Embioptera

Order

EMBIOPTERA
(Greek, embio = lively; pteron = wing)

Description

Embiopterans or web-spinners superficially resemble termites. However, web-spinners do not use wood as a food source. Web-spinners have kidney-shaped (reniform) compound eyes but simple eyes (ocelli) are absent. The body colour is generally dull brown. The mandibles are well developed. Most winged species have two pairs of wings, both of which are membranous, soft and flexible. Females are always wingless but in some species the males are also wingless. The abdomen is long and soft with 10 well defined segments. The characteristic which gives rise to this insect’s common name is the swollen first tarsal segment of each foreleg which contains silk glands. Embiopterans construct silk galleries through the leaf mould, litter or moss in which they are living using silk from the leg glands. Even newly emerged nymphs are able to secrete silk and build galleries for themselves.

Life Cycle

After mating, males do not feed and may then be consumed by the females. The nymphs emerge from the eggs as miniatures of the adult and increases in size and maturity by successive moults.

Distribution

Web-spinners are found in the tropics and warm temperate regions.

Food

Web-spinners are scavengers of plant material. Most food comprises moss, bark and dead leaves from the forest floor.

Importance

They have no known economic importance other than being part of the forest litter recycling system.