Wingless insects

Pronunciation: /wing-lis IN-sekts/

Category: Taxonomy

Singular: Wingless insect

Plural: Wingless insects

Definition

Insects that do not possess wings at any stage of their life cycle.

Etymology

The term 'wingless' comes from the Old English word 'wingleas', where 'wing' means 'wing' and 'less' means 'without'.

Example

Silverfish and fleas are examples of wingless insects.

Synonyms

Apterous insects

Related Terms

Apterygota
Entognatha
Thysanura
Collembola

Usage Notes

Wingless insects are often adapted to specific ecological niches where flight is not advantageous. They may possess other forms of locomotion such as jumping or crawling.