Common Insect Orders

As any other living organisms studied in the field of biology, insects are classified in orders. The taxonomy of insects helps specialists distinguish between the difference species of insects by classifying the most similar ones in a certain order and in some case by making up a family of insects. Most entomologists are known to specialize in a single order of insects, the life of whom they will observe for the rest of their careers or until they decide to change their perspectives. There are 32 insect orders and here one can read more about the most commonly seen insects.

Ephemeroptera is the insect order that comprises the mayfly. Contrary to the common belief, the mayfly and the dragonfly and damselfly are not part of the same order as the latter two are contained by the order Ordonata. Moreover, neither of these insects whose name ends in ‘fly’ does not fit in the same category with the ordinary fly which is part of the Diptera order. The ‘flies’ are classified into different orders based on the number of pairs of wings. The common fly has thus a single pair of wings which puts it on the same order as the mosquito.

Grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids are part of the Orthoptera order while cockroaches can be found under the Blattaria or Blattodea order. Another significant difference exists between the termites and ants. Many people confuse these two types of insects so it might be useful to know that they do not belong to the same order. Termites for instance are part of the Isoptera order and ants from the Hymenoptera one together with bees and wasps.

The groups of insects do not only result based on the appearance of the different types of insects, such as the number of wings, but also from the habits that these insects have in different aspects of their lives.