Carlo Antonio C.

Queri 4-Bio01
General Entomology Prof. Lalwet

Biological Success of Insects

Biological success, as measured in terms of Darwinian fitness, refers to the ability of an

organism to survive and reproduce successfully. Differential reproductive success is the
key to a species’ evolution over time. Individuals with the most favorable traits in a
particular environment will be able to survive and leave more offspring. This is deemed
“survival of the fittest” and is due to a mechanism called natural selection. Charles
Darwin described natural selection as the means by which organisms evolve. Based on
this description, organisms with some adaptive advantage will be the most successful. In
the animal kingdom, a myriad of examples exist of organisms with interesting and
unique adaptive traits.

One group of animals, though stands out the arthropods, specifically, the insects. There
are believed to be a billion billion (10^18) arthropods on Earth. Two thirds of ALL species
known are arthropods. Amazingly, more species of insects exist than ALL other
organisms combined. (1) Insects exist in virtually all habitats on Earth whether
terrestrial, aquatic, or in the air. This being said, since biological success is a numbers
game, the insects win hands down.

Why are insects so successful, you may ask? Favorable adaptations abound in this
group, flight being the most significant. The ability to take flight allows insects to exploit
more resources in more locations, while at the same time escaping predators and
finding mates. The wings of an insect are actually not appendages, but instead, are
extensions of the cuticle, which make up the exoskeleton of arthropods. The
exoskeleton is composed of a rigid polysaccharide known as chitin that provides a
protective covering for these organisms. Extensions of the cuticle formed at some point
in the evolutionary past of insects that allowed them to take flight. This left the true
appendages free to specialize in order to utilize a wide variety of food sources, to
forage, to act as a means of locomotion, to collect sensory input, to mate, or to defend
the insect from predators.

Another interesting adaptation seen in most insects is metamorphosis. Metamorphosis

involves having several developmental stages through which the organism moves during
its life cycle. The most familiar form of metamorphosis in insects is called complete
metamorphosis and involves eggs hatching into a larval or worm-like form that later
becomes encapsulated in a cocoon or pupa. The adults emerge from the pupal stage
with a quite different appearance from that seen in the larvae. The metamorphosis seen
from caterpillar to butterfly provides a common example of this phenomenon. Having
different life stages allows insects to again utilize resources in such as way as to
maximize success. The main job of the larval forms of insects is to feed and larvae have
very different food requirements than the adult forms. Adults are more interested in the
reproduction and propagation of the species. There are some adult insects who lack
mouth parts entirely so specialized is there reproductive purpose.

Camouflage, mimicry, and amazing defensive capabilities are other significant

advantageous and adaptive traits. Camouflage, also known as cryptic coloration,
provides a classic example of natural selection in insects. The peppered moth studied by
H.B. Kettlewell, is famous. In this study, Kettlewell found that the dark form of the moth
became favored due to environmental pollution resulting in an evolutionary shift in the
population. Other interesting examples of camouflage can be seen in the mantids. Not
only do mantids show cryptic coloration, but also they have a wide variety of structural
adaptations. They have evolved cuticle projections that resemble flowers as seen in the
Malaysian flower mantid, sticks as in an African form, and leaves as in the Peruvian leaf
mantid. (1&2) Mimicry also increases the fitness of many species of insects. Mimicry
involves a nontoxic, possibly palatable species resembling the appearance of a toxic,
unpalatable species. A common example of this is the Monarch Butterfly and its mimic
the Viceroy Butterfly. By mimicking a toxic species, the Viceroy increases its fitness and
its ability to pass on this favorable adaptation to its offspring. Another interesting aspect
of insect defense is the use of chemical “warfare”. One of the best-known insects for
this is the Bombardier Beetle. This beetle stores two chemicals that when mixed
generate excessive heat and a foul-smelling spray that is aimed at a likely predator.
Darwin, himself, was an avid beetle collector and was believed to have wrangled a
Bombardier beetle. (3)

Whether it be flight, a protective exoskeleton, specialized appendages, differing

developmental life stages, or camouflage, the many adaptations of insects have allowed
them to fill the niches our Earth has to offer. With vast species diversity, a huge variety
of habitats, and unrivaled numbers, the insects are the most biologically successful
group of animals on Earth. (1)

References:

1) Campbell, Neil and Reece, Jane. Biology, 7th edition. Benjamin Cummings, San
Francisco,2005.
2)http://www.fallenturtledesign.com/images/timelife.pdf
3) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_beetle