Insect orders

Insect orders

1. Common
Insect Orders
Adapted from Berkeley Natural History Museums lesson
“A Quick Way to Identify Common Insect Orders” with edits by Ertell

2. Insects are the
most species-
rich group of
organisms on
earth as
indicated in this
species-scape.
The size of the
organism
reflects the
number of
described
species.

3. Parts of an insect

4. Parts of an insect
HeadThorax
Abdomen
Spiracles

5. Parts of an insect
HeadThorax
Abdomen
3 pairs of legs
Spiracles

6. Parts of an insect
HeadThorax
Abdomen
3 pairs of legs
Wings and legs on thorax
Spiracles

7. Important areas to study to
identify common insect orders
HeadThorax
Abdomen
3 pairs of legs
Spiracles

8. Mouthparts:
Chewing
mandibles

mandibles

9. Mouthparts:
Piercing
Sucking
Sponging-sucking
Coiled

10. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)
Greek "ortho" = straight, "ptera" = wing
Spot ID
•Jumping legs
•parallel-sided structure
of front wings

11. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)
Greek “orthos” = straight, “pteros” = wing

12. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)

13. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)
Spot ID
•Jumping hind legs

14. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)
Spot ID
•Jumping hind legs
•Some with ovipositor at hind
end

15. Coleoptera (beetles)
Greek “koleos”= sheath, “ptero”= wing

16. Coleoptera (beetles)

17. Coleoptera (beetles)
Spot ID
•Chewing mouthparts

18. Coleoptera (beetles)
Spot ID
•Chewing mouthparts
•Forewings (elytra)
form hard shell
covering hindwings

19. Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)
Greek “lepido”= scale, “ptero”= wing

20. Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)
Greek “lepido”= scale, “ptero”= wing
•Coiling-sucking mouthparts

21. Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)
Greek “lepido”= scale, “ptero”= wing
•Coiling-sucking mouthparts
•Four wings covered with scales

22. Diptera (flies)
Latin “di”= two, “ptero”= wing

23. Diptera (flies)
Latin “di”= two, “ptero”= wing
Spot ID
•Two wings

24. Diptera (flies)
Latin “di”= two, “ptero”= wing
Spot ID
•Two wings
–Hind wings reduced
to halteres

25. Diptera (flies)
Latin “di”= two, “ptero”= wing
Spot ID
•Two wings
–Hind wings reduced
to halteres
•Sponging-sucking
mouthparts
–Except mosquitoes
and some others
that pierce skin

26. Diptera (flies)
Latin “di”= two, “ptero”= wing

27. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
Greek “hymen”=membrane, “ptero”=wing
or
Hymen, the Greek god of marriage
because the forewing & hindwings are joined
together with small hooks
Hooks not shown

28. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)

29. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
Spot ID
•Chewing mouthparts

30. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
Spot ID
•Chewing mouthparts
•Four membranous wings

31. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
Spot ID
•Chewing mouthparts
•Four membranous wings
•Waist often constricted

32. Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
Spot ID
•Chewing mouthparts
•Four membranous wings
•Waist often constricted
•Females with ovipositor or
stinger at end of abdomen

33. Hemiptera
(true bugs, also sometimes called Heteroptera)
Greek “hemisys” = half, “ptero” = wing

34. Hemiptera
(true bugs)
Greek “hemisys” = half, “ptero” = wing
Spot ID
•A beak: piercing-sucking mouthparts

35. Hemiptera
(true bugs)
Greek “hemisys” = half, “ptero” = wing
Spot ID
•A beak: piercing-sucking mouthparts
•Forewings covering hindwings
–Wing half membrane, half thickened

36. Homoptera
(hoppers, aphids, scales, cicadas)
Greek “homo” = uniform, “ptero” = wing
Spot ID
•A beak: piercing-sucking mouthparts
•Forewings covering hindwings
–Wings all membranous

37. Homoptera
(hoppers, aphids, scales, cicadas)
Greek “homo” = uniform, “ptero” = wing
Some entomologists now combine Order
Homoptera with Order Hemiptera
because the DNA has been found to be
similar. In this case, Homoptera would
be considered a suborder.

