Entomology/Entomology Insect List

This page will provide information about each taxon on the 2015 Official Insect List for the event Entomology. The page will be structured with information for: For some taxons, it is necessary to know information about the immature forms and life cycle. These taxons will include a section with said information, located below the information for adult forms.
 * Head (contains information about mouthparts, antennae, eyes, and head in general)
 * Thorax (contains information about wings, legs, locomotion, flight, and thorax in general)
 * Abdomen (contains information about internal anatomy and abdomen in general)
 * Sexual Dimorphism (contains information about genitalia, differences between male/female forms, and courtship/mating rituals)
 * Life Cycle (contains information about life cycle, development, and life length)
 * Miscellaneous Anatomy (contains information about size, color, and shape where applicable)
 * Human Impact (contains information about how the insect can be helpful/harmful to humans, along with any diseases the insect may spread)
 * Habitat (contains information about the habitat in which the insect lives, along with its behavioral habits, e.g. nocturnal/diurnal)
 * Diet (contains information about what the insect feeds on and its biological niche)
 * Sociality (contains information about the social habits of the insect, not applicable for all)
 * Explanation of Name (contains information explaining the reason behind the scientific name of the insect, not applicable for all)
 * Miscellaneous (contains all miscellaneous information about the insect that is not related to anatomy)
 * Audubon Plate Numbers- FAMILIES ONLY (For those using the Audubon Field guide, this section will contain the numbers of all ID plates located in the front of the book that the taxon appears on. The page number will be in parentheses before the plate numbers.  For example, if a family was found on page 333 and plates 11, 22, and 33, the format would be (333) 11, 22, 33)

Protura (telsontails, proturans)

 * Head: Entognathous, sucking mouthparts all enclosed within head capsule, consist of thin mandibles & maxillae, use mouthparts to scrape off food particles, which they draw into mouth & mix with saliva; No antennae; No eyes; Head Conical, Pseudoculi (eye shaped organs for smell) present (may be remnants of vestigial antennae);
 * Thorax: Wingless; FL used as sensory function, 5 segmented, each leg tipped with a single claw;
 * Abdomen: 12 Abdominal Segments (newly hatched have 9, each time they molt, one is added), Small ventral styli located on abdominal segments 1-3, Cerci & Abdominal filaments entirely absent; Some lack a tracheal system (All gas exchange occurs through the integument);
 * Sexual Dimorphism- Genitalia are internal & the genital opening lies between the eleventh segment & the telson of the adult;
 * Misc Anatomy: .6-1.5mm; Unpigmented, most white or ivory; Postanal Telson @ end of cylindrical body;
 * Human Impact: None pests, help break down/recycle organic nutrients;
 * Habitat: Always moist, usu in the humus & leaf mold of temperate deciduous forests, some live 10” underground; Uncommon;
 * Diet: Organic matter released by decay & mycorrhizal fungi, dead Acari, & mushroom powder in culture; Herbivores
 * Explanation of Name: roto” – first (original) “ura” – tail;, refers to the lack of advanced or specialized structures at the back of the abdomen
 * Misc: Most primitive hexapods, smallest arthropod class; Discovered by Antonio Sylvestri in 1907 near Syracuse, New York;

Collembola (springtails, snow fleas)

 * Head: Piercing-sucking, entognathic mouthparts; Antennae short with 4-6 segments: Compound eyes absent or reduced to a cluster of not more than 8 ommatidia;
 * Thorax: Wingless; Most have short legs, 1 segmented tarsi;
 * Abdomen: Unique, tube-like structure, the collophore is located ventrally on the first abdominal segment (possibly helps maintain water balance by absorbing fluid), Forked jumping organ (furcular) on 4th abdominal segment; The furcula is retracted against the ventral wall of the abdomen & held there, in cocked position, by a special catch (the tenaculum) on the third abdominal segment. Effective adaptation for avoiding predation;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Genital opening on 5th abdominal segment;
 * Life Cycle: Young similar in appearance to adults but paler, some parthenogenetic, most sexual reproduction;
 * Human Impact: Decompose/ recycle organic materials, some are plant pests;
 * Habitat: Common in grassy/wooded areas decaying organic matter, spores, some inhabit the intertidal zone; Common, worldwide;
 * Diet: Scavengers, use ants or termites as a host (commenalism); Feed on decaying vegetation & soil fungi;
 * Explanation of Name: “coll” – glue, “embol”- wedge (referring to furcula that was once thought to function as an adhesive organ);
 * Misc: Most abundant soil-dwelling arthropods; Appear to have evolved in cold climate;

Diplura (diplurans)

 * Head: Chewing/biting mouthparts; Antennae longer than head w/ 10 bead-like segments; Lack Eyes;
 * Thorax: Wingless; 3 pairs of walking legs, regenerate lost legs through molts, Tarsi 1 segmented; Move thru soil by pushing with wormlike movements or using tunnels/crevices;
 * Abdomen: Abd 10 visible segments, Paired cerci at rear (either pincer like in appearance OR long & slender {means they’re herbivores}), small, eversible vesicles on the ventral side of first 7 abdominal segments that help regulate the body's water balance, possibly by absorbing moisture from the environment;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Sexes are separate & fertilization is external, Males produce sperm packets (spermatophores) & glue them to the substrate on the end of little stalks, Females use their genital opening to gather spermatophores & then lay their eggs on little stalks inside a crevice or small cavity in the ground;
 * Life Cycle: Molt many times throughout life
 * Misc Anatomy: 2-5mm; Whitish in color, cerci usually darker; Elongated body; Some cerci adapted to break off if mishandled (Autotomy);
 * Human Impact: Not pests, Important decomposers
 * Habitat: Grassy places in New Zealand, Australia, Live in moist soil, leaf litter, or humus; Common (but seldom seen because of size & reclusive habits);
 * Diet: Predators OR herbivores if have long cerci; Eat Wide variety of other soil-dwellers, including collembola, mites, symphyla, insect larvae, & even other diplurans OR vegetable debris & fungal mycelia (animal prey preferred);
 * Explanation of Name: “Diplo” – two, “Ura” – tails;
 * Misc: Among the most primitive hexapods

