Entomology Final UCR

Where are the wings found on Strepsiptera?

Found in in males only

• hindwings are large and functional for flight

• forewings reduced to small and club like structure

What do Strepsiptera feed upon and where do they live for
most of their lives?

• live most of time inside bodies of their hosts

• feed on bodily fluids and tissues of their hosts

What do male Mecoptera (scorpionflies) do to entice females to mate?

• Male Mecoptera present food items (dead insects or saliva secretions) to females as nuptial gifts

• These gifts and behaviors are central to their mating rituals and serve as an incentive for females to choose them as mates.

How are adult fleas physically adapted to live on their
hosts?

• Flattened bodies: compressed bodies allow them to move easily through fur, feathers, or hair of host

• Hindlegs: allow them to jump and quickly between hosts

• Piercing-sucking mouthparts: pierce the hosts skin and suck blood

• Sensory hairs: detect vibrations, heat and carbon dioxide

Where do larval Siphonaptera live and what do they feed
on?

• Live off host: they develop in the environment where the host resides (nests)

• Feed on organic debris: Larvae feed on debris in host nest including feces from adult

What impact have fleas had on human civilizations?

1. Plague: Yersinia pestis, a bacteria
2. Usually acquired from rodents (often rats)
3. Justinian Plague (~545 AD)
4. Bubonic Plague, Pneumonic plague, Septicemic plague
5. The Black Death (mid 1300’s)
6. India 1994, ~60 deaths, 400,000 people panicked.
7. Low levels throughout SW USA

What are the distinguishing physical and behavioral characteristics?
– Strepsiptera (twisted-wing)

• Mesothoeracic wings (knob like)

• Metathoracic wings (large fan-like)

• Elaborate antennae

• Females lack eyes, antennae, legs and wings

• Penetrate cuticle and feed on hemolymph and fat

• Larvae hatch in host and move out of brood canal

• Males fly to females, females remain in host

• Host is sterilized

What are the distinguishing physical and behavioral characteristics?

– Mecoptera (long wings) : Scorpionflies

• Mouthparts give beak appearance, chewing mouthparts on the end

• Bulbous terminal genitalia in males

• 2 pr wings; weak fliers

• Larvae are caterpillar-like

• Adults feed on small/dead insects

• Larvae feed on fungi and dead arthropods

• Use of nuptial gifts (mating behavior)

What are the distinguishing physical and behavioral characteristics?

– Siphonaptera

• Small, laterally flattened

• Wingless

• Saltatorial legs with resilin

• Modified sucking mouthparts

• Larvae are caterpillar-like

• Adults are ectoparasitic blood feeders

• Larvae feed on debris in host nest including feces from adult & live off host

• Eggs are free

• Adults find host by temp, co2, odor and vibration

• Host specific

List two important roles flies play in the human
environment

• Critical for breakdown of biological material

• Pollinating plants

What is malaria, why is it important, and how is it
transmitted from person to person

• Malaria is a insect borne disease

• Protozoan blood parasite

• Anopheles cause Malaria

• Transmitted from person to person through the bite of an infected female anopheles mosquito

• Importance: Affects millions of people annually. Killers 0.5-1 million people/year. infects 200 million world wide. ~70% incidence in Africa

Who discovered how yellow fever is transmitted and
how is it transmitted?

• Dr. Walter Reed discovered how yellow fever transmitted in early 1900s

• Occured during the U.S army Yellow fever Commission

• A Cuban physician named Carlos Finlay suggested that mosquitoes were the vectors of yellow fever

• Transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected Aedes mosquito

What is filiarisis and what families of flies can
transmit it?

• Diseases of nematode worms

• Blocks lymph system and causes elephantiasis (include heart worm of dogs)

• Parasitic disease caused by nematodes (roundoworms) of the family Filarioidea

• Transmitted by hematophagous (blood feeding) arthropods

• Culex and Anopheles

What is onchoceriasis?

• a parasitic disease that causes skin and eye disease, including blindness

• Trasmitted by bite of infected blackflies of the family Simuliidae

What is Loa Loa?

• African eye worm, is a parasitic nematode (roundworm) that causes loiasis

• Spread by the bites of infected deerflies

What is Nagana or Sleeping Sickness?

• A parasitic disease caused by Trypanosoma genus of protozoans

• Trasmitted to vertebrates, including humans and animals through bite of a tsetse fly

Are Robber flies beneficial?

• Yes, robber flies are generally considered beneficial because they eat many pest insects, including those that damage crops.

