Flies are insects of the order Diptera, the name being derived from the Greek δι- di- “two”, and πτερόν pteron “wings”. Insects of this order use only a single pair of wings to fly, the hindwings having evolved into advanced mechanosensory organs known as halteres, which act as high-speed sensors of rotational movement and allow […]

Mosquitoes (alternate spelling mosquitos) are a group of about 3,500 species of small insects that are flies (order Diptera). Within Diptera they constitute the family Culicidae (from the Latin culex meaning “gnat”). The word “mosquito” (formed by mosca and diminutive -ito)is Spanish for “little fly”. Mosquitoes have a slender segmented body, one pair of wings, […]

Rodents (from Latin Rodere, “to gnaw”) are mammals of the order Rodentia, which are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws. About 40% of all mammal species are rodents (2,277 species); they are found in vast numbers on all continents except Antarctica. They are the […]