Insects are collected by nets and are killed with potassium cyanide gas slowly released in a capped wide mouth jar. Insects can be mounted and preserved in various ways. Most specimens are pinned, and, once dried, will keep indefinitely. Specimens too small to pin can be mounted on "points," on tiny "minuten" pins or on microscope slides. Large and showy [...]
Of an estimated 5-10 million species of insects, probably not more than a fraction of 1 per cent interact, directly or indirectly, with humans. Insects have been associated with man's interests in many ways. Their ability to both benefit and harm mankind makes this relationship a unique one. They play a silent role in maintaining the balance of nature; some [...]
The classification of insects into various orders is based on the presence or absence of wings and their venation, type of mouth parts, type of metamorphosis and characteristics of antennae and tarsi. The class Insecta has two subclasses, Apterygota, the primitive wingless insects, and Pterygota, insects with wings (although some of them may be secondarily apterous). Initially, there were 29 [...]