Insect Orders: CMG Gardennotes #313
Insect Orders: CMG Gardennotes #313
Insect Orders: CMG Gardennotes #313
Insect Orders
Outline
Anoplura
Sucking Lice
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 1]
Figure 1. Sucking lice
o Wingless
o Mouthparts: Piercing/sucking, designed to feed on blood.
o Body: Small head with larger, pear-shaped thorax and nine segmented
abdomen.
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Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Figure 2. American cockroach
Features: [Figure 2]
o Body: Flattened
o Antennae: Long, thread-like
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Wings: If present, are thickened, semi-transparent with distinct veins and
lay flat.
Coleoptera
Beetles and Weevils
Coleoptera is the largest order of insects with 290,000 species worldwide and
some 24,000 species in North America.
Many species are plant feeders; some are predaceous (ground and lady
beetles), scavengers (scarab and hide beetles), or aquatic.
The term weevil refers to a snouted beetle.
Metamorphosis: Complete
[Figure 3]
Figure 3. Coleoptera metamorphosis
(left to right): egg, grub, pupa, and
adult
Adults:
o Wings: two pair
Front pair, called elytra, are greatly thickened and shell-like (form
fitting) and make a straight line down the back when at rest.
Hind wings are membranous and are protected by front pair.
A few beetles are wingless, or have only the front pair.
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Antennae: Noticeable, generally quite stout
o Cerci (tail-like appendage): None
Larva:
o Legs:
Larva that feed externally on plants are the typical grub with
head capsule, three pair of legs on thorax, and no prolegs on the
abdomen. [Figure 4]
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Some larva that feed internally in plants (e.g., bark beetles, and
wood borers) may be maggot-like with no head capsule and no
legs.
Mouthparts: Chewing
Figure 4. Grub with head capsule, three pair of legs
on the thorax, and no prolegs on abdomen.
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Collembola
Springtails
Very tiny (1-2 mm) soft-bodied insect almost always associated with soil.
Very common but rarely observed due to tiny size.
Feeding: Most feed on algae, fungi, and other organic matter. Some are
predators of other insects and mites found in the soil.
Metamorphosis: None
Features: [Figure 6]
o Wingless
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Springtail: (furcula) often
present, used to jump.
Figure 6. Springtail
Dermaptera
Earwigs
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 7]
o Mouthparts: Chewing; generally feed on decaying organic matter,
occasionally feed on plants and insects.
o Wings: 2 pair
Front wings are short, leathery, without venation and meet in a
straight line down the back when at rest.
Hind wings are membranous, broad, with veins radiating from a
center, folded both lengthwise and crosswise when at rest.
Note: Wings can be confused with those of beetles, but beetles do
not have forceps-like cerci (tail-like appendage).
o Body: Elongated, flattened insects
o Cerci: Strong moveable forceps-like cerci on the abdomen end. Cerci
cannot produce a painful pinch, but the mouthparts can.
o Habit: Over-winters as adults. During the day, earwigs like to hide in
dark, moist areas, which leads them to get into things.
Figure 7. Earwigs: Female (left) has straight cerci,
male (right) has curved cerci.
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Diptera
Flies, Gnats, Midges, and Mosquitoes
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Ephemeroptera
Mayflies
Small aquatic naiads found in the bottom of streams and lakes. Serves as a
source of food for fish.
No interaction with gardening activities.
Metamorphosis: Simple/Incomplete
Adults: [Figure 11]
o Wings: two pair
Front wings large and triangular shaped.
Hind wings small and rounded.
Wings held vertically over body.
o Antennae: Small, bristle-like
o Filaments: Two very long tail-like filaments.
o Mouthparts: Adults do not feed and only live a few days.
Figure 11. Mayfly adult
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Hemiptera
TRUE BUGS: Plant Bugs, Squash Bugs, Stink Bugs
Note: New books combine Homoptera into the Hemiptera order. In this
book, we continue to teach the old taxonomy because most books that
gardeners will be using have the old taxonomic structure.
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Homoptera
Aphids, Cicadas, Leafhoppers, Mealybugs, Scale, and Whiteflies
Note: New books combine Homoptera into the Hemiptera order. In
Colorado Master Gardener training, we continue to teach the old taxonomy
because most books that gardeners will be using have the old taxonomic
structure.
