Insect Diversity and Importance Flashcards
What is entomology?
The study of insects
What are the big 5 orders of insects?
Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera
What are Hymenoptera?
Bees, Wasps and Ants
What are Coleoptera?
Beetles
What are Diptera?
Flies
What are Hemiptera?
True bugs
What are Lepidoptera?
Moths and Butterflies
What is Ubiquity?
The ability that insects have to have adapted to most every environment on earth, the only exception being the oceans.
What are the benefits of insects?
Pollination, Biological Control, Resource Production (i.e. honey, silk), Model Organisms, Food source (entomophagy), Biological Monitoring
What are some negative impacts of insects?
Destruction of natural resources such as trees, pathogen carriers, infection of food sources, destruction of infrastructure, injure crops and other resources.
Insect attributes contributing to their success?
Small Body size, high reproductive capacity, sensory and motor sophistication, exoskeleton, metamorphosis (decreases intraspecific competition), flight.
Benefits of small body Size?
Less time and energy to complete development, protection from predators, more ecological habitats, muscular action is more efficient, High surface area to volume ratio (Tracheal System)
Disadvantages of small body size?
Predation, easily caught by water and wind, increased transpiration due to the surface area to volume ratio
