wings come in even numbers.
- Located in the mesothorax and metathorax.
- Some species lose them when they reach adulthood or when they correspond to sterile individuals.
- They are formed by the union of an upper and a lower membrane.
- They have veins or ribs.
- The interior of the wings contains nerves, tracheae, and hemolymph.
In addition to being animals with exoskeletons and wings, flying insects can be very different from each other, since they are classified into different groups, with their own characteristics in each of them.
Types of flying insects
The general characteristics of flying insects and common to all of them are those mentioned in the previous section. However, as we say, there are different groups of flying insects that allow them to be classified according to various criteria. Thus, the winged insects are divided into various groups or orders:
- Orthoptera
- Hymenoptera
- Diptera
- Lepidoptera
- Blattodea
- Coleoptera
- Odanata
Next, learn about the characteristics of each group and some of its exponents. Let's go there!
Examples of Orthoptera flying insects (Orthoptera)
Orthoptera appeared on Earth during the Triassic. This order of insects is mainly characterized by their mouthparts, which are of the chewing type, and because most of them are jumpers, such as crickets and grasshoppersThe wings have a parchment-like texture and are straight, although not all insects belonging to this order have them of the same size, even some of them do not have wings, so they are not flying insects.
As examples of flying insects of the order Orthoptera we can name the following as the most common:
- Migratory Locust (Locusta migratoria)
- House cricket (Acheta domesticus)
- Plain lobster (Rhammatocerus schistocercoides)
- Desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
Desert Locust
Among the examples mentioned, we focus on this type of flying insect due to its particularities. The desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is an insect considered a pest in Asia and Africa. In fact, this is the species referred to in ancient biblical texts. During certain times of the year, they gather in swarms, which are responsible for the disappearance of crops in many areas.
They are capable of covering up to 200 km of distance by means of flight. The groups they make up include up to 80 million individuals.
Examples of hymenopteran flying insects (Hymenoptera)
These insects appeared during the Jurassic. They have an abdomen divided into segments, the tongue is capable of lengthening or retracting and the mouthparts are chewing-licking. They are insects that live in society and the sterile castes lack wings.
The order Hymenoptera is one of the largest in existence, accounting for more than 150,000 species. Within this large group, we also find some of the most common and well-known flying insects, since all species of wasps, bees, bumblebees and ants belong here Thus, some examples of Hymenoptera are:
- European carpenter bee (Xylocopa violacea)
- Forest blowfly (Bombus dahlbomii)
- Alfalfa leafcutter bee (Megachile rotundata)
In addition, the honey bee and the oriental hornet, two of the most widespread insects in the world, are also examples of insects that fly and we will talk more in depth below:
Honeybee
The Apis mellifera is the best known species of bee. Currently, it is distributed throughout the world 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 are capable of traveling several kilometers in search of pollen. The queen, for her part, only performs the nuptial flight prior to mating, an event that takes place once in her life
Eastern Hornet
The Vespa orientalis or oriental hornet is a species of flying insect that is distributed in Asia, Africa and part of Europe. Like bees, wasps are eurosocial, that is, they form groups led by a queen and hundreds of workers.
This insect feeds on nectar, other insects and some small animals, as it requires protein for the development of its offspring. The bite can be dangerous for allergy sufferers. To learn about other "Types of wasps", do not miss this other article.
Examples of Diptera flying insects (Diptera)
Diptera appeared during the Jurassic. Most have short antennae, but the males of some species have feathery antennae, that is, covered with villi. The oral apparatus is sucking-biting.
One of the curiosities of this group of flying insects is that they do not have four wings like most, but due to evolution, only have two wings Within this order we find all the species of flies, mosquitoes, horseflies and tipulas. Some examples of Diptera are:
- Stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans)
- Bumblebee fly (Bombylius major)
In addition, we highlight the fruit fly, the striped horsefly and the tiger mosquito for their popularity and highlight some of their main characteristics.
Fruit fly
The fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata) comes from Africa, although it can now be found in tropical areas around the world. It is a flying insect that feeds on the sugary substances of fruits, an activity that gives it its name.
This and all fly species fly for short periods of time, then settle to rest and feed. The fruit fly is considered a pest in many countries, as it causes great damage to crops. If this species is found in your home and you want to know how to get rid of it without damaging it, don't miss this article: "How to get rid of flies?"
Striped Horsefly
Another species on this list of flying insects is the striped horsefly (Tabanus subsimilis). This dipteran insect lives in the United States and Mexico, where it can be found in natural and urban environments.
