Entomology is one of the branches of zoology. It is based on the study of various types of insects. Entomology has a certain decoding. The words in this combination are ancient Greek. Namely, ἔντομον is an "insect", and λόγος is a "teaching." There are a large number of insects. Namely, about 3 million species. Therefore, in order to study them all, the help of many specialists is required.
History of occurrence
Entomology is the science of insects. It originated in the XVI century. She began to improve rapidly, thanks to the development of culture and agriculture (beekeeping).
Many great biologists were interested in this science. She was mastered by C. Darwin, Nobel laureate Carl von Frisch, writer V. Nabokov, Professor Edward Wilson.
What entomology studies
Until the half of the XIX century, scientists studied the anatomy of various types of insects, made a description of the skeleton and external organs. A little later, biologists began to improve in this direction. They began to study insects, paying attention not only to the skeleton and organs, but also to individual parts of the body. This is a reliable fact.
Specific directions
Entomology is the science of insect species, consisting of several sections:
- Theoretical aspects of biological methods of plant protection.
- The influence of biogenic and abiogenic factors on the adaptation processes of insects.
- Ethology.
- Life cycles and ontogenesis of insects.
- Entomofauna.
- The evolution of insects.
- Population entomology.
- Morphology and embryology of insects.
- Theoretical foundations of practical entomology.
- Geographical distribution.
- Systematics.
- Paleontology.
Description of directions
Every year, biologists have been studying insects in order to determine why they are needed and what their place in nature is. During many studies, various beetles began to be divided into harmful and useful types. In other words, entomology is the study of insects, whose main goal is to study the behavior and characteristics of harmful insects, as well as determine effective methods of combating them.
First of all, I wanted to focus on a certain fact. That is, from all that entomology studies, scientists are more interested in certain types of insects, which can be the main carriers of many diseases. This, in turn, is very detrimental to human health. Also no less important was the study of insects that were harmful not only to humans, but to agricultural plants. Such a detailed study yielded interesting and effective results. Reproduction, parasitism, etc., have been observed.
During the research, practical measures aimed at combating these insects were carried out. In this case, knowledge about the form and lifestyle of each pest was used. Thanks to more detailed biological research and observation of their lives, scientists were able to develop means for their destruction. Therefore, entomology is a science that has an important character. By trial and error , two methods for controlling harmful insects have been developed. Namely, a certain spraying of a plant with toxic substances. This procedure contributes to the destruction of these insects. However, it is harmful to human health. It should be remembered that, above all, entomology is the science of bugs and various other insects. The knowledge gained about them will be used for various studies in the future.
Relationship with different species
The existence of entomology, its practical significance and development can be found in special publications and magazines. After reading this information, it becomes clear that the relationship between some species of insects is very complex. It was always interesting to observe the life of insects from the side of science. And the knowledge gained was put into practice. Particularly interesting were these observations from both a practical and a theoretical point of view. It turns out that many species of beetles are common phenomena such as parasitism and symbiosis. In the first case, this is when one insect lives at the expense of another. In the second, mutual assistance to each other.
Often parasites can be found both in dipterans and in membranous species. An important fact has been noticed more than once. It lies in the fact that some types of parasites can exist due to a certain type of insect, while others may turn out to be multi-species. This is important to remember. There have been cases when parasites live off of others, and then third and fourth. With regards to symbiosis, this phenomenon was seen among termites, ants. In community with them, many other species of insects can live. Their lives are interconnected. So there was such a thing as termitophilia and myrmecophilia.
Main Entomology Categories
In this case, there are several provisions. Entomology - the science of insects - also falls into several categories. Each of them affects certain areas. In this case, it is:
- Private entomology of insects. It includes such disciplines:
- Apiology (study of bees).
- Blatteropterology or dictiopterology (cockroaches, ants).
- Diperology (study of mosquitoes and flies).
- Hymenopterology (study of bees, wasps, riders, dust collectors, termites).
- Coleopterology (study of beetles).
- Lepidopterology (study of Lepidoptera).
- Myrmecology (study of termites.
- Odonatology (dragonflies).
- Orthopterology (study of the locust family, crickets).
- Trichopterology (study of caddis flies).
- General entomology. She studies the structure, evolution, diversity of insects, life activity, individual development and their environment.
- Applied Entomology. This is a science of fauna, which includes several areas. Each of them has an insignificant character. Namely:
- Forest entomology.
- Veterinary.
- Medical.
- Agricultural entomology. She studies a certain type of insect. Namely, those that harm crops, plants, animals and humans. She also studies insects pollinating plants.
