Entomology Insect Identification

Order Suborder Family (Family ends in -dae)

conehead (noninsect)

• no antennae

• no cerci

• 6 legs

Protura

two-pronged bristletail (noninsect)

• beaded antennae

• filiform cerci

• 6 legs

Diplura

springtail (noninsect)

• furcula (jumping organ)

• clustered eyes

• long antennae

Collembola

bristletail

• long medial caudal filament

• paired cerci

• hunchback

Archaeognatha

silverfish

• long antennae

• cerci and median caudal filament (same length)

• body tapers toward end

Zygentoma

dragonfly

• broad hindwings

• 4 membranous wings

• long, slender abdomen

Odonata Anisoptera

damselfly

• narrow wing base

• large compound eyes

• long, slender abdomen

Odonata Zygoptera

mayfly

• hindwings smaller than forewings

• curved body

• short antennae

Ephemeroptera

Oriental/American cockroach

• elongated, oval body

• long filiform antennae

• thickened front wings (tegmina)

Blattodea Blattidae

giant cockroach

• segmented appearance

• elongated, oval body

• short cerci

Blattodea Blaberidae

termite

• pale body

• ant-like appearance

• large and cylindrical (soldier) or small and round (worker) head

• hypognathous mouthparts

Blattodea Termitidae

mantid

• spiny, grasping, raptorial front legs

• triangular head

• filiform antennae

Mantodea Mantidae

plant-mimicking mantid

• spiny, grasping, raptorial front legs

• triangular head

• filiform antennae

Mantodea Empusidae

ice crawler

• cylindrical body

• hypognathous mouthparts

• wingless

Grylloblattodea Grylloblattidae

heelwalker

• slender antennae

• well-developed compound eyes

• elongated body

Mantophasmatodea Mantophasmatidae

earwig

• pincer cerci

• short, slender, beaded antennae

• prognathous mouthparts

Dermaptera Forficulidae

larval stonefly

• each thorax segment is covered by large dorsal sclerite

• wingless

• long, filiform antennae and cerci

Plecoptera Perlidae

stonefly

• long, narrow front wings extend past abdomen

• long, filiform antennae

• long, multi-segmented cerci

Plecoptera Perlidae

webspinner

• enlarged basal segment of front tarsi bearing silk glands

• enlarged hind femur for running backwards

• slender, filiform antennae

Embioptera Embiidae

short-horned grasshopper

• filiform antennae

• hypognathous mouthparts

• narrow, leathery front wings (tegmina)

Orthoptera Caelifera Acrididae

long-horned grasshopper

• very long, filiform antenna

• leaf-like appearance

• hypognathous mouthparts

• narrow, leathery front wings (tegmina)

Orthoptera Caelifera Tettigoniidae

locust

• filiform antennae

• hypognathous mouthparts

• narrow, leathery front wings (tegmina)

Orthoptera Caelifera Acrididae

katydid

• leaf-like appearance

• filiform antennae

• hypognathous mouthparts

• narrow, leathery front wings (tegmina)

Orthoptera Ensifera Tettigoniidae

cricket

• needle-shaped ovipositor (female)

• filiform antennae

• narrow, leathery front wings (tegmina)

Orthoptera Ensifera Gryllidae

walking stick

• mimics sticks

• long, slender antennae

• prognathous mouthparts

Phasmatodea Phasmatidae

leaf insect

• mimics leaves

• brown, green, or yellow coloration

• short cerci

Phasmatodea Timemidae

angel insect

• 9-segmented antennae

• small, soft body

• no wings

Zoraptera

booklice

• thread-like antennae

• wingless

• pale body

free living Psocodea

barklice

• prominent head

• thread-like antennae

• front wings larger than hind wings

free living Psocodea Psocidae

human body lice

• large claws for grasping hair

• cone-shaped head

• suctorial mouthparts

parasitic Psocodea

pubic lice

• large claws for grasping hair

• cone-shaped head

• suctorial mouthparts

parasitic Psocodea Pthiridae

water strider

• long, thin legs

• slender, multisegmented (4-5) antennae

• hemelytra front wings (leathery basal half, membranous apical half) form X at rest on back

Hemiptera Heteroptera Gerridae

plant bug

• slender, multisegmented (4-5) antennae

• triangular scutellum behind trapezoidal pronotum

• hemelytra front wings (leathery basal half, membranous apical half) form X at rest on back

Hemiptera Heteroptera Miridae

stink bug

• shield-shaped body with large triangular scutellum behind trapezoidal pronotum

• slender, multisegmented (4-5) antennae

• hemelytra front wings (leathery basal half, membranous apical half) form X at rest on back

Hemiptera Heteroptera Pentatomidae

assassin bug

• slender, multisegmented (4-5) antennae

• triangular scutellum behind trapezoidal pronotum

• hemelytra front wings (leathery basal half, membranous apical half) form X at rest on back

Hemiptera Heteroptera Reduviidae

kissing bug

• slender, multisegmented (4-5) antennae

• triangular scutellum behind trapezoidal pronotum

• hemelytra front wings (leathery basal half, membranous apical half) form X at rest on back

