We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Biology

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

How Many Species of Insect are There?

Michael Anissimov
By
Updated: Jun 04, 2024
Views: 35,279
Share

Insects are the most diverse group of animals on Earth. There are over a million described species of insect, and an estimated 6-10 million species total. Insects are found in nearly every above-ground environment, even in Antarctica, which has a species of insect called springtails. There is even one that lives on the surface of the open ocean, walking on the water tension using tiny leg hairs. These are insects of the genus Halobates, otherwise known as sea skaters or water striders. Around Antarctica, where there is greater oxygen in the sea than the Equator, these can grow to 30 cm (1 ft) in width.

So far, there have been observations of 5,000 dragonfly species, 2,000 praying mantis, 20,000 grasshopper, 170,000 butterfly and moth, 120,000 fly, 82,000 true bug, 360,000 beetle, and 110,000 bee, wasp and ant species. Keep in mind that arachnids, such as mites — of which there are over 1 million described species — and crustaceans, like lobsters, are not insects, which only includes members of the class Insecta.

Species of insect range in size from 0.139 mm (0.00547 in, fairyfly) to 55.5 cm (21.9 in, stick insect), with most falling between 0.5 mm (0.02 in) and 50 mm (2 in). In general, smaller insects are capable of reproducing more rapidly due to their larger counterparts, allowing them to maintain their biomass over generations. If the biomass is not regularly replenished, then a species will go extinct. It is thought that the all the species of insects alive today only represent about 1% of all insects that have ever lived.

Insects are truly a success story for animals. Although most people don't think of insects when the word "animal" is mentioned, they are both the most successful and numerous. The global insect biomass is estimated at 1012 kg, with approximately 1018 distinct individuals. Divided by the total number of species, this gives an average of 100 million individuals per species. Of course, like with other animals, the majority (over 66%) of insect species are found in the world's rainforests.

Share
All The Science is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Michael Anissimov
By Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated All The Science contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism to his articles. An avid blogger, Michael is deeply passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. His professional experience includes work with the Methuselah Foundation, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Lifeboat Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to scientific advancement.
Discussion Comments
By serenesurface — On Nov 27, 2012

@alisha-- Does it look like a hummingbird?

If so, it's a hummingbird hawk-moth. The species is M. stellatarum, it's in the moth family.

There are at least six families of moths and thousands of species within each family. The hummingbird hawk-moth is a really special one. It really looks like a hummingbird and it flies around eating nectar.

May I ask where you saw it? The only time I saw one was in Europe.

By discographer — On Nov 26, 2012

The other day, I saw a large flying insect in the garden. It had a really long needle like thing on its mouth and it went from flower to flower doing something with it.

Does anyone know what I'm talking about? What species is it?

By stoneMason — On Nov 25, 2012

For some reason, I always thought that insects were a separate group from animals. It never occurred to me that they are animals as well.

Off all the animals, insects must be the coolest and most interesting. They are usually small but they have really different features and can do things that we can't do.

For example, I used to hate bees until I learned about them in science class. I didn't know before that they bees are responsible for pollination and if it weren't for bees, we wouldn't have food to eat.

By anon270235 — On May 21, 2012

No there is more up to 30,000,000 in the amazon alone.

By anon67399 — On Feb 24, 2010

It may seem astonishing, but bugs can fly up to very high levels in the atmosphere. I think some are only limited when oxygen is no longer available to them. Some bugs have been found as high as Mount Everest!

By anon7918 — On Feb 05, 2008

How high can bugs fly?

Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated All The Science contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology...
Learn more
Share
https://www.allthescience.org/how-many-species-of-insect-are-there.htm
Copy this link
All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.