Difference Between Bugs & Insects

While people often use the term "bug" to describe any insect that crosses their path, this is actually an incorrect use of the term. "Bugs" are a specific order of insect and set apart from other orders of insect by two distinctive features: their mouths and their wings.

  1. Significance

    • While "bugs" are a type of insect, not all "insects" are considered "true bugs."

    Features

    • All insects are found under the Insecta class, which includes over a million species that have been cataloged and more being discovered on a regular basis. Bugs are part of the Insecta class and found under the order name of hemiptera and the suborder name of heteroptera.

    Identification

    • "True bugs" have a mouth that is shaped like a straw or needle, which is called a stylet or rostrum. They also have a very specific membranous wing, which is thick and darkly colored where it connects to the body, but becomes thin and almost transparent toward its end. Insects that do not have a rostrum mouth or membranous wings, such as ants, termites, butterflies, mosquitoes, fleas and lice (just to name a few) would not be considered "true bugs" as they do not have one or both of these features.

    Size

    • There are 31 orders of insect, one of which is the hemiptera order of "bugs." There are 80,000 species of insects in this order, with half of those belonging to the heteroptera suborder.

    Types

    • Bedbugs, stink bugs, water bugs and assassin bugs are members of the heteroptera suborder and considered "true bugs." Cicadas, aphids and shield bugs are members of the hemiptera order and also considered to be "true bugs."