Have you ever looked up at the sky or in your backyard and wondered what kind of insect has both wings and six legs? This question has likely crossed the mind of many outdoor enthusiasts and nature lovers. Well, wonder no more – in this article, we’ll provide a detailed breakdown of the answer.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer to your question: The insect order Hymenoptera contains members with both wings and six legs, including bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies.
We’ll start with an overview of insect anatomy and the three main insect groups that contain six-legged winged species. We’ll then do a deep dive into the most common insects from the Hymenoptera order that match the wings and six legs description.
For each insect, we’ll cover its physical appearance, behavior, diet, habitat – and really any other fun facts that make these species so fascinating!
Insect Anatomy Basics
Three Main Insect Body Parts
Insects have three main body parts: the head, thorax, and abdomen. The head contains the brain, eyes, antennae, and mouthparts. The thorax is the midsection where the legs and wings attach. The abdomen is the rear section containing organs for digestion, reproduction, etc.
These three body regions work together to allow insects to sense stimuli, move, reproduce, and sustain themselves.
General Characteristics of Insect Legs and Wings
Insects have three pairs of jointed legs attached to the thorax which provide support and mobility (ThoughtCo). Legs enable insects to walk, jump, dig, swim, and grasp items. Grasshoppers can leap 20 times their body length due to strong hind legs.
Other insects like water striders have hydrophobic hairs on their legs to walk on water.
Most adult insects have two pairs of wings used for flight attached to the thorax. Hindwings are usually smaller than forewings. Dragonfly wings move independently while housefly wings stick together during flight. Wings allow insects to evade predators, find food/shelter, and reproduce.
Butterflies have brightly colored wings to attract mates. Beetles have hardened forewings called elytra to protect hindwings (AskEntomologists).
Insect legs and wings share some similar traits. Both structures contain veins to circulate fluids and nourish tissues. They are also coated with waxy cuticles to prevent water loss. However, wings utilize more flexible, lighter cuticles for flight while legs need sturdier support and traction.
Additionally, wings utilize a variety of aerodynamic patterns (spots, scales, hairs) to generate airflow and lifts.
| Insect Legs | Insect Wings | |
|---|---|---|
| Main Functions | Locomotion, grasping | Flight, gliding, thermoregulation, signaling |
| Materials | Thick, rigid cuticle | Thin, flexible cuticle |
| Surface Patterns | Spines, hairs | Scales, hairs, colors |
Research shows over 80% of all animal species are insects with six legs being the ancestral trait (AMNH). However, some insect groups evolved fewer legs for their niche. Ant queens and worker ants have six but soldier ants have only front legs.
Similarly, houseflies retain six legs in adulthood but maggots have none. Overall, six legs and two wings setup most insects for survivability and success.
Insect Orders with Wings and 6 Legs
Hymenoptera
The insect order Hymenoptera includes bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies. With over 150,000 described species, Hymenoptera is one of the largest insect orders. These insects are characterized by having two pairs of wings, chewing mouthparts, and complete metamorphosis with distinct egg, larval, pupal, and adult stages.
Some key features of Hymenoptera:
- Two pairs of membranous wings. The front wings are larger than the hind wings.
- Biting and chewing mouthparts.
- elongate antennae with many segments.
- Legs with five segmented tarsi (feet).
Many hymenopterans are eusocial, meaning they live in organized groups where individuals specialize in different tasks. For example, honey bees have workers, drones, and queens. Ant colonies have major and minor workers, soldiers, and reproductive males and females.
Eusociality allows these insects to cooperate in complex ways.
Lepidoptera
Butterflies and moths belong to the order Lepidoptera, derived from the Latin words for “scale” and “wing.” With over 180,000 species described, Lepidoptera is one of the most widespread and widely recognizable insect orders.
Distinctive features of Lepidoptera include:
- Two pairs of large, scale-covered wings.
- A long, coiled proboscis for sucking up nectar.
- Large, compound eyes.
- Three-segmented tarsi.
Lepidopterans undergo complete metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar (larva) to pupa and finally adult. While butterflies tend to be diurnal, moths are generally nocturnal. Lepidoptera play key roles as pollinators and as food for other animals.
According to a 2022 study, there are over 160,000 described species of Lepidoptera, making it the second largest order after Coleoptera (beetles). Researchers estimate the total number of extant Lepidoptera species likely exceeds 500,000 globally.
Odonata
Dragonflies and damselflies comprise the ancient order Odonata. They are predators as nymphs and adults, catching prey on the fly with their legs forming a basket. With over 7,000 species, Odonata is a relatively small order.
Key features of Odonata include:
- Two pairs of long, membranous wings of similar size and shape.
- Large, compound eyes that cover most of the head.
- Short antennae.
- Strong jaws (mandibles).
- Long, slender abdomen.
Dragonflies are generally larger and stronger fliers than damselflies. They are adept at swift maneuvers like hovering and flying backwards. Most odonates live near water sources like lakes, rivers, and wetlands.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), nearly 200 Odonata species are considered threatened with extinction globally. Habitat loss is the major threat facing dragonflies and damselflies worldwide.
Focus on the Hymenoptera Order
Bees
Bees are familiar hymenopterans, critical for pollinating flowering plants. There are over 20,000 known species of bees globally, with 400 species native to the US. Bees feed on nectar and pollen from flowers.
Some cool bees include the orchid bee, with an amazing sense of smell to locate orchids, and the carpenter bee which bores nesting tunnels into wood.
Wasps
Wasps comprise over 30,000 identified species and display immense variety. Wasps are predators or parasites, feeding on other insects, spiders and more. Some build intricate paper nests (like yellowjackets). Others are solitary (like cuckoo wasps).
One amazing wasp is the tarantula hawk wasp, which paralyzes tarantulas to create nests for its young.
Ants
Ants form complex social colonies with division of labor among various castes. There are over 12,000 ant species. Ants communicate via pheromones and touch, working together in impressive coordination to find food, build nests, raise young etc.
A fun fact – the bullet ant has the most painful sting of any insect!
Sawflies
Sawflies resemble wasps but are plant-eating rather than predatory. There are over 8000 species of sawfly. Sawfly larvae look like caterpillars. Some sawflies can be agricultural pests. For example, the pear sawfly whose larvae feed voraciously on pear leaves.
Luckily, certain tiny parasitoid wasps can control sawfly populations.
Conclusion
There you have it – an in-depth look at the insects from the order Hymenoptera that match the description of having both wings and six legs. While there are a few other insect orders that contain winged six-legged species, Hymenoptera has the most diversity.
From tiny ants to large buzzing wasps, these insects are all around us playing important roles in nature. The next time you come across a winged insect with six legs, you can confidently guess that it likely belongs to the bees, wasps, ants or sawflies group.
Our planet contains endless mysteries just waiting to be uncovered – and a little curiosity about the living world around us can uncover fascinating new insights and appreciation for even the smallest creatures.
