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Insect groups (Orders)

A photograph of a pair of mating butterflies

A pair of mating butterflies. Butterflies and moths belong to the order Lepidoptera.

The Insects (Class Insecta) are divided into a number of Orders. These are grouped together into two sub-classes called the Apterygota (wingless insects) and the Pterygota (winged insects) - for further information on Classes, Orders and Sub-classes see the Classification section. In addition to the Class Insecta there are three other classes of invertebrates that have six legs, these three classes are known as non-insect hexapods.

The Insects - Class Insecta

Each of the insect orders are listed below and, by following the links, information on each order is provided (main characteristics, life cycle and other interesting facts) along with links to other Web sites containing further information:-

[Subclass] Apterygota
- Archaeognatha (Order: Microcoryphia)
- Three-pronged bristletails (Order: Thysanura)
[Subclass] Pterygota
- [Division] Exopterygota
  - Biting and Sucking lice (Order: Phthiraptera)
  - Booklice and Barklice (Order: Psocoptera)
  - Cockroaches (Order: Blattodea)
  - Dragonflies and Damselflies (Order: Odonata)
  - Earwigs (Order: Dermaptera)
  - Grasshoppers and Crickets (Order: Orthoptera)
  - Praying Mantids (Order: Mantodea)
  - Mayflies (Order: Ephemeroptera)
  - Stick insects and Leaf insects (Order: Phasmatodea)
  - Stoneflies (Order: Plecoptera)
  - Termites (Previously Order: Isoptera but now part of Order: Blattodea)
  - Thrips (Order: Thysanoptera)
  - True Bugs (Order: Hemiptera)
  - Web-spinners (Order: Embioptera)
  - Zorapterans (Order: Zoraptera)
- [Division] Endopterygota
  - Alderflies, Dobsonflies & Fishflies (Order: Megaloptera)
  - Bees, Wasps and Ants (Order: Hymenoptera)
  - Beetles (Order: Coleoptera)
  - Butterflies and Moths (Order: Lepidoptera)
  - Caddisflies (Order: Trichoptera)
  - Fleas (Order: Siphonaptera)
  - Flies (Order: Diptera)
  - Lacewings, Antlions & Mantidflies (Order: Neuroptera)
  - Scorpionflies (Order: Mecoptera)
  - Snakeflies (Order: Raphidioptera)
  - Strepsipterans (Order: Strepsiptera)

Non-insect hexapods

There are three classes of invertebrate known as non-insect hexapods:-

Proturans (Class: Protura)
Springtails (Class: Collembola)
Two-pronged bristletails (Class: Diplura)

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