All About Insects

The planet Earth is a diverse place when it comes to living beings. Over a million species exist only of insects and these insects are all around us. There are many different types of insects all around the world. They are small and adaptable that is why they are a very common sight for the eye. Insects are the tiny beings that spark the interest of many children. However, it is also important to get to know about them as there are several different species of insects in the world. Insects are the largest in number as compared to any other species.

All the animals are classified into different categories that make the study of them a lot easier. Insects are also a part of the bigger classification. They belong to the kingdom of animals. The phylum that they are classified into is Arthropoda. Many smaller animals such as crabs, scorpions, centipedes, etc are a part of this phylum. However, to distinguish insects from them, they are grouped in the class of Insecta. Insecta also has further orders but it is the main class for insects. Coleoptera is the class that contains insects like beetles. Lepidoptera contains butterflies, moths, and other such insects. Orthoptera is the class that contains insects like grasshoppers and katydids.

The overall study of insects is known as entomology. There are different types of insects that either help or hurt people. The ones that hurt people are the ones that damage the crops and forest trees. They can also spread diseases like malaria and yellow fever. Some insects also bite that hurts or stings a lot. The examples of such insects are mosquitoes, fire ants, and caterpillars.

Some insects help people. They help in pollinating the food crops. They also produce food like honey. They are also known to supply food to the birds, frogs, and other such animals. Examples of such beneficial insects are praying mantis, predatory ladybugs, and honey bees.