Entomology Basics
Introduction
Hello there fellow insect lovers. If I am correct in thinking, you are here because you are passionate about Entomology and insects, or this may be a new hobby that you have just picked up. Or, perhaps your cursor brought you here by accident? I doubt that is the case, but if so, welcome. On this page, you will learn the basics of entomology. You will learn the vital difference between insects and arachnids,what an arthropod is, and why insects are so good for us humans.
The usefulness of insects. Why are they so useful to humankind?
So, we all know someone that shudders when they hear the word 'insect', 'creepy crawly' or 'bug'. The correct term is, of course, insect. Though people always scream, cry, or squash insects when they see them, these small, incredible beasts play a crucial role in our environment and society. I am not being dramatic by saying, without them, we would be doomed!
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Insects are helpful because they...
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1. Serve as food for secondary consumer animals.
2. Insects like bees and butterflies help plants grow by pollinating them.
3. Burrowing insects such as ants and beetles dig in the soil, creating accessible tunnels for the roots of plants.
4. Insects found in corpses can determine the time of death, so makes crime-solving a lot easier.
5. Insects such as the Ladybird get rid of pests like aphids from plants.
6. Waste insects such as flies and dung beetles eat waste, therefore helping our food or faecal matter decompose and not pollute the Earth.
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Those are some brilliant examples if I do say myself( I let out a pleased snigger), however, there are many others, but if I went on I would fill this whole page and wouldn't get to type anything else!
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What is the difference between Insect and Arachnid, and what's an Arthropod?
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Both insects and arachnids are arthropods. Arthropods are living things that have a tough outer casing. This casing is commonly known as an exoskeleton. Though they are both arthropods, arachnids and insects are very different. Insects have six legs and their body is comprised of three different segments; The Head, Thorax, and Abdomen. Whereas an arachnid has eight legs and only has two segments; The Cephalothorax and the Abdomen. Another difference is, that arachnids tend not to be able to fly, and cannot chew, unlike insects. Though insects such as butterflies, moths and aphids cannot physically eat, rather they slurp their food like a rude guest at a dinner party.
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To see the difference in body composition between Arachnids and Insects you can go to The External anatomy of an insect page.
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Other Arthropods include:
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Myriapods- Centipedes and Millipedes.
Crustaceans- Crabs and lobsters.
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Some links show how insects can be a tool to serve crimes. https://massivesci.com/notes/maggot-forensics-machine-learning/
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