In so-called "holometabolous" insects, like butterflies, life is divided into four distinct stages: egg, larva (caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (butterfly). It all begins with the ...

University of California, San Diego biologists and their colleagues have discovered that the genetic system controlling the development and repair of insect cuticle--the outer layer of the body ...

Insects are the most speciose group of animals, but the phylogenetic relationships of many major lineages remain unresolved. We inferred the phylogeny of insects from 1478 protein-coding genes.

Lepidoptera is a highly diverse insect order with major importance in agriculture as many species are considered pests. The role of the gut microbiota in insect physiology is still poorly understood, ...

The new research, published in Royal Society Open Science, finds that along with the cuticle's inherently slippery surface, its tiny wrinkles also help discourage insects.