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
o Nymphs and adults similar in appearance (except male scales and
whiteflies).
Features: [Figure 15]
o Mouthparts: Piercing-sucking
Jointed beak-like mouth parts not easily visible and originate from
bottom of head so that it appears as if the beak is fastened between
the front legs.
Note: By contrast, in Hemiptera, mouthparts are more visible and
originate from top of head, in front of eyes.
o Wings: two pair
Membranous
Typically held roof-like at rest
Many forms are wingless
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Hymenoptera
Ants, Bees, Horntails, Sawflies, and Wasps
Large order with some 103,000 species worldwide and 18,000 in North
America.
Order includes many important parasites and predators.
This order has the most highly developed insect behaviors and social patterns.
Most species live in nests.
Metamorphosis: Complete
Adults [Figure 16]
o Wings: 2 pair, membranous
Hind wing is usually smaller and often hidden under front wing.
Front and hind wings may be attached.
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o
o
o
o
Larva
o Larvae of most species are rarely observed, often developing in a nest or as
an internal parasite.
o Head: Distinct head capsule
o Legs: None (except sawfly larva)
Sawfly larva look like caterpillars but have six plus pair of
prolegs.
Note: Caterpillars (Lepidoptera) have five or fewer pair prolegs.
Some sawfly larva are legless and slug-like.
o Mouthparts: Chewing
Wasp or Bee?
Wasps have a slender and thin body, a narrow waist, slender,
cylindrical legs and a skin that generally lacks much hair. Yellow
jackets, bald-faced hornets, and paper wasps are the most common
wasps encountered by people.
Wasps are predators, feeding on insects and other arthropods. During
late summer and autumn when insect prey becomes more scarce, many
wasps become scavengers and are especially attracted to sweets and
other carbohydrates.
Bees are robust-bodied and very hairy compared with wasps. The hair
on bees is branched giving them a fuzzy or soft appearance. Their hind
legs are flattened, with bristle-fringed areas for collecting and
transporting pollen. Bees laden with pollen will appear to have yellow
hind legs because of the pollen loads. Bees are vegetarians, feeding on
nectar and pollen.
Beneficial families include:
o Ants and parasitic wasps, superfamily Scolioidea
o Bees, superfamily Apoidea
o Chalcid wasps, Chalcidoidea
o Digger wasps, superfamily Sphecoidea
o Ichneumon and braconid wasps, superfamily Ichneumonoidea
o Social wasps, superfamily Vespoidea
Pest families include:
o Ants, superfamily Scolioidea
o Gall wasps, superfamily Cynipoidea
o Horntails, superfamily Siricoidea
o Sawflies, Tenthredinoidae
o Social wasps, superfamily Vespoidea
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Isoptera
Termites
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 17]
o Color: Creamy white
o Wings: two pair that are the same size and longer than the body.
o Body: rectangular-shaped with NO constriction (wasp waist) between
thorax and abdomen.
o Antennae: Straight and beaded
o Mouthparts: Chewing
Figure 17. Winged adult termite (left), and
worker termite (right)
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Ant or Termite?
Ant
Termite
Color
Creamy white
Waistline
Wasp waist
No constriction
Antennae
Wings on adult
Workers body
Observed
Lepidoptera
Butterflies and Moths
Metamorphosis: Complete
Pupa
o
Mallophaga
Chewing or Biting Lice
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 20]
o Flattened, oval
o Head larger than thorax
o Antenna short
o Eyes very small or absent
o No wings
o Legs short and modified to hold to feathers or fur
o Lives only on hosts
Figure 20. Chewing lice.
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Mantodea
Mantids
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 21]
o Legs: Foreleg designed for grasping and holding prey
o Body: Elongated
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Antennae: Long, thread-like
o Wings: If present, are leathery and over abdomen. Absent in nymphs.
Figure 21 Mantid
Neuroptera
Antlion, Lacewing, Snakeflies, and Dobsonflies
Metamorphosis: Complete
Adults [Figure 22]
o Wings: Two pairs
Membranous, similar in size and texture
Large membranous wing, usually with many veins and cross
veins.
