EXHIBIT 08
Insects are an incredibly diverse group of animals, with arguably more species of insects on the planet than all other organisms combined! From beetles to flies to mantises to wasps, many different insects can be observed right here on the Wilton Simpson Citrus Campus. As of November 2025, the BioDiT Citrus photo collection contains more than 750 insect photographs representing more than 350 individual species. That is more than 40% of all of the species in the collection! Read below about the various types of insects in our area and check out the infographics spotlighting important and numerous groups.
Beetles (Order Coleoptera)
The name of the beetles' order means "sheathed wing." The forewings of beetles are hardened, forming a protective structure called the elytra over the hindwings which are used for flight...thus the hindwings are "sheathed" within the elytra. This is arguably the largest group of organisms on the planet, with an estimated 400,000 species in more than 170 families! As of November 2025, there are 52 beetle species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
True Flies (Order Diptera)
While many insects have the word fly in their name, the so-called true files are members of this order. The name diptera means "two wings" which reflects the fact that only the forewings of these insects are used for flight. Their hindwings are reduced into small, club-shaped structures called halteres which act as sensory organs providing information about the fly's body rotation during flight. This large group of insects is far more diverse than just house flies and horse flies! As of November 2025, there are 38 species of flies included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
True Bugs (Order Hemiptera)
Many people use the term "bug" as a synonym for insect, but to a biologist, a bug is an insect that is specifically a member of this order. This name means "half-wing" and reflects the fact that the forewing of bugs is partially hardened, forming a half-elytra. Many bugs have an X or V shape on their back reflecting this particular wing structure. As of November 2025, there are 36 true bug species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
POSTERS & INFOGRAPHICS
A Closer Look: Assassin Bugs (Infographic)
Ants, Bees & Wasps (Order Hymenoptera)
The name of this order means "membranous wings" which is a pretty good of the two sets of wings used by its flying members. Ants, bees, and wasps have varied lifestyles, with some living in eusocial colonies and others living as solitary individuals. While notrious for their stings, not every member of this group has a stinger. These are among the most important pollinating insects in the world. As of November 2025, there are 41 ant, bee, & wasp species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
POSTERS & INFOGRAPHICS
A Closer Look: Parasitoid Wasps (Poster)
Butterflies & Moths (Order Lepidoptera)
Adult butterflies and moths have wings covered by tiny microscopic scales, which give this order its name ("scaly wings"). These are among the most easily observed insects which is why they account for nearly 15% of all species documented by the Citrus Campus Biodiversity Trail. Famous for their complete metamorphosis from caterpillars into flying adults, butterflies and moths are familiar as both pollinators and garden pests. As of November 2025, there are 125 butterfly & moth species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
POSTERS & INFOGRAPHICS
A Closer Look: Hawk Moths (Infographic)
A Closer Look: Butterflies & Moths - Our Fuzzy Flying Friends (Archive Poster)
Mantises (Order Mantodea)
Praying mantises have a very distinctive appeanace, and this is captured in their order's name; Mantodea means "form of a prophet." Mantises come in all colors and sizes, and are very important as predatory insects that eat agricultural and garden pests. As of November 2025, there are 4 mantis species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
POSTERS & INFOGRAPHICS
A Closer Look: Mantises (Infographic)
Lacewings (Order Neuroptera)
Not too distantly related to beetles, the fine network of branching veins in the wings of lacewings gives rise to their order name, which means "nerve-wings." The lacewing larval stage (often referred to as an antlion) is an aggressive predator on other insects, making these insects, like mantises, a great friend to gardeners and farmers. As of November 2025, there are 5 lacewing species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
POSTERS & INFOGRAPHICS
The Legends of Lacewings: Delicate Defenders (Poster)
Dragonflies & Damselflies (Order Odonata)
As both larvae (which live in water) and adults, dragonflies and damselflies are predatory on other insects. They have powerful jaws (called mandibles) which give rise to their order's name ("tooth"). These beautiful insects are hard to photograph given they are such fast flyers, but they are worth a look as they are extremely diverse in terms of size and color. As of November 2025, there are 16 dragonfly & damselfly species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
POSTERS & INFOGRAPHICS
A Closer Look: Skimmer Dragonflies (Infographic)
Grasshoppers & Crickets (Order Orthoptera)
It takes only one look at a grasshopper or katydid to see that its wings perfectly match the name of their order, which means "straight wings." These insects are mainly herbivorous, making some of them problematic agricultural pests. Many of them also make distinct loud sounds by rubbing wings or legs against each other in a process called stridulation. As of November 2025, there are 28 grasshopper & cricket species included in the BioDiT Citrus photo collection.
Other Insects in the BioDiT Citrus Collection
There are many other insect orders represented in our photo collection by a small number of individuals. These include roaches (Blattodea, "shuns the light," 2 species), earwigs (Dermaptera, "skin wings," 1 species), mayflies (Ephemeroptera, "short-lived wing," 1 species), stick insects (Phasmida, "phantom," 1 species), lice (Psocodea, "gnawed wings," 2 species), caddisflies (Trichoptera, "hairy wings," 1 species), and silverfish (Zygentoma, "yoke," 1 species).