Insects have been around for a long time. During the Silurian period, which began about 440 million years ago, the first insects appeared: wingless creatures much like modern silverfish, which evolved from arthropods similar to millipedes. By 400 million years ago, in the Devonian period, insects developed wings and looked much like dragonflies or mayflies do today. By the Carboniferous period, about 315 million years ago, insects had diversified into many types with well-formed wings and segmented bodies. With the development of angiosperms (flowering plants) and assisted pollination, insects continued to evolve into the myriad forms we know today.
The class Insecta is divided into many orders. Those that contain numerous species found in the garden are listed separately below. They are: Coleoptera (beetles); Diptera (flies); Hemiptera (true bugs); Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, and ants); Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths); and Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies).
Coleoptera 
Diptera Hemiptera Hymenoptera Lepidoptera Odonata
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