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Insects (from Latin insectum) are hexapod invertebrates of the class Insecta. They are the largest group within the arthropod phylum. Insects have a chitinous exoskeleton, a three-part body (head, thorax and abdomen), three pairs of jointed legs, compound eyes, and a pair of antennae. Insects are the most diverse group of animals, with more than a million described species; they represent more than half of all animal species. (Full article...)

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Ants (family Formicidae in the order Hymenoptera) are the most species-rich of all social insects, with more than 12,000 described species and many others awaiting description. Formicidae is divided into 21 subfamilies, of which 17 contain extant taxa, while four are exclusively fossil. Ants have come to occupy virtually all major terrestrial habitats, with the exception of tundra and cold ever-wet forests. They display a wide range of social behaviors, foraging habits and associations with other organisms, which has generated scientific and public interest. (Full article...)

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... that molecular phylogenetics suggests that Pthirus gorillae jumped from gorillas to early humans about 3.3 million years ago and speciated into the present day pubic louse?
... that Austroplatypus incompertus forms colonies in the heartwood of some Eucalyptus trees and was the first beetle recognized as eusocial?
... that Mimoides phaon was the first swallowtail butterfly of the genus Mimoides to stray into the United States?
... that the "orchid dupe wasp", Lissopimpla excelsa, ejaculates visible amounts of semen as it tries to copulate with flowers of the leafless-, large- and tartan- tongue orchids, which it mistakes for a female wasp?
... that the oriental mole cricket, Gryllotalpa orientalis, can not only dig a burrow a metre deep but can also swim?

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The following are images from various insect-related articles on Wikipedia.

Image 1
Insect morphology
Legend of body parts
Tagmata: A – Head, B – Thorax, C – Abdomen.
1. antenna
2. ocelli (lower)
3. ocelli (upper)
4. compound eye
5. brain (cerebral ganglia)
6. prothorax
7. dorsal blood vessel
8. tracheal tubes (trunk with spiracle)
9. mesothorax
10. metathorax
11. forewing
12. hindwing
13. mid-gut (stomach)
14. dorsal tube (heart)
15. ovary
16. hind-gut (intestine, rectum & anus)
17. anus
18. oviduct
19. nerve cord (abdominal ganglia)
20. Malpighian tubes
21. tarsal pads
22. claws
23. tarsus
24. tibia
25. femur
26. trochanter
27. fore-gut (crop, gizzard)
28. thoracic ganglion
29. coxa
30. salivary gland
31. subesophageal ganglion
32. mouthparts
(from Insect morphology)
Image 2Venation of insect wings, based on the Comstock-Needham system (from Insect morphology)
Image 3Bumblebee defecating. Note the contraction of the anus, which provides internal pressure. (from Insect morphology)
Image 4Frenulo-retinacular wing coupling in male and female moths (from Insect flight)
Image 5Diagram of a typical insect leg (from Insect morphology)
Image 6Direct flight: muscles attached to wings. Large insects only (from Insect flight)
Image 7Stylized diagram of insect digestive tract showing malpighian tubule, from an insect of the order Orthoptera. (from Insect morphology)
Image 8Variety of male structures in Phlebotominae (Diptera, Psychodidae) (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 9The development of insect mouthparts from the primitive chewing mouthparts of a grasshopper in the center (A), to the lapping type (B) of a bee, the siphoning type (C) of a butterfly and the sucking type (D) of a female mosquito.
Legend: a – antennae
c – compound eye
lb – labium
lr – labrum
md – mandibles
mx – maxillae (from Insect morphology)
Image 10Reconstruction Strudiella devonica as a possible hexapod (from Evolution of insects)
Image 11Queen Alexandra's birdwing (Ornithoptera alexandrae) of Papua New Guinea (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 12Head of Orthoptera, Acrididae. a:antenna; b:ocelli; c:vertex; d:compound eye; e:occiput; f:gena; g:pleurostoma; h:mandible; i:labial palp; j:maxillary palps; k:maxilla; l:labrum; m:clypeus; n:frons (from Insect morphology)
Image 13Closeup of a fire ant, showing fine sensory hairs on antennae (from Insect morphology)
Image 14Larva of beetle, family Cerambycidae, showing sclerotised epicranium; rest of body hardly sclerotised (from Insect morphology)
Image 15Indian moon moth (Actias selene) with some of the spiracles identified (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 16Reconstruction of a Carboniferous insect, the palaeodictyopteran Mazothairos (from Insect flight)
Image 17A tau emerald (Hemicordulia tau) dragonfly has flight muscles attached directly to its wings. (from Insect flight)
Image 18The abdominal terminus of male scorpionflies is enlarged into a "genital bulb", as seen in Panorpa communis (from Insect morphology)
Image 19Mazothairos, a Carboniferous member of the now extinct order Palaeodictyoptera. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 20Larva of Syrphid fly, member of Cyclorrhapha, without epicranium, almost without sclerotisation apart from its jaws. (from Insect morphology)
Image 21Hoverfly (Philhelius pedissequum) has indirect flight musculature. (from Insect flight)
Image 22Generalized arthropod biramous limb. Trueman proposed that an endite and an exite fused to form a wing. (from Insect flight)
Image 23Mayfly nymph with paired abdominal gills (from Insect flight)
Image 24A pie chart of described eukaryote species, showing just over half of these to be insects (from Insect biodiversity)
Image 25Mandibles of Rhyniognatha hirsti, it may be an oldest insect, but also possible to be a myriapod. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 26Male genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 27The Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies) have direct flight musculature, as do mayflies. (from Insect flight)
Image 28Evolution has produced astonishing variety of appendages in insects, such as these antennae. (from Evolution of insects)
Image 29Cross-section of wing vein (from Insect morphology)
Image 30The female genitalia of Lepidoptera (from Insect reproductive system)
Image 31Scanning electron micrograph of a cricket spiracle valve (from Respiratory system of insects)
Image 32Fossil gnat in amber, a well-preserved insect fossil. (from Evolution of insects)

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Credit: Noodle snacks

The Meadow Argus, Junonia villida (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae), is a butterfly commonly found in Australia. It is also known as Albin's Hampstead Eye in the United Kingdom, where it has occurred only as an accidental import.

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