What family of flies makes tunnels in leaves of plants?

Leafminer flies, are responsible for making tunnels in leaves.

• larvae tunnel into the leaves of plants, creating 'mines'

• Order Diptera (true flies) famliy Agromyzidae

What do fruit flies feed upon and are the pestiferous
or beneficial?

Feed on

• Rotting or overripe fruits and vegetables.

• Fermenting food (like sugary liquids).

• Organic waste (like food scraps).

Harmful (Pest)

• Annoying: They can invade kitchens and trash cans.

• Crop damage: Some species damage fruits by laying eggs inside them.

• Health risk: They can spread bacteria from decaying food to fresh food.

Are Tachinid flies beneficial, and if so, how?

They are parasites of other insects, especially pests. Here's how they help:

1. Pest Control: Tachinid flies lay their eggs on or inside pest insects like caterpillars, beetles, and grasshoppers. The larvae hatch and kill the pest insects, helping to control harmful species.

2. Natural Balance: By reducing pest populations, they help maintain a healthy balance in ecosystems and reduce the need for chemical pesticides.

What are the three major feeding behavior in Trichoptera(hair wings)(caddis flies)?

• Herbivorous feeding: Many caddisfly larvae are herbivores, feed on plants, matter, algae and detritus

• Detritivorous feeding: A large number of caddisfly species feed on decomposing organic material (leaf litter, wood)

• Carnivorous feeding: Some caddisfly larvae prey on smaller invertebrates including aquatic insects. (use trapping prey using silk threads)

What are the physical attributes of Trichoptera adults and
larvae?

Adults

• Wings: Hairy, held roof-like over the body.

• Body: Slender, soft, with long antennae.

• Mouthparts: Non-functional in most species.

• Size: 3 mm to 40 mm.

• Color: Typically brown, gray, or green.

Larval

• Body: Segmented and worm-like, often inside a protective case made from debris.

• Legs: Three pairs of legs and sometimes prolegs.

• Mouthparts: Chewing type, used for feeding.

• Size: 5 mm to 30 mm.

• Behavior: Builds a protective case from silk and debris.

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of adult
and larval Lepitopera?

Adult

• Wings: Large, often colorful, covered with scales.

• Body: Slim and elongated with long antennae (often clubbed in butterflies).

• Mouthparts: Coiled proboscis for feeding on nectar.

• Size: Varies, from small to large.

Larval

• Body: Soft, segmented, cylindrical.

• Legs: Three pairs of true legs and additional prolegs.

• Mouthparts: Strong mandibles for chewing leaves.

• Size: Varies depending on species.

Define cremaster

A hook-like structure at the rear end of some insect larvae (like caterpillars) that helps them attach to surfaces when pupating.

List a few ways Lepidoptera defend themselves from being
eaten.

• Crypsis

• Toxic chemicals-aposematism

• Irritating hair

• Mimicry

• Startle response

• Camouflage

• Osemeterium

List a few of the feeding strategies of larval Lepidoptera

• Leaf Chewing: Most caterpillars feed by chewing on leaves, using their strong mandibles to consume plant material.

• Mining: Some larvae burrow into the leaves or stems of plants, feeding on the inner tissues, creating tunnels as they go.

• Boring: Some larvae bore into plant stems or trunks, feeding on the internal tissues, often causing damage to the plant.

• Leaf Tying: Some caterpillars tie or roll leaves together with silk and feed on the enclosed plant material.

• Scavenging: A few caterpillars feed on decaying plant matter or even fungi.

What do adult butterflies feed upon and how do they detect
their food?

They feed on nectar from flowers using their long coiled proboscis to suck up the liquid

Methods:

• Olfactory sensors: Butterflies have highly sensitive antennae that help them detect chemical signals (pheromones) released by flowers or plants.

• Compound eyes: Their compound eyes can detect colors and UV light, allowing them to spot flowers from a distance.

• Taste sensors: They also have taste receptors on their feet, enabling them to "taste" the plants when they land on them to confirm if they are suitable for feeding.

What is the difference between dispersal and migration?

Dispersal refers to the movement of individual insects from their birthplace to a new location, typically to find resources, mates, or new habitats. It is often a one-way movement.

Migration is the regular, often seasonal, movement of entire groups or populations of insects over long distances, typically in response to environmental changes (e.g., temperature, food availability).

Compare and contrast the mating behavior of day-flying
butterflies and night-flying moths

Differences

• Timing: Butterflies are diurnal (active during the day), while moths are nocturnal (active at night).