Thysanura (bristletails, silverfish)

 * Head: Short mandibles, unspecialized mouthparts; Antennae long, thread-like, & multi-segmented; Compound eyes small or absent;
 * Thorax: Wingless
 * Abdomen: Abdomen with ten complete segments, 11th segment elongated to form a median cadual filament; 3 cerci (nearly as long as median cadual filament), styliform appendages located on abdominal segments 7-9;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Elaborate Courtship ritual (male spins a silken thread between the substrate & a vertical object then depositsa sperm packet beneath the thread & gets a female to walk through. When her cerci contact the silk thread, she picks up the spermatophore with her genital opening. Sperm enters her reproductive system & she eats the empty sperm packet;
 * Life Cycle: Relatively long lived, 3 years;
 * Misc Anatomy: Less than 1 cm long; Sliver scales covering bodies; Flattened, elongated, oval-shaped;
 * Human Impact: Can cause extensive damage to household goods (wallpaper paste, book bindings, starch, cardboard, paper products);
 * Habitat: Domestic & sylvan (wooded) habitats worldwide; Common; Hide under stones/leaves during the day & emerge after dark for food;
 * Diet: Scavengers/browsers; Eat many things- algae, lichens, or starchy vegetable matter…;
 * Explanation of Name: "thysano-" fringed, ‘ura’- tail; refers to the long, fringed filaments on the abdomen

Ephemeroptera (mayflies)

 * Head: Vestigial mouthparts; Antennae short, bristle like; Compound eyes large, cover most of head;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, many veins, FW large & triangular, HW smaller & fan-shaped; FL held in front of body;
 * Abdomen: Slender, bearing two (or sometimes three) long terminal filaments; Digestive system is filled with air, making them light enough to float;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Paired genital openings; Males fly in swarms; Females fly into the swarm & are quickly grabbed by a male. Copulation takes place in flight, & the female usually lays her clutch of eggs within minutes or hours.  Males die shortly after mating; females usually die soon after oviposition; (During copulation, the two penes of the male are inserted simultaneously into the two openings of the female.  Sperm is transferred quickly (there is no spermatophore) & eggs are fertilized immediately); a few reproduce parthenogenically (no males have  been found);
 * Life Cycle: When it is done developing as a naiad, it leaves the aquatic environment, often rising to the water surface in a bubble of air, molts to a winged form (the subimago) & flies to a nearby leaf or stem (subimago- a brief transitional stage that molts again into a sexually mature adult (imago)). The imago usually has transparent wings & a smooth, shiny exoskeleton in contrast to the cloudy wings & dull, pubescent body of the subimago; Adults live for a single day;
 * Misc Anatomy: 1-30mm; Color varies (almost clear- brown/black);
 * Human Impact: Ecological indicators of water quality, bait (many popular fishing "flies" are tied to resemble mayflies. Anglers have names for the stages -- dun is the subimago & spinner is the imago), food for fish.  Mass emergences can cause problems;
 * Habitat: Immatures are aquatic
 * Diet: Adults don’t feed (young- algae & other aquatic plant life scavenged from surrounding habitat);
 * Explanation of Name: derived from the Greek "ephemera" meaning short-lived, and "ptera" meaning wings. This is a reference to the short lifespan of most adult mayflies
 * Misc: Some emerge in late April, most in May, can be seen until Sept, in north;

Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)

 * Head: Mandibulate mouthparts; Antennae very short, bristle-like; Compound eyes large, cover most head (3 ocelli), up to 28,000 facets;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, many veins, similar in size & shape, stigma (distinctively pigmented cell) on leading edge Dragonfly- base of HW broader, Damsel- Base of wings harrow & stock like; Legs used to catch prey/cling to vegetation; Agile fliers;
 * Abdomen: Long and slender
 * Misc Anatomy: Wingspan 20-190mm; Blue, green, yellow…; Damsel- long & slender, Dragon- robust;
 * Human Impact: Beneficial (pest control, mosquitoes), eat bees (pests to beekeepers), can be threat to poultry in some parts of Europe; Transmit Prosthogoniums pellucidus (parasitic flatworm) to chicken;
 * Habitat: Freshwater habitats worldwide, males defend territory;
 * Diet: All carnivorous predators; Eat small insects like mosquitoes & gnats;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Odonata, derived from the Greek "odonto-", meaning tooth, refers to the strong teeth found on the mandibles of most adults. AKA- "snake doctors", "devil's darning needles", & "mosquito hawks";

Information about Immatures/Life Cycle

 * Mouthparts: Nymphs have labial mask adapted for catching prey (folded under throax & head when not in use, can be extended rapidly towards potential prey. Hooked lobes at the tip of the labium grasp or impale the prey & draw it back to the mouth as the labium retracts;
 * Eyes: Nymphs have well-developed compound eyes
 * Thorax: External wingpads in later stages;
 * Misc Anatomy: Around 15-30-60mm; Body robust (dragonflies), Body long & slender (damselflies),
 * Abdomen: 3 leaf-like gills at end of abdomen; dragonfly naiads- gills are located internally within the rectum here bellows-like contractions of the rectal muscles cause oxygenated water to circulate in & out;
 * Diet: Sit-and-wait predators (sit until prey comes, then grabs it with labium); Naiads feed on other aquatic life like mayfly naiads, small crustaceans, annelids, & mollusks;
 * Mating/Courtship: Male grasps female by head/thorax, bends her abdomen so her genetailia can be grasped by organs holding sperm, female bends abdomen to receive sperm; Eggs laid singly in fresh water, females often hover over open water & dip their abdomen as they oviposit.
 * Development:Eggs hatch into aquatic immature (naiads); Develop into instars with 9-14 molts, nymphs grow/molt in dusk/dawn; Spans over a year;''

Aeschnidae (Darners, Dragonflies)

