Diverse world of insects in nature
Explore 900,000+ Known Species

Discover the
Fascinating World
of Bugs & Insects

From the iridescent wings of beetles to the delicate dance of butterflies — journey through the most diverse group of organisms on Earth.

Explore Categories Identify a Bug
0 Known Species
0 Insect Orders
0 Million Years Old
Scroll to explore
Explore by Order

Major Insect Categories

Insects are classified into over 30 orders. Here are the most diverse and fascinating groups you'll encounter in the natural world.

Iridescent beetle on a green leaf
Coleoptera

Beetles

The largest order of insects with over 400,000 species. From ladybugs to stag beetles, their diversity is unmatched.

400,000+ species →
Monarch butterfly on purple flower
Lepidoptera

Butterflies & Moths

Wings covered in delicate scales, these pollinators undergo one of nature's most spectacular transformations.

180,000+ species →
Honey bee collecting pollen from sunflower
Hymenoptera

Bees, Wasps & Ants

From the intricate societies of honey bees to the fierce hunting wasps. Masters of cooperation and engineering.

150,000+ species →
House fly showing iridescent compound eyes
Diptera

True Flies

Distinguished by a single pair of wings, this order includes mosquitoes, gnats, and the acrobatic housefly.

150,000+ species →
Blue dragonfly with transparent wings
Odonata

Dragonflies & Damselflies

Ancient aerial predators with incredible flight capabilities. They've been cruising Earth's skies for 300 million years.

6,000+ species →
Ladybug on a green leaf with dew
Hemiptera

True Bugs

The only insects scientifically called "bugs." Includes cicadas, aphids, and assassin bugs with piercing mouthparts.

80,000+ species →
Green grasshopper perched on a blade of grass
Orthoptera

Grasshoppers & Crickets

Powerful jumpers and musical maestros of the insect world. Their songs fill summer nights across every continent.

20,000+ species →
Cockroach showing detailed exoskeleton
Blattodea

Cockroaches & Termites

Ancient survivors dating back 300 million years. Termites build towering mounds while cockroaches thrive everywhere.

7,500+ species →
Praying mantis in hunting stance
Mantodea

Mantises

Stealthy ambush predators with triangular heads and lightning-fast raptorial forelegs. Masters of camouflage.

2,400+ species →
Antlion with delicate lace-like wings
Neuroptera

Lacewings & Antlions

Delicate net-winged insects whose larvae are voracious predators. Antlion larvae build ingenious sand pit traps.

6,000+ species →
Stick insect camouflaged on a branch
Phasmatodea

Stick Insects

Nature's ultimate masters of disguise. Some species exceed 60 cm, making them the longest insects in the world.

3,000+ species →
Earwig with distinctive cerci pincers
Misc. Orders

Other Orders

Earwigs, fleas, silverfish, mayflies and more — discover the lesser-known but equally fascinating insect orders.

20+ orders →
Classification

Understanding Insect Taxonomy

Insects are classified using a hierarchical system based on evolutionary relationships.

Kingdom
Animalia
All animals
Phylum
Arthropoda
Jointed legs, exoskeleton
Class
Insecta
Six legs, three body parts
Order
30+ Orders
Beetles, Butterflies, Bees…
Family → Genus → Species
900,000+ Species
The incredible diversity of insect life
Did You Know?

Amazing Bug Facts

🪲

1 in 4 Animals

One in every four animal species on Earth is a beetle. The order Coleoptera has more species than any other order in the animal kingdom.

🐜

10 Quadrillion

Scientists estimate there are about 10 quadrillion (10,000,000,000,000,000) individual insects alive on Earth at any given moment.

🦋

3,000 Mile Migration

Monarch butterflies travel up to 3,000 miles during their annual migration from Canada to Mexico — one of nature's greatest journeys.

🪰

300° Vision

A dragonfly's compound eyes contain up to 30,000 facets, giving them nearly 360-degree vision to spot prey in flight.

🐝

$235 Billion

Insect pollinators contribute an estimated $235 billion to the global food economy each year through crop pollination.

🦗

Before Dinosaurs

Insects evolved over 400 million years ago — about 170 million years before the first dinosaurs appeared on Earth.

Ready to Identify
Your Bug?

Use our interactive identification guide to determine what type of bug you've found. Match features, compare images, and learn about the insects around you.

Start Identification