• Attraction Methods: Butterflies rely more on visual signals, while moths predominantly use chemical signals (pheromones).

• Courtship: Butterflies engage in visible courtship behaviors, while moth courtship is less dramatic and based more on chemical cues.

Similar

• Both use pheromones for mating attraction.

• Both involve the female's choice in selecting a mate, often based on specific traits like size, strength, or the quality of the male’s display.

Do Lepidoptera produce silk, and if so from what strucures?

Yes, Lepidoptera (butterflies and months-Larvae) do produce silk.

• silk is produced by specialized glands called spinnerets.

List a few of the beneficial qualities of Lepidoptera and
provide an example for each.

• Pollination: Many butterflies and moths pollinate flowers, helping plants reproduce.

• Food Source: Butterflies and moths are a food source for other animals, supporting ecosystems.

• Silk Production: Moths, especially silkworms, produce silk that is used in textiles

• Biological Control: Some moths are natural predators of pest insects, helping control pest populations

List some of the pest issues associated with Lepidoptera?

Can cause significant damage to crops by feeding on leaves, stems, fruits, and flowers as caterpillars, with notable pest issues including: leaf-feeding, fruit damage, cotton bollworm damage,, and damage to stored grains

Which genus of moth stopped the spread of cactus in
Australia?

Cactoblastis cactorum ( cactus moth)

What are the general physical characteristics of the order
Hymenoptera?

• Adults: 2 pr of wings

• developed sting

• Larvae with & without legs

• chewing mouthparts

• Antennae long

• Abdomen fused broadly to the thorax or attached

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Symphyta (sawflies)

• Adults lack sting, do have ovipositors

• No waist; abdomen joined to thorax

• Larvae have true legs and prolegs (no crochets)

• Phytophagous (feed on plants)

• Unique defensive behavior

• Gregarious (social)

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Parasitica (Parasitoid wasps)

• Very small

• Touch host with ovipositor only

• Slender body with long ovipositor

• narrow waist

• long and slender attennae

• wings are transparent with visible veins

• Female inject eggs into host

• Host specific

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Solitary stinging wasps

• Medium to large

• Build a nest/hive: mud or paper, aerial or ground

• Adults feed on nectar & pollen

• Predators: often specialize on large and multiple prey

• Sting with venom used to paralyze prey-keep it fresh

• Camouflage nest

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Solitary stinging bees

• Body covered in plumose hairs

• Pollen baskets

• Pollen and nectar gathering insects; not predators

• Feed larvae pollen balls

• Similar to wasps, no paper nests

• some nest parasites

ex:

1. Mud Dauber

2. Spider Hawks

3. Sphecid Wasps

4. Velvet Ants

5. Leaf-cutter Bees

6. Carpenter Bees

7. Mason Bees

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Social stinging bees(bumble bees and honey bees)

Physical

1. Body: Robust, hairy body, covered with fine hairs for pollen collection.

2. Antennae: Short and segmented.

3. Wings: Two pairs of delicate wings.

4. Stinger: Barbed stinger that can inject venom; honeybees die after stinging.

5. Color: Typically bright yellow, black, or orange patterns.

Behavioral

• Social Structure: Live in colonies with a queen, workers, and drones.

• Nesting: Build wax nests (honeycombs) and store honey or nectar.

• Foraging: Collect nectar and pollen for food and pollination.

• Defense: Defend the colony aggressively by stinging.

• Communication: Use pheromones and the waggle dance (in honeybees) for food location.

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Social stinging wasps

Physical

• Body: Slender, smooth body with a noticeable narrow waist (petiole) between the thorax and abdomen.

• Antennae: Long, segmented antennae.

• Wings: Two pairs of wings that are larger and more robust than those of bees.

• Stinger: A sharp, non-barbed stinger used for defense.

• Color: Often yellow and black, with a more uniform color pattern than bees.

Behavioral

• Social Structure: Live in colonies with a queen, workers, and drones, similar to bees.

• Nesting: Build paper-like nests made of wood fibers and saliva, often hanging from trees or under eaves.

• Foraging: Feed on nectar, but also hunt other insects for protein.

• Defense: Defend the nest aggressively, using their stinger repeatedly without dying.

• Aggression: More aggressive than bees, particularly when protecting the nest.

How can you distinguish based on physical and behavioral
characteristics between the following groups of Hymenoptera?

• Ants

• Medium sized insects

• evolved from wasps

• wings, if present, are uniform

• always social

• caste determination by nutrition and trophylaxis

• Castes: Reproductives (queen and male), sterile females with polymorphisms & polyethisims (nurses, maintenance, foragers, soldiers)

What is a plant gall and why does it form?

an abnormal growth on a plant that forms when an insect, mite, fungus, bacterium, or nematode irritates the plant.