 * Head: Sharp, biting mouthparts; 6-7 seg antennae, slender & bristle-like; Very large, well-developed compound eyes that touch;
 * Thorax: 4 large powerful wings, can fly in every direction tirelessly, always extended horizontally, similar triangles in FW & HW, unmatched antenodal crossveins; Legs used to form a basket when catching larger prey; Strong fliers, forwards/backwards…; Thorax thick;
 * Abdomen: Long, thin, abdomen, slightly thinner right behind thorax;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Females have ovipositors with blades & thicker abdomens; Males very territorial; Mate in flight, eggs deposited in water or close by, larvae are generally slender w/ long & flat extensible lower lip (labia), move thru water w/ jet propulsion (squirt water out of abdomens);
 * Misc Anatomy: Most between 65-85mm long, largest on planet; Most blue/green, some black/yellow;
 * Human Impact: Beneficial- pest control;
 * Habitat: Found in low-flowing streams, lakes…;
 * Diet: Predators; Eat other insects (pests), any soft bodied insect smaller than them, mosquitoes;
 * Explanation of Name: ‘aeschna’- ugly, AKA hawkers, darner- female abdomens look like sewing needle as they cut into plant stems & lay eggs;
 * Misc: Better adapted to cold than other Odonata;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (364) 343, 346, 377, larvae on 43

Gomphidae (Clubtails, Dragonflies)

 * Head: 4 seg antennae; Widely separated compound eyes;
 * Thorax: Similar triangles in FW & HW, No anal loop in HW; Short legs; Flight usu steady, without hovering, adults often alight on a flat surface;
 * Abdomen: Widening at end of abdomen (seg 7-9) ‘club’;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Females lack ovipositor, lay eggs by dipping the tip of the abdomen in water while hovering just above surface; Club less pronounced in females (males bigger club), absent in some species;
 * Life Cycle: Nymphs unusual- have a flat mentum (part of mouth), antennae only four seg, burrow in sediment at bottom of water body;
 * Misc Anatomy: 40-70mm, med sized; Black with yellow or green markings, cryptically colored;
 * Human Impact: Pest control;
 * Habitat: Active over water, often perch horizontally on ground, rocks, or logs with wings pointed downward;
 * Diet: Predators; Small insects, insect pests…;
 * Explanation of Name: ‘clubtail’- club at end of abdomen, Latin gomphus or gond meaning hinge;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (365) 344, 367

Libellulidae (skimmers, dragonflies)

 * Head: Larvae have labium developed into a mask over the lower part of the face; Hind margin of compound eyes straight or only very slightly lobed; Triangles in FW & HW are dissimilar in size, shape, or orientation, Anal loop of hind wing is foot-shaped with a distinct "heel" & "toe", wings brightly colored/banded, inner margin of HW rounded in both sexes, matched antenodal crossveins;
 * Thorax: Fast and erratic flight, sometimes interrupted by periods of hovering;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Male w/o lateral loves on second abdominal segment; Female ovipositor greatly reduced
 * Life Cycle: Naiads found in lakes & ponds, stocky & short, known as sprawlers, sit at bottom of streams & lakes waiting for prey, emerge at night;
 * Misc Anatomy: ~30-40mm; Many brightly colored, banded wings; Bodies shorter than wingspan;
 * Human Impact: Like other Odonatans, probably used for pest control
 * Habitat: Very diverse, virtually every dragonfly-type habitat in America, ponds & swamps;
 * Diet: Predators; Small insects
 * Explanation of Name: "skimmer" because of erratic flight
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (369) 42 (larvae), 345, 347, 348, 349, 358, 359, 360, 376, 361, 362, 363, 364, 365, 369, 370, 371, 373, 374, 375

Lestidae (spreadwing damselflies)

 * Head: Round greenish-blue eyes on side of head;
 * Thorax: Wings lack color (some have elongated black spot called pterostigma), REST OPEN, stalked at base, M3 rises behind nodus closer to arculus than to nodus, wings, Many veins lead to wing tip, longer pterostigma;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Males have strongly curved claspers (used to grab female), males more slender; Females are greenish metallic & brown;
 * Life Cycle: Breed in slow moving or still water in stream backwaters, marshes, nymphs have long abdomen & distinctive part of upper lip (prementum), one generation/year;
 * Misc Anatomy: 31.75-50.8 mm; Body has greenish metallic shine; Long, thin bodies;
 * Habitat: Found around polls & swamps, perching on plant stems;
 * Diet: Predators?; Eat small insects?;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (384) 350, 378

Coenagrionidae (narrow-winged damselflies)

 * Head: Wings lacking color & usu held together over the back when at rest, narrow & stalked, M3 rises behind nodus, 2 antenodal crossveins, few veins lead to wing tip; Shorter legs than other damselflies;
 * Misc Anatomy: Smaller than other damselflies, 1-2 inches in length; Usu have a black pattern, Abdomen may be green, blue, yellow, orange, or purple;
 * Human Impact: Pest Control?
 * Habitat: Ponds/near water;
 * Diet: Predators?; Small insects?;
 * Explanation of Name: ; AKA- pond damselflies, Greek coen meaning shared or common & agrio meaning fields or wild;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (385)35 (larvae), 39 (larvae), 356, 352, 351, 353, 354, 355

Table for Distinguishing Odonata Families
It is sometimes difficult to determine the family of dragon/damselfly. Here is a table with some distinguishing traits.

Blattodea (Cockroaches)

 * Head: Mandibulate mouthparts; Antennae long, slender, back-sweeping, fillform; Compound eyes large, 2 ocelli-like spots;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, FW thickened, HW membranous, pleated, held flat over back, overlapping, FW more sclerotized than HW, folded left over right when resting; Cursorial (running) legs, 5 segmented tarsi
 * Sexual Dimorphism:
 * Life Cycle: Immatures similar to adults & have wingpads, Females secrete a capsule around eggs called öotheca (may be dropped on the ground, glued to a substrate, or retained within the female's body), Egg stage lasts a few weeks to a few months, young resemble adults but are lighter & lack wings, go through a series of nymphal instars (2-12 depending on species), takes a month-a year to reach maturity;
 * Misc Anatomy: Body well adapted for running & squeezing into narrow cracks, instead of flying to avoid danger, they run into cracks/cervices; Pronotum covers & dorsally protects most of head & thorax; 8-60+ mm; Dark brown, reddish; Flattened oval bodies; Short, multi-segmented cerci;
 * Human Impact: Pests- feed on human/pet food, bad odor, unsanitary conditions, useful research tools for insect physiology & toxicology; Carry human pathogens, trigger allergic reactions (tropomyosin protein);
 * Habitat: Common most of world, subtropical & tropical environments, also temperate & boreal regions; Most are nocturnal;
 * Diet: Scavengers or omnivores; Eat almost everything, rotting wood, some harbor symbiotic gut Protozoa that aids in cellulose digestion;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Blattodea is derived from "blatta", the Greek word for cockroach. AKA waterbugs;
 * Misc: Closely related to Orthoptera & Mantodea;