Held roof-like over body when at rest.
o Mouthparts: Chewing; some are predators, while others feed on nectar or
pollen.
o Cerci: None
o Tarsus (foot): Five segments
Figure 22. Lacewings: Left: adult, Right:
Antlion (lacewing larva)
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Odonata
Dragonflies and Damselflies
Metamorphosis: Simple/Incomplete
Adults [Figure 24]
o Eyes: Very large eyes that may cover much of head.
o Wings: Two pair
Large, elongated, highly veined.
Dragonflies hold wings horizontally when at rest. Damselflies
project wings back over body when at rest.
o Mouthparts: Chewing, prominent, used to
capture and consume winged prey in flight.
o Antennae: Small, bristle-like
Figure 24. Dragonfly adult
Naiads
o
o
o
o
[Figure 25]
Aquatic insect that feeds on mosquito larva and other aquatic life
Eyes: Large
Mouthparts: Uniquely hinged jaw that can
project forward to capture prey.
Gills: Three leaf-like gills at end of
abdomen (damselfly only.)
Figure 25. Dragonfly naiad
Orthoptera
Crickets, Grasshoppers, and Katydids
Note: Older books place mantids (Mantodea), walking sticks (Phasmida) and
roaches (Blattaria) in the order Orthoptera.
Most are plant feeders. A few are predators or scavengers.
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features [Figure 26]
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Wings: Two pair
Front wings more or less parchment-like with distinct venations.
Hind wings membranous and folded fan-like when at rest.
Wings may be used to make sounds.
o Legs: Hind legs enlarged for jumping.
o Cerci (tail-like appendages): 1 pair on most adults
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Phasmida
Walking Stick
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 27]
o Body: Very elongated, sticklike
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Wings: typically none
Figure 27. Walking stick
Plecoptera
Stoneflies
Aquatic naiads cling to stones in streams and serve as food for other aquatic
insects and fish.
There is no direct interaction with gardening activities.
Metamorphosis: Simple/Incomplete
Adults [Figure 28]
o Wings: Two pair, elongated wings fold flat over
body when at rest.
o Antennae: Long, filament-like
o Filament: (tail-like): Two
Figure 28 Stonefly adult
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Psocoptera
Psocids or Booklice
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 30]
o Size: Tiny, less than 1/8 inch
o Wings: Two pair on some adults
Held roof-like over body when at rest
Front pair larger
Veins prominent
Unwinged specimens common
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Antennae: Slender and as long or longer than body
Figure 30. Booklice
Siphonaptera
Fleas
Metamorphosis: Complete
Adults
o
o
o
o
[Figure 31]
Size: Less than 1/8 inch
Wingless
Body: Flattened sideways, dark colored, covered
with bristles that project backwards
Mouthparts: Piercing/sucking, designed to suck
blood.
Figure 31. Flea
Thysanoptera
Thrips
Metamorphosis: Simple/Gradual
Features: [Figure 32]
o Wings: Two pair
Slender wings fringed with hairs
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o
o
o
Often absent.
Mouthparts: Rasping-sucking; typically
feed on flowers and leaves.
Tarsi (feet): One or two segmented, each
with a balloon-like structure on the end.
Size: Minute, less than 1/8 inch long.
Figure 32. Thrips
Trichoptera
Caddisflies
Aquatic naiad.
Not associated with gardening activities.
Metamorphosis: Simple/Incomplete
Adults [Figure 33]
o Wings: Two pair
Covered with fine hairs
Held roof-like over body at rest
Resemble moths with hairy wings.
o Antennae: Extended back over body
Figure 33. Caddisfly
Naiads
o Aquatic naiad
o Some live in cases constructed of silk, pebbles, sticks, and leaves. Others
construct silken nests.
o Some are free-living and actively hunt other insects.
Zygentomaa
Silverfish and Firebrats
Metamorphosis: None
Features: [Figure 34]
o Size: Small, to
o Wingless
o Mouthparts: Chewing
o Cerci: Pair, long tail-like
o Active, fast moving
Figure 34. Silverfish
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Author: David Whiting, Consumer Horticulture Specialist, Colorado State University Extension.
Line drawings from USDA
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