Hemiptera Heteroptera Reduviidae

bed bug

• small and parasitic

• slender, multisegmented (4-5) antennae

• triangular scutellum behind trapezoidal pronotum

• hemelytra front wings (leathery basal half, membranous apical half) form X at rest on back

Hemiptera Heteroptera Cimicidae

aphid

• teardrop-shaped

• slender, bristle-like antennae

• soft bodied

Hemiptera Homoptera Aphididae

leafhopper

• leaf-like appearance

• front wings fold over abdomen

Hemiptera Homoptera Cicadellidae

cicada

• slender, bristle-like antennae

• front wings fold over abdomen

Hemiptera Homoptera Cicadidae

thrip

• cylindrical, spindle-shaped body

• slender, rod-like wings with dense fringe

• very small

Thysanoptera Thripidae

dobsonfly

• chewing/pinching mouthparts

• multi-segmented, filiform antennae

• extensive venation in wings

Megaloptera Corydalidae

alderfly

• multi-segmented, filiform antennae

• extensive venation in wings

• membranous front and hind wings similar in size

Megaloptera Sialidae

snakefly

• long, slender ovipositor

• elongated prothorax

• chewing/pinching mouthparts

Raphidioptera

larval lacewing

• chewing/pinching mouthparts

• 3 pairs of thoracic legs

Neuroptera Hemerobiiformia Chrysopidae

lacewing

• multi-segmented, filiform antennae

• chewing mouthparts

• membranous front and hind wings similar in size

Neuroptera Hemerobiiformia Chrysopidae

larval antlion

• chewing/pinching mouthparts

Neuroptera Myrmeleontiformia Myrmeleontidae

antlion

• clubbed antennae

• chewing mouthparts

• membranous front and hind wings similar in size

Neuroptera Myrmeleontiformia Myrmeleontidae

ground beetle

• slender, filiform antennae

• mandibulate mouthparts

• hardened front wings (elytra)

Coleoptera Adephaga Carabidae

longhorn beetle

• long antennae

• mandibulate mouthparts

• hardened front wings (elytra)

Coleoptera Polyphaga Cerambycidae

ladybug

• cutie patootie

• clubbed antennae

• mandibulate mouthparts

• hardened front wings (elytra)

Coleoptera Polyphaga Coccinellidae

weevil

• goofy looking

• chewing mouthparts positioned at tip of proboscis

• hardened front wings (elytra)

Coleoptera Polyphaga Curculionidae

darkling beetle

• beaded antennae

• mandibulate mouthparts

• hardened front wings (elytra)

Coleoptera Polyphaga Tenebrionidae

scarab

• robust body

• heavy spines on femur and tibia

• lamellate antennae

Coleoptera Polyphaga Scarabaeidae

twisted wing parasite (male)

• large, fan-shaped hind wings

• very small

Strepsiptera Stylopidae

twisted wing parasite (female)

• retain larval form

• legless and wingless

• protrude from host (wasps and bees) abdomen to allow for mating

Strepsiptera Stylopidae

sawfly

• lacks wasp waist, thorax and abdomen develop together

• lacks stinger, ovipositor adapted for cutting plants

Hymenoptera Symphyta Tenthredinidae

wasp

• wasp waist, thorax and abdomen develop separately

• well-developed compound eyes

Hymenoptera Apocrita Vespidae

ant

• wasp waist, thorax and abdomen develop separately

• well-developed compound eyes

Hymenoptera Apocrita Formicidae

bee

• wasp waist, thorax and abdomen develop separately

• well-developed compound eyes

Hymenoptera Apocrita Apidae

scorpionfly

• long, beak-like rostrum

• scorpion-like tail (male)

• long, filiform antennae

Mecoptera Panorpidae

mosquito

• humpback thorax

• proboscis for piercing and sucking

• thin, long legs

Diptera Culicidae

crane fly

• long, frail legs

• v-shaped suture on thorax

• “giant mosquito”

Diptera Tipulidae

house fly

• iridescent wings

• 4 longitudinal stripes on thorax

• arista (bristle) on antennae

Diptera Muscidae

blow fly

• metallic green/blue/bronze body

• large red eyes

• arista (bristles) all over

Diptera Calliphoridae

fruit fly

• yellow/tan/brown body

• bright red eyes

• flat wings

Diptera Drosophilidae

hover fly

• mimics bee/wasp appearance

• large compound eyes

• iridescent wings

Diptera Syrphidae

flea

• reduced head

• enlarged hind femur for jumping

• bilaterally flattened body (not shown)

Siphonaptera Pulicidae

butterfly

• reduced front legs → 4-legged appearance

• varied wing patterning

Lepidoptera Nymphalidae

moth

• dull colored

• robust body

• long proboscis (not shown)

Lepidoptera Sphingidae

larval caddisfly

• caterpillar-like (eruciform) body

• abdomen enclosed in stones/leaves/twigs/etc.

Trichoptera Limnephilidae

caddisfly

• long filiform antennae

• wings covered with setae (hair)

• wings positioned like a tent over abdomen

Trichoptera Limnephilidae