Mantodea (mantids)

 * Head: Mandibulate, hypognathous; Antennae short-medium length, filiform; Compound eyes large (cover most triangular head), distinctive ocelli; Head triangular shaped & can turn from side to side without moving any other part of body;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 (most, some none), FW tegmina (narrow, opaque, leathery) camouflage & shield for HW, HW broader, more delicate, transparent, FW thicker & more slender than HW; Prothorax elongated; Raptorial FL with spines for catching/holding prey, 5 seg tarsi;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Males are fully winged while females have reduced/no wings; Immatures similar to adults with wingpads visible on thorax; Female mantids may attack & eat the male during or after mating, Female lays eggs in a foamy substance that hardens into a distinctive case (ootheca, contains up to 400 eggs);
 * Life Cycle: Nymphs hatch & molt several times, take ~ 1 year to develop;
 * Misc Anatomy: 10-120mm; Cryptically colored; Elongated body; Cerci short, multi-segmented;
 * Human Impact: Beneficial- feed on pests
 * Habitat: Tropical & subtropical climates; Common in Australia;
 * Diet: All predatory, some cannibalistic; Eat small insect prey (cricket) (or small frogs, lizards, birds);
 * Explanation of Name: The name Mantodea is derived from "mantis", the Greek word for these insects.
 * Misc: Active in spring-late fall, eggs overwintering; Closely related to orthoptera & Blattodea; Many are camouflaged & drawn to light at night;

Isoptera (termites)

 * Head: Mandibulate; Beaded Antennae about same length as head; (Adults) compound eyes present, (Workers/Soldiers) compound eyes are absent or small; (Adult) head well-developed, (Workers/Soldiers) head large & cylindrical or small & round;
 * Thorax: (Adults only) Wings- 4 membranous, similar in shape & size, shed after mating
 * Misc Anatomy: Cannot digest wood fibers (digestive systems contain symbiotic protozoa or bacteria that digest the cellulose in wood); 3-20mm; Adults- darkly pigmented body, Workers/soldiers- pale; Workers/soldiers- body somewhat ant like in appearance but with a broader junction between thorax & abdomen;
 * Human Impact: Important decomposers (break down & recycle up to one third of the annual production of dead wood), become pests when they eat human homes…, annual losses due to termites in the US = more than 800 million dollars;
 * Habitat: Very common in tropical & subtropical, less abundant in temperate regions;
 * Diet: Most dominant organisms in tropical forest environments; Eat: wood, bark, leaves, grasses, fungi, humus or the droppings of herbivores
 * Sociality: Only Hemimetabolous insects that exhibit true social behavior (build large communal nests that house an entire colony. Each nest contains adult reproductives (one queen & one king) plus hundreds or thousands of immatures that serve as workers & soldiers;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Isoptera, derived from the Greek "iso" meaning equal and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the similar size, shape, and venation of the four wings.
 * Misc: Appear to be closely related to cockroaches (behavioral & ecological similarities between termites & wood roaches);

Grylloblattodea (Ice insects, rock crawlers)

 * Head: Mandibulate (biting & chewing), hypognathous mouth; Antennae slender, filliform, 23-45 segments; Compound eyes reduced/absent;
 * Thorax: Wings- secondarily wingless; Legs- long & thin, Tarsi- 5 segmented, large coxae;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Female has pronounced ovipositor
 * Life Cycle: Eggs are black, laid singly into soil or moss, hatch after a few months-3 years, 8 nymphal instars; Development can take up to 7 years because of cold, nymphs look like adults but have no (or greatly reduced) compound eyes & no ocelli;
 * Misc Anatomy: 15-35mm; Mostly brown, legs & underside- light brown; Cylindrical; Long 8 segmented cerci;
 * Human Impact: No human importance (don’t live with humans);
 * Habitat: Rare; Caves near ice/snow at high elevations, mountains of Asia/North America (none have been found in the Southern Hemisphere); Active only at cold temperatures & move downward toward permafrost during warm seasons; Nocturnal;
 * Diet: Omnivores, scavenge for food on the surface of snowfields, under rocks, or near melting ice; Eat mainly arthropod carcasses/plant material;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Grylloblattodea, derived from the Greek "gryll" meaning cricket and "blatta" meaning cockroach, refers to the blend of cricket-like and roach-like traits found in these insects.
 * Misc: Closely related to Orthoptera & Dermaptera, Second smallest order of insects; Discovered by E.M.Walker in the Canadian Rockies in 1914; Cannot tolerate warm temps (die above 10 deg Celsius);

Dermaptera (earwigs)

 * Head: Mandibulate, prognathous mouth; Antennae slender, moderately long beadlike with 10+ segments; Compound eyes well-developed, simple eyes absent;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 (sometimes absent), FW tegmina, thick, short & leathery, veinless (shaped like human ear), HW semi-circular & pleated, fan-shaped, fold in a fan-like fashion, some are secondarily wingless; Thin Cursorial (running) legs, 3 seg tarsi;
 * Abdomen: Pair of large pincers (cerci) at back of abdomen used in grooming, defense, courtship, or folding wings;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Males- curved cerci, Females' cerci- straight with an inward pointing tip;
 * Life Cycle: Female lays eggs in soil & may guard them until they hatch, Nymphs similar to adults but lack wings;
 * Misc Anatomy: 6-35mm (not counting cerci); Most brown/black, some metallic green/yellow; Elongated, dorsoventrally flattened;
 * Human Impact: Little to no importance, few can damage plant blossoms; Spread no diseases;
 * Habitat: Many live throughout world, most in tropics/subtropics, dark sheltered environments (under rocks, longs, bark of trees); Common & widely distributed;
 * Diet: Mostly scavengers/herbivores, some may be predatory; Eat living/decaying plant/animal matter;
 * Sociality: Non-social but shows maternal care;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Dermaptera, derived from the Greek "derma" meaning skin and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the thickened forewings that cover and protect the hind wings. Called earwigs because of an old superstition that they crawl into people’s ears at night & burrow into brain, this is not true;

