Back to the Water

Insects evolved as terrestrial organisms that have successfully colonized all non-ocean habitats from arid desert to aquatic. Aquatic habitats have been colonized by many different groups of terrestrial insects including different groups in the same insect order. The flies (Diptera) have the most aquatic species (over half). Over 20 separate invasions of fresh water followed by diversification of species is evident from the taxonomy. The Diptera have been more successful in the colonization of freshwater than the beetles with many more species. Almost half of the Diptera (one quarter of the total species) are mosquitoes, midges and black flies. These groups contain some of the most noxious humans pests even though most species are benign.