The striped horsefly is about 2 centimeters long and has a brown body with stripes on the abdomen. Like other species of horseflies, the wings are greyish and large, furrowed by some ribs.
Tiger Mosquito
The tiger mosquito (Aedes albopictus) is distributed in various areas 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 females feed on blood; the males, meanwhile, ingest flower nectar. The species is considered invasive and triggers he alth emergencies in tropical countries or during rainy seasons.
Examples of Lepidoptera flying insects (Lepidoptera)
They appeared on the planet during the Tertiary. Lepidoptera have a siphoning mouthparts, similar to a tube. The wings are membranous and have overlapping, unicellular or flattened scales. This order includes a moths and butterflies
Some examples of Lepidoptera are:
- Blue morpho butterfly (Morpho menelaus)
- Little Curassow (Saturnia pavonia)
- Machaon (Papilio machaon)
One of the most curious and beautiful flying insects is the birdwing butterfly, so we talk a little more about it.
Birdwing Butterfly
Ornithoptera alexandrae is endemic to Papua and New Guinea It is considered the largest butterfly in the world, reaching a wingspan of 31 centimeters. The wings of the females are brown with some white spots, while the males, which are smaller, have green and blue colors.
This species lives at an altitude of 850 meters in rainforests. It feeds on the pollen of different ornamental flowers and reaches adulthood at 131 days of life. is currently in danger of extinction due to the destruction of its habitat.
If you like butterflies and want to know more about them, check out this other article: "Where do butterflies live and what do they eat?"
Examples of blatodean flying insects (Blattodea)
Under this group is classified cockroaches, flattened insects that are distributed throughout much of the world. In this way, yes, cockroaches can also fly, although it is true that not all of them have wings. They appeared during the Carboniferous and include flying species like these:
- Australian Northern Giant Termite (Mastotermes darwiniensis)
- Blond cockroach (Blattella germanica)
- American cockroach (Periplaneta americana)
- Australian cockroach (Periplaneta australasiae)
As an example of a flying cockroach, we highlight the Pennsylvanian cockroach and see why below.
Pennsylvania cockroach
Parcoblatta pensylvanica is a species of cockroach found in North America. It is characterized by a dark body with lighter streaks on the back. It lives in forests and areas with a lot of vegetation, as well as urban areas.
Most cockroaches are low fliers and are able to use their wings to glide from heights onto other surfaces. In all species, including Pennsylvania, only males have wings.
Examples of flying insects cleoptera (Coleoptera)
Beetles are insects that, instead of conventional wings, have hard elytra, which serve as protection when the animal is at rest. They have biting-sucking mouthparts and elongated legs. Their fossils record that they existed during the Permian.
In the order Cleoptera we find beetles, ladybugs and fireflies, among others. For this reason, some of the most representative names of Celoptera flying insects are:
- Death watch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum)
- Potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemlineata)
- Elm beetle (Xanthogaleruca luteola)
- Pink ladybird (Coleomegilla maculata)
- Two-Spot Ladybird (Adalia bipunctata)
Seven-spot Ladybug
Among the flying insects that are part of this list with names, characteristics and photos, it is also possible to mention the seven-spot ladybug (Coccinella septempunctata). This is the species that inspires most cartoons, as it has the typical bright red wings with black dots
This ladybug is distributed in Europe and migrates to hibernate. It feeds on aphids and other insects, so it is introduced into crops to control pests.
Titan Beetle
The titan beetle (Titanus giganteus) is an animal that inhabits the Amazon forests. It has a reddish-brown body, pincers and antennae, but the most interesting thing about this beetle is its size, since it measures 17 centimeters.
The species lives in trees, from where it is able to fly to the ground. The males also emit sounds to intimidate their predators.
Check the following article and discover more "Types of beetles".
Examples of odonata flying insects (Odonata)
These insects appeared during the Permian. They have large eyes and long, cylindrical bodies. The wings are membranous, thin and transparent. The order of the odonata is made up of more than 6,000 species, among which we find dragonflies or damselflies. Thus, some of the examples of odonate insects are:
- Emperor dragonfly (Anax imperator)
- Green dragonfly (Anax junius)
- Blue Damselfly (Calopteryx virgo)
Common Blue Dragonfly
The last of the examples of flying insects is the Enallagma cyathigerum, or common blue dragonfly. It is a species that lives in a large part of Europe and some areas of Asia, where it is distributed in areas close to freshwater with a high level of acidity, since fish, its main predator, do not survive under these conditions.
This dragonfly is distinguished by the bright blue color of its body, accompanied by some black stripes. In addition, it has elongated wings that it can fold to rest.
