Most adult insects have wings and most have two pairs. However some primitive insects do not, some have lost them as an evolutionary advantage, some have wings only as reproductive adults, and flies have only one pair with the hind pair adapted into 'haltares'. The forewing comes from mesothorax and hind wing from the metathorax.
Paleopterous - wings projecting out from the sides such as dragon flies and damselflies
Neopterous - ability to fold the wings back over their abdomen as in the majority of insects
Wings alone do not identify the insect. Some immature insects have no wings, and some orders of insects not listed here also have one or two pairs of membanous wings, but this is a guide.
Two pairs of wings. Front and hind wings of dissimilar structure:
Blattaria - Cockroaches: Tegmina (Tegmen/Tegmina - leathery wing)
Orthoptera - Grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets: Tegmina (Tegmen/Tegmina - leathery wing)
Hemiptera - Bugs: Hemelytron (Hemelytron - part leathery and part membanous)
Coleoptera - Beetles: Elyton (Elytron - hard sheath) meet in a straight line
Two pairs of wings. Front and hind wings of similar structure covered with scales:
Lepidoptera - Butterflies and Moths
Two pairs of wings. Front and hind wings of similar structure:
Odonata - Dragonflies and Damselflies: Front and hind wings long and similar in length and shape.
Hymenoptera - Bees and wasps: front wings longer and w/more veins than hind wings
Neuroptera - Lacewings and Antlions: highly networked wing
One pair of wings.
Diptera - Flies Haltares instead of hind wing. (Halteres - specialized organ to give stability in flight).
All images © Kim Moore (contact for use)
