The order Hemiptera contains individuals we commonly refer to as "true bugs." This order contains individuals known as plant bugs, stink bugs, ambush bugs, or assassin bugs. True bugs develop from an egg to nymph, molting several times, until they reach the adult stage.

Metamorphosis is described as paurometabolous. True bugs have two pairs of wings. The front pair is referred to as the hemelytron, and is leathery at the base and membranous at the tip.

Members of the order Hemiptera have piercing-sucking mouthparts. They can be differentiated from a closely related group of organisms that we will discuss next by the fact that the beak or their piercing-sucking mouthparts arise from the front of their head.

If you examine the line illustration connected with this particular insect order, you can see at the tip of the head, the mouthparts fold back under the head, but they essentially arise from the front of the head.

There are many beneficial species within this particular order, but as you might conclude there are also some pest species. An example of a pest species would be the hairy chinch bug. And a beneficial would be the big-eyed bug that is a predator. Stink bugs have various food habits. Some are plant feeders while others are excellent predators on such things as leaf-eating caterpillars.

With regard to their importance worldwide, we know of about 50,000 different species of true bugs in the world. In North America north of Mexico there are about 3,600 difference species.

Wheel Bug

Order: Hemiptera

Family: Reduviidae