Every living being has a complex breathing system that allows it to stay alive. Body oxygenation is one of the most basic processes in both the animal and plant kingdoms. In this sense, insects also have their respiratory system that allows them to fill their entire body with oxygen; but this system is not similar to that of vertebrate beings like the human being, for example; humans take oxygen from the air using the lungs, which transport it through the blood; while insects use a different process.
To begin with, insects are invertebrate animals, belonging to the arthropod family; their body is divided into three parts, they have wings and they have six or more legs. In the world there are approximately 30 million different species of insects; which has been able to survive all ecosystems.
Insects do not have lungs like mammals, or gills like fish, their respiratory system is tracheal. Through the tracheal system, insects carry oxygen directly to the different tissues of their body. This system is made up of a complex network of thin tubes, called tracheae that run through the entire organism of the insect.
The thicker tracheae protrude outside the animal’s body in the form of pores, called spiracles; these spiracles are located at the level of the thorax and abdomen and are protected by tiny hairs; these hairs have the function of preventing particles or microorganisms from entering through the tracheas.
At the entrance to each spiracle, there are specialized rings that open and close to allow air to enter. Although on the surface the tracheae thicken to form spiracles, the opposite occurs inward. The more internal it is, the trachea becomes thinner and branches to become traceless. Depending on the species, the insect will use some spiracles for inhalation and others for exhalation, or it will use only one for both functions.
Types of animal respiration
The different species of the animal kingdom have different ways of incorporating oxygen into their body. Each animal respiration system represents a different degree of complexity, depending on its own needs. Here are the different types of animal respiration:
- Cutaneous respiration: animals that breathe through the skin use the body integument for it. It is the skin that is responsible for carrying out gas exchange. Among the essential elements for this process to occur is that the skin must be very thin; it must also be internally moistened by the animal. Animals that can breathe through their skin are annelids such as earthworms and leeches; some amphibians such as frogs, the giant toad, the salamander; and echinoderms such as sea urchins and starfish.
- Gill respiration: the respiratory system occurs through gills, external organs that resemble the shape of slits. The gills are a kind of membranes with which marine animals consume oxygen from the water. The process when the fish lets the water enter through its mouth, which must open and close continuously; when the water enters, the oxygen is absorbed by the blood vessels found in the gills. In this way it spreads throughout the bloodstream. The gills are supported by the gill arches; in some species such as sharks and rays there are five or six gills, and only four in bony fish.
- Tracheal respiration: this respiratory system occurs in insects as we already mentioned; These small species use a system of tubes or tracheas that connect directly with the cells of the body; through this connection a gaseous exchange takes place, since oxygen reaches the cells through the tracheas. Insects have an open circulatory system; which means that the blood circulates at extremely slow speeds, which brings more oxygen to the body.
- Pulmonary respiration: this system occurs through the lungs, organs that are connected to the outside by tubes. This system occurs in terrestrial vertebrate animals and in humans through the digestive tract. This process allows the following way: oxygen enters the body thanks to the action of the diaphragm; it enters through the nose and mouth, passing through the pharynx, larynx, and esophagus to the lungs. The lungs are protected by the ribs that surround them. When the air passes through the pulmonary alveoli, gaseous exchange between oxygen and carbon dioxide occurs; oxygen enters the bloodstream and carbon dioxide leaves the body.
Instructions for breathing insects
As we have mentioned, the respiratory process of insects is tracheal; which indicates that these animals can breathe using their thin tracheas in the form of tubes. Next, we indicate the respiration process of insects:
The gas exchange during the breathing process of insects obeys a tracheal system; this system causes the air to travel through all the internal areas of the body and reach all the cells. Cells require oxygen to perform their vital functions; as well as they need to expel carbon dioxide, which is a toxic gas for the body.
The process begins when the air travels through the tracheas through all the tissues; while oxygenating and storing carbon dioxide at the same time. This occurs through a physical process called diffusion; which consists in a gaseous exchange between the oxygen in the air and the oxygen found in the cells; During this process, the air passes through pores until the oxygen concentrations in both parts level off.
This same process occurs with the carbon dioxide present in the body but in reverse; the cells produce e dioxide to obtain energy, so that the quantities of this gas are high; to level the levels of dioxide in the body, it is expelled through the tracheas outwards.
Aquatic insect respiration process
There are also insects that live underwater; depending on the type of animal, they must come out and take in air on the surface or absorb oxygen from the water. Marine insects that come up for air from the surface have a common tracheal respiratory system. However, there are aquatic insects that develop so-called tracheal gills; which are specialized to absorb oxygen from water.
What do you need to breathe insects?
Insects are arthropods that have the body divided into three sections as we already mentioned: head, thorax and abdomen. About 30 million different species are known in the world, so their classification is quite complex; however, we could that insects are divided into the following classes:
- Donate: characterized by having two pairs of wings like dragonflies.
- Dermaptera: they have long, thin antennae like earwigs.
- Dipteral: they only exhibit two wings, like flies.
- Lepidoptera: they are insects that can change through metamorphosis, such as butterflies.
- Dictyoptera: its body is flattened and long-legged, like cockroaches.
- Orthopnea: its main characteristics are that it has special hind legs to make great jumps, like crickets.
- Coleopteran: they only have two wings, beetles fall into this family.
- Hymenoptera: these include ants, wasps and bees.
Human beings have always fought swarms of insects, considering them a plague; this is due to various factors, such as their dizzying ability to reproduce, the diseases they transmit, and their destructive traits. That is why man has been in charge of creating and perfecting controls that eliminate pests from his environment; whether in a house or in a crop, insect pests are always harmful.
There are different methods to combat insect pests in your home or in any place invaded by insects. Insect pest control methods:
- Repellents: they are frequently used in gardens or outside a house; these work in such a way that they emit unpleasant odors or flavors to insects and drive them away from the entire property.
- Aerosols and gases: these are insecticides that are generally used inside the home; these eliminate all kinds of insects.
- Traps: There are insect traps that contain glue to trap and immobilize them.
Tips for breathing insects
Breeding insects in captivity is a task that catches more and more enthusiasts; but this task is not as simple as one thinks; and depending on the type of insect chosen, one or two extra care will be needed.
The most important thing is to keep a suitable place for your insect, to keep it alive and healthy. Insects require specific habitats according to their type; that is why when having one in captivity you must make sure that you know its vital needs. However, whatever type of insect you have, you must make sure to ensure good oxygenation to its habitat.
You remember that terrestrial and some aquatic insects breathe through their windpipes; which means that they need to have an airy and clean space to be able to absorb oxygen from the air. By clean, we mean if the place you reserve for your insect cannot be completely crammed with sand; the dirt can stop oxygen from passing through and that way you will suffocate your animal.
Ideally, you should get a box of any material, but with small holes that allow oxygen to pass through. Make sure the holes are very small so your bugs can’t escape through them.
