Insects

Most species-rich class of arthropods and most species-rich class of all animals. Nearly 1.0 million insect species have been described so far. The word "insect" was transferred from the Latin insectum (from in-secare - to cut). In the figurative sense insect means "incised animal". This term refers to the clearly separated body parts.

Insects play an important role in medicine, especially as disease carriers (e.g. malaria, leishmaniasis), as allergy triggers (e.g. bee or wasp venom allergies) or as parasites.

Within insects, the classical system distinguishes between different numbers of subclasses, superorders and orders.

Medically relevant classes and orders are:

• Subclass Fish (Zygentoma)
• Order cockroaches (leaf deodorant) see below Cockroach allergy
• Order Animal lice (Phthiraptera)
• Subordination bugs (Heteroptera)
• Order beetle (Coleoptera)
• Order Hymenoptera
  • Bees (see bee venom allergy)
  • Wasps (see wasp venom allergy)
  • Hornets (see wasp venom allergy)
  • Bumblebees
  • Ants
• Order Butterflies (Lepidoptera)
• Order Fleas (Siphonaptera)
• Order Diptera
  • Mosquitoes (Nematocera)
  • Flies (Brachycera)