Many insects

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 12

Many insects

The fly is a member of the huge group of creatures called insects. There are more than 800,000 different species of insect including over 75,000 types of fly. New ones are still being discovered. Some people call any “creepy-crawlies” insects, but to the entomologist, the scientist who studies insects, the word has a more exact meaning. Insects never have more than six legs. Another distinguishing characteristic is that their bodies are made up of three parts, the head, thorax (chest), and abdomen. In the fly, the most noticeable parts of the head are the large compound eyes made up of hundreds of tiny lenses. The middle part of tbe

body, tbe thorax, is stout, because it needs strong muscles to work the legs and wings. It is not always easy to spot the three segments of an insect, especially on flies which seldom settle in one place long enough for close observation. Insects live all over tbe world, from the tropics to the polar regions. Because they are so small they are able to hide from enemies and can live on a minimum of food — these factors contribute to their success in breeding. Insects usually have a short life cycle. This means a quick turnover of generations, and gives them the ability to respond quickly and adapt to changes in the environment, such as a new insecticide.