The top orders of insects

🌿 Exploring the Native Forests of the Azores: Discovering the Five Main Orders of Insects! 🦗

Welcome to this fascinating exploration of the native forests of the Azores archipelago, where I am conducting long-term biodiversity studies. Today, let's dive into the world of insects by presenting the five main orders that make up 80% of the world's insect species.

📚 Objective: Understand and preserve biodiversity :

My aim in these long-term studies is to gain a better understanding of the biodiversity of the native forests of the Azores, which is essential for the preservation of these fragile ecosystems.

🐞 1. Coleoptera:

We start with beetles, the largest order of insects. Recognisable by the rigid elytra that protect their wings, beetles play key roles in decomposition and pollination.

🦋 2. Lepidoptera:

Lepidoptera, which include butterflies and caterpillars, are distinguished by their wings covered in coloured scales. They are important pollinators and play an essential role in the food chain.

🦟 3. Diptera:

Flies and mosquitoes belong to this order, characterised by a single pair of wings. Diptera are involved in pollination and decomposition, and some are vectors of disease.

🐝 4. Hymenoptera:

Hymenoptera include bees, wasps and ants. They are essential for pollination, predation and controlling the populations of other insects.

🪳 5. Hemiptera:

Finally, hemipterans, which include bugs, cicadas and aphids, are renowned for their unique wing structure and feeding habits.