Plecoptera (stoneflies)

 * Head: Mandibulate, simple, chewing mandibles (some adults don’t feed or have mouthparts); Antennae long, filiform; Compound eyes large, 2-3 ocelli; Broad head;
 * Thorax: Wings extend beyond abdomen- 4 membranous, held flat over abdomen, FW long & narrow, M-Cu crossveins form distinctive boxes near center of front wing, HW shorter, basal area enlarged & pleated; Long, robust legs ending in 2 claws; Weak fliers;
 * Abdomen: Have cerci at tip of abdomen; Oxygen diffuses through the exoskeleton or into tracheal gills located on the thorax, behind the head, or around the anus;
 * Sexual Dimorphism:
 * Life Cycle: Larvae- molt 10-24 times, flattened bodies similar to adults with short, sometimes pointed wing-pads & outstretched wings, live at the bottom of streams & rivers, feed on living & dead plant an animal matter, Each segment of thorax is covered by a large dorsal sclerite; Females drop pellets or masses containing many eggs into water from the air or release them in shallow water from shore (eggs are coated with a sticky slime that adheres to rocks & keeps the eggs from washing away in fast moving water); Adults live only a week or two;
 * Misc Anatomy: 4-60mm; Drab colored (range from gray/brown to green/yellowish green), sometimes marked with distinctive pale/dark patterns; Flattened, sprawling shape; Long, multi-segmented cerci;
 * Human Impact: Ecologic indicators because they require pristine aquatic habitats, larvae used as bait, food for game fish
 * Habitat: In/around fast-moving streams in temperate/boreal climates, associated with cold water; Rest on vegetation, rocks, & debris, spend most of life in reproductive activities, most abundant in cool climates;
 * Diet: Most don’t feed, some eat algae, lichens, rotting wood;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Plecoptera, derived from the Greek "pleco" meaning folded and "ptera" meaning wing, refers to the pleated hind wings which fold under the front wings when the insect is at rest.
 * Misc: Most emerge late spring/summer, some emerge in fall/winter; Hollow exoskeletons called exuviae are often found on rocks, logs, & vegetation near rivers & streams during spring & summer; Probably represent an evolutionary “dead end” that diverged well over 300 million years ago;

Orthoptera (grasshoppers & crickets)

 * Head: Mandibulate, hypognathous mouth; Antennae filiform; Compound eyes large;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 held overlapping abdomen at rest, FW (Tegmina) hardened base, narrow, leathery, spread in flight, HW fan-like, membranous, fold under FW; HL- saltatorial, enlarged femur, powerful jumping legs, 3-4 seg tarsi, hind coxae small & well-separated, hind tibiae with two dorsal rows of teeth;
 * Abdomen: Cerci short & unsegmented;
 * Stridulation: (the act of producing sound by rubbing two body parts together) Mostly males produce sound by (rubbing the bases of the wings together or rubbing the hind legs against the wing edges), used for establishing territories & finding mates, volume & pitch unique to each species.  Crickets & katydids rub a set of tiny pegs (called a file, located at the base of one wing) against a strong ridge on the other wing to produce sounds.  Grasshoppers make sound by rubbing hind femora against the edges of the forewings;
 * Misc Anatomy: Most green; Pronotum usually with large descending lobes on sides; Ears of katydids & crickets are on forelegs, grasshopper ears are on base of abdomen; (tympanal organs = "ears")
 * Human Impact: Can be damaging to plants, some reared commercially & sold as bait;
 * Habitat: Common worldwide, terrestrial habitats;
 * Diet: Most herbivores, some also eat dead/living insects; Eat all types of plants;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Orthoptera, derived from the Greek "ortho" meaning straight and "ptera" meaning wing, refers to the parallel-sided structure of the front wings (tegmina).
 * Misc: Divided into 2 major groups based on antennae (locusts & grasshoppers have thick short antennae; Crickets & katydids have long threadlike antennae), closely related to Blattodea & Dermaptera;

Tetrigidae (pygmy grasshopper)

 * Head: Antennae shorter than body;
 * Thorax: FW (tegmina) reduced to pads/absent, may be exposed/covered by pronotum, Membranous HW protected by elongated region of thoracic shield, some can’t fly; 2-2-3 tarsal formula, Hind tibiae expanded for swimming in some; Pronotum extends back over abdomen & is pointed posteriorly;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Females usu larger;
 * Misc Anatomy: Less than 20mm; Cryptically colored; Can’t hear/make sounds;
 * Human Impact: Not plant pests;
 * Habitat: Moderately common; Usu live near water, others in dry habitats (woodlands, old fields), most diverse in tropical forest;
 * Diet: Herbivores; Eat roots of plants/seedlings some algae/diatoms;
 * Explanation of Name: AKA grouse locusts, pygmy locusts, groundhoppers or pygmy grasshoppers;
 * Misc: Encountered early summer, spring, overwinter as adults, breed- late spring; Some can swim;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (416) 253

Acrididae (short-horned grasshopper)

 * Head: Chewing mouth; Antennae short; Large eyes;
 * Thorax: Some well-developed wings, others wingless; HL for jumping, femur enlarged with muscle, as long as HW, 3-3-3 tarsal; Pronotum doesn’t extend beyond base of wings;
 * Abdomen: Tympana on sides of 1st abdominal segment;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Females have short, stout ovipositor, oviposit into ground; Elaborate mating courtship, takes ~1 hour, male may ride on back of female for a day (mate guarding)
 * Life Cycle: Females oviposit in loose soil, plant roots, rotting wood, dung, clutches of 10-60 eggs, up to 25 clutches over several weeks, Oviposition occurs late summer, hatch in spring;
 * Misc Anatomy: 15-30mm; Most gray/brown (cryptically colored), some bright; Spring-fall, overwinter as eggs;
 * Human Impact: Many destructive plant pests;
 * Habitat: Most in grasslands;
 * Diet: Herbivores, predators of Acrididae- ground beetles (eat egg), wasps, ants, praying mantids, spiders, mites, centipedes, frogs, toads, lizards, snakes, birds, shrews; Eat grasses/variety of plants;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (417) 256, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 266& 269, 267, 268, 270, 271,273, 274, 275, 275, 276, 278, 281