What are two beneficial services that Hymenoptera provide

• Pollination: Many species of bees and wasps pollinate plants, including important crops, contributing to food production and ecosystem health.

• Pest Control: Parasitoid wasps help control pest populations by parasitizing insects like caterpillars and aphids, reducing the need for chemical pesticides.

What are the necessary criteria for an insect species to be
considered truly social (=eusocial)?

• Cooperative care of offspring

• Overlapping generations (multiple generations live together in same colony)

• Reproductive division of labor

What is the relationship between wasps and papermaking?

Social wasps create their nests from paper-like substances. They make this “paper” by chewing wood fibers.

• Inspiration for invention of paper

Why are some ants called “protector” ants? Give two examples
of this behavior.

Some ants are called "protector ants" because they engage in mutualistic relationships where they protect other species (usually plants or other insects) in exchange for food or shelter.

ex:

• Acacia ants

• Farmer ants

What do army ants feed upon?

Army ants eat a variety of insects, arthropods, and small vertebrates, including:

other ants, beetles, frogs, lizards, snakes, and nestling birds

Describe the behavior of dulotic ants? What advantage is there
to this behavior?

Dulotic ants (slave-making ants) raid other ant nests to steal larvae and pupae. They bring these back to their own nest, and the stolen ants grow up to become workers for the dulotic colony.

Benefit: Dulotic ants get free workers without raising them, saving time and resources. This helps the colony grow and thrive more efficiently.

What do leaf-cutter ants feed on (trick question)?

Don’t directly eat leaves they cut. They cultivate fungus on the leaves they harvest.

Describe the dance of the honey bee and indicated what
information is transferred by the dance?

Waggle dance; used to communicate the location of food sources to other bees in the colony

What do adult and larval forms of bees and wasps feed upon?

Adult Bees:

• Feed on nectar from flowers, which provides energy (sugar).

• They also collect pollen for protein to feed their larvae.

Larval Bees:

• Feed on a mixture of nectar and pollen, often combined with enzymes that the adult bees provide.

Adult Wasps:

• Feed on nectar and fruit juices for energy.

• Some adult wasps also hunt other insects to provide protein for their larvae.

Larval Wasps:

• Feed on other insects (e.g., caterpillars) or spiders that the adult wasps capture and bring back to the nest. The larvae feed on these prey items while they are still alive.

What is the sting used for in Hymenoptera?

Defense and capturing prey

Define prolegs

Small, fleshy, non-jointed appendages found on the abdomen of some insect larvae (like caterpillars) that help with movement and grip.

Define startle response

A defensive behavior where an insect suddenly changes posture or displays bright colors to scare off predators.

Define osmeterium.

A forked, fleshy structure in some insect larvae (like caterpillars) that is ejected from the body when threatened, often to deter predators.

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Scarab Beetles

• Large

• Heavy bodied

• Great in shape

• Often brightly colored

• Scavengers or phytophagous

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Flat headed borers

• Adults brightly colored, medium size

• Swept-back appearance

• Larvae feed on wood; oval tunnels = galleries

• Attack live or newly cut trees

• Can kill tree

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Click Beetles

• Adults elongate shape

• Distinct pronotum

• Eyespots are common

• Adults & larvae are phytophagous

• Click noise using spine on thorax

• Wireworms can be pestiferous

• Bioluminescence

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Fireflies

• Pronotum extends over ehad

• Elytra are soft & flexible

• Bioluminescent organs

• Luciferin & luciferinase

• Females often wingless

• Light used to attract males

• Femme Fatale: Photuris

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Skin Beetles

• Adults small & oval

• Adults feed on flowers and foliage

• Larvae spiny/furry

• Larvae feed on dead plant and animal products

• Quite damaging

• Used to clean bones

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Lady Bird Beetles

• Adults small & oval, brightly colored

• Larvae elongate with spines & brightly colored

• Both are predators on aphids

• Very beneficial

• Some are pesty (Squash beetles, mexican bean beetle)

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Darkling Beetles

• Adults medium sized

• Elytra are fused, no striations

• Larvae aka mealworms

• Predators detritivores, some plant feeders

• Head standing in Eleodes

Which of the above families exhibits parental care?

• Darkling Beetles: Some species provide protection for their eggs and larvae by burying them or hiding them in secure environments.

