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Hemiptera is an order of insects, comprising some 67,500 known species in two suborders, Heteroptera and Homoptera. Originally the Homoptera were treated as a separate order. Members of the Hemiptera, and of the Heteroptera in particular, are sometimes called "true bugs". The name 'heteroptera' comes from their forewings having both membranous and hard portions. It is also this which gives the order its name, hemiptera, coming from the Greek for half-wing.
Species of order Hemiptera occur worldwide; they are distinguished from all other insects by both adults and nymphs having piercing and sucking mouthparts housed in a long "beak". These are used mostly to feed on plant juices, but some species are adapted to suck blood from animals or other insects.
Suborder Heteroptera
Main article: Heteroptera
25,000 known species in over 60 families:
- shield bugs or stink bugs (Pentatomidae and related families)
- ground bugs (Lygaeidae)
- assassin bugs (Reduviidae)
- bedbugs and flower bugs (Cimicidae)
- capsid bugs or mirid bugs (Miridae; c.6,000 species)
- back swimmers or water boatman (Notonectidae)
- lesser water boatmen (Corixidae)
- saucer bugs (Naucoridae)
- pond skaters (Gerridae)
Suborder Homoptera
42,500 known species
Series Auchenorryncha
Cicadas and hoppers; 33,000 species in over 30 families.
Series Sternorryncha
12,500 species.
- aphids ("greenfly", Aphididae)
- woolly and gall-making aphids (Eriosomatidae, Pemphigidae)
- pine and spruce aphids (Adelgidae, Chermidae)
- phylloxerans (Phylloxeridae, including Vine Phylloxera)
- whitefly (Aleyrodidae)
- Superfamily Coccoidea (scale insects)
- cottony cushion scales, giant coccids, and ground pearls (Margarodidae)
- armored scale (Diaspididae)
- cochineal (Dactylopiidae)
- lac scales (Kerriidae, Lacciferidae)
- soft scales (Coccidae)
- pit scales (Asterolecaniidae)
- mealybugs (Pseudococcidae)
- felted scales (Eriococcidae)
 Aphids on unidentified plant External links
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