Tettigoniidae (katydids)

 * Head: Antennae very long;
 * Thorax: Wings held vertically (like roof) over abdomen at rest, some small, less than 8 principal longitudinal veins, FW surface slopes over sides of body, only a small portion being horizontal & dorsal, base of left tegmen is uppermost; Tarsi 4 seg;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: males with sound producing structures and tympanum on front tibia; Some females produce clicking sounds; Female's ovipositor is straight, curved, rounded, flat;
 * Life Cycle: Eggs laid in or on plant tissues, overwinter; Males provide female a nuptial gift (spermatophylax); Live for a year or less;
 * Misc Anatomy: 10-60+mm; Most green, some pink;
 * Human Impact: Some pests, but have low population density, so not many, some human food, farmers spray them away
 * Habitat: Every continent, not Antarctica; Live in meadows; most nocturnal;
 * Diet: Herbivores, Predators of katydids- wasps, spiders, ants, praying mantis, tree frogs, birds, bats;
 * Sociality: Solitary, communicate w/ sound, use antennae to touch/smell, can see;
 * Explanation of Name: AKA long-horned grasshoppers, Katydid = sounds sound like “katy did”;
 * Misc: Use mimicry & camo; Are small because of greater agility, faster development, less nutritional needs;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (429) 254, 255, 257, 258, 272, 282, 283&284, 285, 286,287, 288

Gryllacrididae (camel crickets)

 * Head: Sharp, elongated mandibles; Long threadlike antennae;
 * Thorax: Secondarily wingless (if present have 8+ longitudinal veins, FW lack sound producing organs; 3-4 seg tarsi, legs long & slender, non-jumping;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Females have sword like ovipositor;
 * Misc Anatomy: Gray or brown; Humpbacked body; Lack hearing & stridulating organs;
 * Habitat: Nocturnal;
 * Diet: Predators of insects/spiders;
 * Explanation of Name: AKA Leaf Rolling Crickets, Raspy Crickets, Wolf Crickets;
 * Misc: Produce rasping sound when disturbed;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (438) 247, 248, 249

Gryllidae (true crickets)

 * Head: Powerful jaws; Long threadlike antennae;
 * Thorax: Some have wings, held flat over abdomen, Rub wings together to make sound, most of FW surface is dorsal in position w/ a narrow lateral portion bent down abruptly, right tegmen uppermost at rest; HL for jumping; 3 seg tarsi, Tympanum on front tarsi;
 * Abdomen: Cerci long & feeler like;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Mostly male crickets chirp, some females, male wings have large membranous area, often larger than female; Use song for courtship;
 * Life Cycle: Mate in late summer, eggs laid in autumn, hatch in spring;
 * Misc Anatomy: Medium/large sized; Somewhat camouflaged; Only able to hold one pitch; Somewhat flattened;
 * Human Impact: Some bite humans;
 * Habitat: Usually nocturnal; Found in fields, houses, trees;
 * Diet: Omnivorous scavengers; Eat organic materials (decaying plant material, fungi, & some seedling plants), some eat own dead/injured (cannibalism);
 * Misc: Parasitic tachinid fly Ormia ochracea attracted to male’s song;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (438) 251, 252, 277, 279, 280

Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets)

 * Head: Antennae less than 1/2 total body length; Small eyes;
 * Thorax: Tegmen usually short, covering ½ of abdomen; Front legs fossorial, broad & spade like, HL not made for jumping; Can fly powerfully, move very fast in general;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Ovipositor not visible externally; Males have a scaper on FW that produces sound when rubbed against other wing produces sound;
 * Life Cycle: Lay eggs in sealed off chambers, mating occurs in burrow, require 1+ year to develop, overwinter in all stages but egg & small nymph;
 * Misc Anatomy: 20+mm; Brownish; Abdomen is rather soft, but the head, forelimbs, & prothorax are heavily sclerotized;
 * Human Impact: Lawn pests
 * Habitat: Nocturnal, burrowing, moist places, extensive tunnel systems;
 * Diet: Omnivores; Feed on larvae, worms, roots, grasses, plant & animal matter;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (442) 250

Phasmatodea (walking sticks)

 * Head: Mandibulate, prognathous mouthparts; Antennae long & slender; All have compound eyes, some males have ocelli;
 * Thorax: Most wingless, some 4 wings, FW narrow, short, hardened, HW broad, membranous; Long, thin legs, some capable of autotomy, can be held flat against body, 4 segmented tarsi; Slow-Moving; Prothorax shorter than meso- or metathorax;
 * Abdomen: Cerci short & unsegmented;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Males usually shorter & lighter bodied than females, some males have claspers at abdomen tip for grasping female while mating, some reproduce parthenogentically;
 * Life Cycle: Develop gradual metamorphosis & molt 6-7 times; Eggs resemble seeds; Live from several weeks- a few months;
 * Misc Anatomy: 30-300mm; Cryptically colored (green/brown); Some cylindrical/sticklike, others flattened/leaflike;
 * Human Impact: Those that live in temperate zones have no impact (not abundant enough), tropical species can take leaves from trees and cause damage;
 * Habitat: Tropical/subtropical climates; Spend their days hidden among their food plants, becoming active at night to feed, often perch in vegetation or on walls & window screens with the forelegs extended forwards, fake death when disturbed;
 * Diet: Herbivores; Eat leaves/trees;
 * Explanation of Name: Phsmatodea is derived from the Greek "phasm" meaning phantom, refers to the cryptic appearance and behavior of these insects
 * Misc: closely related to Orthoptera & Dermaptera

Psocoptera (book and bark louse)

