Hemiptera

Hemiptera is an order of insects, comprising some 67,500 known species in two suborders, Heteroptera and Homoptera. Originally the Homoptera were treated as a separate order. Members of the Hemiptera, and of the Heteroptera in particular, are sometimes called "true bugs". The name 'heteroptera' comes from their forewings having both membranous and hard portions. It is also this which gives the order its name, hemiptera, coming from the Greek for half-wing.

Species of order Hemiptera occcur worldwide; they are distinguished from all other insects by both adults and nymphss having piercing and sucking mouthparts housed in a long "beak". These are used mostly to feed on plant juices, but some species are adapted to suck blood from animals or other insects.

Table of contents

1 Suborder Heteroptera
2 Suborder Homoptera

2.1 Series Auchenorryncha
2.2 Series Sternorryncha

3 External Links

Suborder Heteroptera

25,000 known species in over 60 families:

shield bug or stink bug
assassin bug (Reduviidae)
back swimmer or water boatman (Notonectidae)
lesser water boatman (Corixidae)
saucer bug (Naucoridae)
pond skater (Gerridae)

Suborder Homoptera

42,500 known species

Series Auchenorryncha

Cicadas and hoppers; 33,000 species in over 30 families.

Two-lined spittlebug
Prosapia bicencta

cicada (Cicadidae)
spittlebug, froghopper (Cercopidae)
treehopper (Membracidae)
leafhopper (Cicadellidae)
jumping plant lice (Psyllidae)

Series Sternorryncha

12,500 species.

aphid (Aphididae)
wooly and gall-making aphids (Eriosomatidae- also Pemphigidae)
pine and spruce aphids (Adelgidae- also Chermidae)
phylloxerans (Phylloxeridae)
greenfly
giant coccids and ground pearls (Margarodidae)
armored scale (Diaspididae)
cochineal (Dactylopiidae)
lac scales (Kerriidae- also Lacciferidae)
soft scales (Coccidae)
pit scales (Asterolecaniidae)
mealy bug (Pseudococcidae)
felted scales (Eriococcidae)
whitefly (Alerodidae)