38. Dermaptera (earwigs)
Greek “derma” = skin, “ptero” = wing

39. Dermaptera (earwigs)
Greek “derma” = skin, “ptero” = wing
Spot ID
•Long skin-like hindwings folded
under very short forewings

40. Dermaptera (earwigs)
Greek “derma” = skin, “ptero” = wing
Spot ID
•Long skin-like hindwings folded
under very short forewings
•Pinchers off end of abdomen

41. Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies)


Greek “odon” = tooth
(referring to teeth on their mandibles)

42. Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies)

43. Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies)
Spot ID
•Long slender wings

44. Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies)
Spot ID
•Long slender wings
•Long thin body

45. Isoptera (termites)
Greek "iso" = equal, "ptera" = wings
Spot ID
•Pale, elongate body
•2 pairs of membranous
wings of equal length only
present in reproductives
and shed after mating
•Mandibulate (chewing)
mouthparts
•Antennae about the same
length as the head
•Sometimes now classified
with Blattodea because
their DNA suggests that
they are specialized
roaches

46. Blattodea (roaches)
Latin “blatta” = cockroach

47. Blattodea (roaches)

48. Blattodea (roaches)
Spot ID
•Flat

49. Blattodea (roaches)
Spot ID
•Flat
•Spiny legs

50. Blattodea (roaches)
Also called Blattaria, Greek “Blatta” = cockroach
Spot ID
•Flat
•Spiny legs
•Long antennae

51. Neuroptera (ant lions, lacewings,
mantidflies)
Greek "neuron" = nerve and "ptera" = wings
Spot ID
•four membranous net-
veined wings
•forewings and
hindwings about the
same size

52. Neuroptera (ant lions, lacewings,
mantidflies)
Greek "neuron" = nerve and "ptera" = wings
Spot ID
•Larvae have elongated
mandibles adapted for
piercing and sucking
•Oliver the Owlfly
larva is an example
•Antlion larvae
(doodlebugs)

53. Mantodea (praying mantises)
Greek “mantis” = prophet
Spot ID
•two grasping, spiked
forelegs often held in
“praying” position
•Triangular, swiveling
head with large
compound eyes

54. Phasmatodea (walking stick insects)
Also Phasmida, Greek “phasm” = phantom
Spot ID
•cylindrical stick-like
body or flattened,
leaflike shape
•long, slender antennae
•sometimes have wings

55. Thysanura (silverfish, bristletails)
Greek "thysano-" = fringed, "ura" = tail
Spot ID
•three long caudal (tail)
filaments
•Silverfish are so called
due to the silvery
glitter of the scales
covering their bodies
•flattened bodies, may
be elongated or oval in
shape

56. Ephemerida (mayflies)
Also Ephemeroptera, Greek "ephemera"
=short-lived
Spot ID
•delicate bodies and
gauzy, fragile wings
•two or three long
threads (caudal
filaments) at end of
abdomen
•Adults have no
functional mouthparts

57. Plecoptera (stoneflies)
Greek "pleco" = braided, "ptera" = wing
Spot ID
•complex venation of two
pairs of wings, which are
membranous and fold
flat over the back
•legs each end in two
claws
•long, multi-segmented
antennae

58. Mecoptera (scorpionflies)
Greek “meco-” = long, “ptera” = wings
Spot ID
•abdomen is cylindrical,
and typically curves
upwards in the male,
superficially resembling
the tail of a scorpion
•wings are narrow in
shape, with numerous
cross-veins

59. Trichoptera (caddisflies)
Greek “trich” = hair, ptera = wing
Spot ID
•small moth-like with
two pairs of hairy
membranous wings
•Aquatic larvae, adults
usually found near
aquatic habitats

60. Siphonaptera (fleas)
Greek "siphon“ = tube or pipe, "aptera" =
wingless
Spot ID
•Wingless (adaptation to
ectoparasitism)
•1-10mm long
•Mouthparts are sucking and
piercing
•Hind legs are enlarged for
jumping
•Laterally flattened

61. Thysanoptera (thrips)
Greek "thysano-" = fringed, “ptera" = wing
•Very small insects
with a range of 1/32
to 1/8 inch in
length
•Feed on plants,
considered crop
pest

62. Some Common Insects