 * Head: Mouthparts = Mandibulate, primitive, the lacinia (a subdivision of the maxilla) has become a separate, rod-like structure that is pushed against the substrate as a brace while the mandibles scrape off surrounding food particles, pharynx & hypopharynx are also modified for grinding food in a mortar-and-pestle arrangement; Antennae threadlike; Compound eyes large, 3 ocelli; Head prominent; Narrow “neck” between head & thorax;
 * Thorax: Wings- Booklice- wingless, Barklice- Some wingless, others 4 wings, FW larger than HW, venation reduced, held tent-like over body; Legs- Legs slender, for walking (not gripping like true lice), barklice have 2-3 seg tarsi;
 * Life Cycle: Have excellent powers of dispersal; Pearman's organ, a sound-producing structure in the hind coxae of some male barklice, produces a clicking sound that attracts females. The male then performs a courtship dance in an effort to initiate copulation;
 * Misc Anatomy: Barklice- Up to 10mm, usu less than 6mm, Booklice = less than 10mm;
 * Human Impact: Rarely come in human contact, may be nuisance, no real damage;
 * Habitat: Abundant worldwide but overlooked; (Barklice = Moist terrestrial environments, herbivores), Found in human dwellings, Some live in bird’s nests & eat residues of feathers or skin cells, but never on the birds themselves;
 * Diet: Barklice = Algae, lichen, fungi…, Booklice = Grain, book bindings, wallpaper paste;
 * Sociality: Some barklice like company, live in small colonies beneath a gossamer blanket spun with silk from their labial glands
 * Explanation of Name: The name Psocoptera is derived from the Greek "psokos" meaning rubbed or gnawed and "ptera" meaning wings. This name has been criticized by many entomologists because the prefix (a clear reference to the manner of feeding) is unrelated to the suffix (the presence of wings).  Loosely translated, however, the name could be taken to mean "winged insects that gnaw".
 * Misc: Closely related to Hemiptera & Phthiraptera; A close phylogenetic relationship between barklice & parasitic lice is also supported by similarities in the structure of mouthparts (particularly the hypopharynx);

Mallophaga (chewing lice)

 * Head: Mandibulate mouthparts (ventral side of head), toothed mandibles; Antennae short, concealed, knob at end (capitate); Compound eyes reduced/absent, lack ocelli; Broad Head, wider than prothorax;
 * Thorax: Lack wings; Gripping legs, Tarsi 1-2 segmented, most have two small claws;
 * Life Cycle: Females will typically lay 150-300 eggs over an interval of 2-3 weeks. The eggs, commonly known as nits, are oblong & approximately 1mm long. The eggs are glued to the hairs or feathers of the host with a secretion from the female accessory glands. The eggs typically hatch several days or up to three weeks from the time they are laid;
 * Misc Anatomy: .5-10mm; Light brown/tan;
 * Human Impact: Pests; Don’t spread many human disease pathogens, can harm poultry (Pediculosis- lice infestation anywhere on humans);
 * Habitat: Lives whole life on host; Common ectoparasites (mostly birds);
 * Diet: Eat fragments of hair/feathers or host’s blood; Can hitch a ride from a fly to transfer host-to-host (phoresis);

Anoplura (sucking lice)

 * Head: Suctorial, retracted into head when not feeding; Antennae short, threadlike, 3-5 seg; Compound eyes reduced/absent; Head narrow, conical
 * Thorax: Wingless, Tarsi 1 seg with a single claw developed for clinging onto host;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Female “Fatter” than male;
 * Misc Anatomy: Less than 4mm in length; Flat-bodied;
 * Human Impact: Spread disease- humans & domestic animals; Humans- Relapsing fever (Borellia recurrentis), Epidemic Typhus (Rickettsia prowazeki), Trench Fever (Rickettsia Quintana), Animals- pox virus & (cattle lice) rickettsial anaplasmosis;
 * Habitat: Lives on host whole life;
 * Diet: Ectoparasite; Get nutrition from host’s blood;

Thysanoptera (thrips)

 * Head: Piercing-sucking mouth, Only have a left mandible (right mandible becomes reabsorbed during the embryonic stage), Stiff, needlelike maxillae (second pair of jaws) are called maxillary stylets & form a sucking tube for feeding; Antennae short, 6-10 segments; Head narrow anteriorly forming a conical mouth opening
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 (some none), long, skinny, fringed with hairlike setae, held parallel to one another over abdomen at rest; Legs short, end in 2 tarsal segments with an arolium (bladder-like structure, allows insect to walk on vertical surfaces) at the pretarsus, lack claws but have extendable sticky pads
 * Life Cycle: Immatures wingless, many species undergo an extended metamorphosis in which the final immature stage is quiescent, non-feeding, & sometimes even enclosed in a silken cocoon (They are an intermediate stage between complete & incomplete metamorphosis);
 * Misc Anatomy: 5-14mm; Body cylindrical/spindle-shaped;
 * Human Impact: Many destructive pests of plants (grain crops, fruits/veggies…), some pest control, may be pollinators; Transmit plant diseases (tospoviruses);
 * Habitat: Live in flowers, leaf litter, & fungi; Throughout world;
 * Diet: Herbivores, decomposers; Eat plants, plant fluids & parts of plants- pollen, flowers, leaves, fruits, twigs, or buds;
 * Sociality: Some eusocial;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Thysanoptera, derived from the Greek "thysanos" meaning fringe and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the slender wings that bear a dense fringe of long hairs.
 * Misc: Very thigmotaxic (seek security of small spaces); Can give a bite;

Hemiptera (true bugs)

 * Head: Mouthparts- piercing/sucking, hypothagnous, form “Beak” known as proboscis or rostrum, extends from underside of head; Antennae short or long, 3-5 seg; Eyes prominent, globular, of various forms, up to 3 ocelli present;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 (some wingless), FW either entirely membranous or partially hardened, some hard near base, HW membranous, shorter than forewings, overlap & rest flat on back, Hemelytra; Legs variously modified, 3 or shorter seg tarsi;
 * Misc Anatomy: 1-100+mm; Triangular scutellum behind pronotum; Pronotum large, trapezoidal or rounded;
 * Human Impact: Impact variable, many plant pests; Diseases transmitted vary by family
 * Habitat: Abundant worldwide, terrestrial/freshwater habitats;
 * Diet: Some are bloodsuckers/predators/herbivores; Most feed on plant juice, some predatory;
 * Explanation of Name: “Hemi”- half, “Ptera”- wing, the fact that part of the first pair of wings is toughened & hard, while the rest of the first pair & the second pair are membranous;
 * Misc: Once the same order as Homoptera; Date back to Permian;