- Forensic Entomology. In this case, adhere to a certain direction. That is, this entomology is the science of insects, related to forensic medicine, which studies the species that can appear on a human corpse after his death. In other words, using the different stages of development of larvae of meat flies, one can establish the period of existence of the corpse. This entomology is a science that has certain criteria. For example, if there are no larvae or eggs on the corpse, then death occurred no more than four hours ago. And if they are, then killing came after 6-12 hours. But if a day has passed, then on the body you can find larger larvae. After 36 hours, they increase in size. But if two weeks have passed, then pupation begins. The Chinese at the very beginning of the development of forensic entomology, in the 13th century, began to use the larvae of flies to solve murder cases.
Higher education institutions studying this science
The problems associated with the study of insects in Russia are solved in the following institutions:
- At the Moscow State University in the Zoological Museum (Moscow).
- In the laboratory for the study of entomology in FEB RAS (Biological and Soil Institute). It is located in the city of Vladivostok.
- At the RAS (Institute of Evolutionary Morphology). It is located in Moscow.
- Institute. Schmalhausen. It is located in Kiev.
- National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. Location - Kiev.
- Issues related to forest and agricultural entomology are studied at the All-Russian Institute for Plant Protection. It is located in the suburbs of St. Petersburg. And also in all the higher institutions that remained after the Soviet Union, engaged in the study of flora. Including in the branch research institute.
- Problems with medical entomology are solved at the RAMS. This is an institute of malaria and parasitic diseases.
- Also, these studies are conducted in other institutions. Namely, in the German Entomological School and the Baltic Institute of Coleopterology.
Among the many higher institutions studying this science, over five years, about 25,545 articles on entomology were selected.
According to their level, only 5 institutions were noted. Namely: University of Florida, University of California, Riverside Cornell, Davis, Texas A&M.
Entomology Chairs
There are a considerable number of them. However, the main ones were created:
- At the Agrarian University in the Kuban. The department was created in 1968.
- At the University. Lomonosov Moscow in 1925. The faculty of biology and the department of entomology were created here.
- At the University. Timiryazev (ICCA). The department was created in 1920.
- At St. Petersburg State University.
- The department of entomology was also created in the Saratov corresponding educational institution. Namely, at the State Agrarian University. Vavilova.
- The department of entomology was also created in the Stavropol Higher Educational Institution. This is at the State Agrarian University. Vavilova.
Entomology Organizations
In 1859, K.M. Baer and Academician Semenov – Tian-Shansky created the Russian Society for the Study of Entomology. In the days of the Soviet Union, it had a definite name - “All-Union Entomological Society”.
Similar organizations were founded in various countries of the world. Namely in:
- France.
- Great Britain.
- Germany (Entomologischer Verein zu Stettin).
- Holland.
- Belgium.
- Russia.
- America (DOS. 1867).
- Philadelphia (DOS. 1859).
- Canada.
- Italy.
- Cambridge.
- Germany.
And other entomological communities are located in:
- Ukraine.
- Britain.
- Japan.
- Brazil.
- Argentina.
- Venezuela.
- Spain (Asociación Entomolóxica Galega, Asociación Española de Entomología, Sociedad Entomológica Aragonesa, Sociedad Andaluza de Entomología (boletín), Sociedad Española de Entomología Aplicada).
- Colombia.
- Mexico.
- Chile.
There are international societies: International Society of Hymenopterists, USA, International Palaeoentomological Society.
An International Union of Social Insect Researchers has also been created.
Editors
The main Russian periodicals on this science are:
- "Entomological Review." Here, the subtleties of this direction are comprehensively described.
- "Proceedings of the All-Union Entomological Society."
Also appeared editions:
- Zoosystematica Rossica (1993).
- “Russian Entomological Journal”. He began to graduate in 1992.
- “Eurasian Entomological Journal” (2002), etc.
Many systematic descriptions of insects on the territory of the Russian Federation are available in the multivolume “Fauna of Russia and Neighboring Countries (USSR)”. This type of literature is published in many countries of the world.
Conclusion
Having become acquainted with this text, everyone will be able to give an answer to the question about what entomology is studying, what directions it affects. You should only carefully read the foregoing. You can also find out about this on a site such as "molbiol." Entomology is explained in more detail there. In general, you can talk a lot about this science. It is fraught with a lot of interesting and useful for humanity. The main thing is to have an interest in this direction. And if you delve into the very essence of entomology, it will turn out to be a rather entertaining and instructive science.