• Scarab Beetles: Many dung beetles, a subgroup of scarabs, exhibit parental care by rolling dung into balls, burying them, and laying their eggs inside. The dung serves as food for the developing larvae. Some species even guard the buried dung ball to ensure the survival of their offspring.

What are luciferinase and luciferin?

1. Luciferin:

• It is a light-emitting molecule (a substrate) found in bioluminescent organisms.

• During a chemical reaction, luciferin is oxidized in the presence of oxygen, producing light

2. Luciferase:

• It is an enzyme that catalyzes the reaction between luciferin and oxygen.

• This reaction releases energy in the form of visible light.

What is unique about the genus Photuris in the family of
fireflies?

The genus Photuris in the firefly family (Lampyridae) is unique because it includes "femme fatale" fireflies. Female Photuris fireflies mimic the light signals of females from other firefly species to lure males of those species.

When are skin beetles pestiferous? When are they
beneficial?

• Pestiferous: Damage wool, fur, leather, taxidermy, and stored food.

• Beneficial: Clean skeletons in forensics and aid decomposition by eating dead animals.

How do darkling beetles defend themselves?

1. Releasing a foul-smelling chemical from glands near their abdomen to deter predators.

2. Standing on their head (in some species) as a warning display before releasing the chemical.

Why are Japanese beetles a pest?

1. Adults damage plants by eating leaves, flowers, and fruits, leaving skeletonized foliage.

2. Larvae (grubs) destroy lawns and turf by feeding on grass roots.

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Blister Beetles

• Adults narrow with flexible elytra

• Pronotum is narrower than head

• Hyper-metamorphosis

• 1st instar is a triungulin

• Larvae feed on insect eggs

• Adults produce cantharidin

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Round-headed Borers/ Long-horned borers

• Very long antennae

• Adults feed on flowers/pollen, larvae feed on wood

• Form round galleries

ex: Old house borer, Asian Longhorned borer, and Eucalyptus borer

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Leaf beetles

• Adults small,
  brightly colored

• Adults feed on
  flowers and foliage

• Larvae often spiny
  looking, feed on
  foliage

• Skeletonize foliage

• Some are serious
  pests

ex: Colorado Potato Beetle, Corn Root worm and Flea beetles

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Weevils/ Snout Beetles

• Adults with snout and club-like antennae

• Use snout to drill into food, ovipositor

• Adults feign death

• Larvae are grub like

• All phytophagous

• Some serious pests
  

  Ex: Boll weevil and Rose weevi

What are the distinguishing physical characteristics of the
following orders of Coleoptera?

• Bark Beetles

• Adults small and cylindrical, black

• Larvae are grub like

• Feed on inner bark of trees, form extensive galleries

• Aggregation pheromones

• Very important forest pests

• Transmit blue-stain fungi

• Elm bark beetle transmits Dutch Elm disease

What do most lady bird beetles feed upon?

Most ladybird beetles feed on aphids and other soft-bodied insects, making them important natural pest controllers.

Where might you find mass aggregations of lady bird beetles?

You might find mass aggregations of ladybird beetles in protected areas like tree trunks, rock crevices, or under leaves, especially during winter when they hibernate.

What is cantharidin?

toxic chemical compound found in blister beetles

• cause blistering of the skin and used as defense mechanism

What is Hypermetamorphosis and what Orders exhibit it?

Hypermetamorphosis: is a type of developmental process in insects where the larvae undergo multiple distinct stages or morphological changes during development

• Coleoptera (beetles): Many beetles, such as blister beetles, show hypermetamorphosis.

• Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants): Some species of wasps also exhibit hypermetamorphosis.

What is a difference you can use to tell flat-headed borers apart
from round-headed borers?

Flat-headed borers have a flattened thorax (the area behind the head), while round-headed borers have a rounded thorax. This difference in body shape helps distinguish between the two.

How did Colorado Potato Beetle become a pest?

because it developed resistance to many insecticides, allowing it to thrive on crops like potatoes. It also has a high reproductive rate and feeds on the leaves of potato plants, damaging the crops and reducing yields.

What function does the “snout”on a weevil play?

The snout on a weevil serves as a long, extended mouthpart that the weevil uses to bore into plants. It allows the weevil to feed on plant tissues, lay eggs, and often creates tunnels inside the plant, which can damage crops.

What is blue stain fungus?

Blue stain fungus is a type of fungus that infects wood, especially in pine trees. It causes the wood to turn blue or grayish-blue, making it less valuable for lumber.

• spread by wood-boring insects (bark beetles)