Corixidae (water boatmen)

 * Head: Triangular mouthparts & head, use straw-like mouthparts to inject enzymes into plants that digest the plant material, letting the insect suck the liquefied food back thru mouthparts; Antennae shorter than head; Compound eyes large, ocelli absent; Triangular head;
 * Thorax: FL short, tarsi 1 seg & scoop shaped, HL elongate & functioning as oars, ML can be used to make sound & attract mate;
 * Life Cycle: Mate in early spring; Reproductive cycle annual;
 * Misc Anatomy: 3-11mm; Swim RIGHT SIDE UP near BOTTOM of water; Darkly colored, narrow dark crosslines on dorsal surface; Can bite if mishandled; Elongate & oval, dorsal surface flattened, much flatter than backswimmers; Large pronotum;
 * Habitat: Common in ponds, streams, birdbaths, swim near bottom;
 * Diet: Mostly nonpredatory; Eat algae, detritus, other aquatic organisms (mosquito larvae, brine shrimp); Some preyed upon amphibians;
 * Misc: Can tolerate variations in salinity (brackish water..);
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (460) 100

Notonectidae (backswimmers)

 * Head: Piercing-sucking mouth, tubular, cylindrical rostrum; Short 3-4 seg antennae almost hidden behind eyes; Compound eyes take up most of head, relatively close together, ocelli absent;
 * Thorax: Wings clear, tips without veins; HL lack claws, Tibia & tarsi of hind legs bear a fringe of long hairs as an adaptation for swimming, FL not scoop-like; Can fly well;
 * Abdomen: Underside of abdomen has two channels covered by inward-facing hairs that allow to store air bubbles;
 * Misc Anatomy: Swim UPSIDE DOWN & less erratically than Corixidae, rest at SURFACE; 5-15mm; Ventral side darker than dorsal side; Attracted to light; Can bite if mishandled; Some males can stridulate; Dorsal side convex, V- shaped, light colored, without dark crosslines;
 * Habitat: Ponds, freshwater pools, streams;
 * Diet: Predators; Prey on other aquatic insects by sneaking under their bodies;
 * Explanation of Name: Also called water bees/wasps, Greek words notos, meaning back, & nektos, meaning swimming;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (461) 98, 99

Belostomatidae (giant water bugs)

 * Head: Piercing, cylindrical beak mouthpart; Antennae short & tucked beneath eyes;
 * Thorax: Can & will fly; FL raptorial, bear a single claw, HL somewhat flattened;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Males have eggs on back, take 1-2 weeks to hatch;
 * Life Cycle:
 * Misc Anatomy: Variable in size, some up to 90ishmm; Brown; Oval-shaped, flattened;
 * Habitat: Live in ponds, attracted to light, sometimes leave water & fly around;
 * Diet: Aquatic arthropods, snails, small fish & amphibians; Used in Asian Cuisine; Predators- stalk, lie motionless at bottom of body of water & strike, injecting digestive saliva w/ rostrum;
 * Sociality: Subsocial?, show parental care;
 * Explanation of Name: AKA toe-biters, Indian toe-biters, electric-light bugs (fly to lights in large numbers), alligator ticks;
 * Misc: Can bite; Largest insects in Hemiptera;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (463) 97, 101, 102

Nepidae (water scorpions)

 * Head: Piercing-sucking mouthparts; Antennae found under eyes, shorter than head; Large side-facing eyes;
 * Thorax: Well-developed wings, overlap at rest don’t often fly; Raptorial FL;
 * Misc Anatomy: 20-40mm; Usually brown; Breathe by means of a caudal respiratory tube formed from two long cerci that extend to the water's surface; Shape varies, some long; Distinctive ‘tail’;
 * Habitat: Slow moving streams, ponds & similar bodies of water;
 * Diet: Predators; Ambush prey (other aquatic insects, small crustaceans, tadpoles, & even small fish);
 * Explanation of Name: Called water scorpions because FL bears a resemblance to scorpion pedipalps;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (465) 293, 294

Gelastocoridae (toad bugs)

 * Head: Piercing-sucking mouth; Antennae hidden under head; Large bulging eyes;
 * Thorax: Hemelytra FW, Don’t fly much; Raptorial FL, HL 2 claws, Hind tarsi 3 seg, FL shorter than ML;
 * Sexual Dimorphism:
 * Misc Anatomy: 6-11 mm; Cryptically colored; Resemble toads in appearance & hopping habits; Somewhat flattened, oval-shaped;
 * Habitat: Found at shore of ponds/streams, most diverse in tropics;
 * Diet: Predators, catch prey by leaping on top & grasping with FL; Eat small insects;
 * Explanation of Name: Also called ‘laughing bug’;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (467) 129

Gerridae (water striders)

 * Head: Piercing/sucking mouth; 4 seg antennae;
 * Thorax: Thorax long, narrow, & small; Wings variable, some none; FL short, other legs long & slender, Use surface tension of water so stay on surface (also water-repellent hairs), tarsi 2 seg;
 * Misc Anatomy: Usu 5+mm; Black, brown, yellow, tan;
 * Habitat: Whenever water isn't frozen, Surface of ponds, slow-moving streams;
 * Diet: Predators; Small insects on water surface;
 * Sociality: Territorial;
 * Explanation of Name: AKA water striders, water bugs, magic bugs, pond skaters, skaters, skimmers, water scooters, water skaters, water skeeters, water skimmers, water skippers, water spiders, or Jesus bugs;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (469) 292

Cimicidae (bed bugs)

 * Head: Beak-like mouth; 4 seg antennae, 2 basal segs short & stout; Ocelli absent;
 * Thorax: Wingless, nonfunctional wingpads; 3 seg tarsi;
 * Misc Anatomy: 4-12 mm; Some red/rusty brown color; Body flat, oval; Year-round;
 * Human Impact: Pests; Not known to spread disease, can cause itching & lack of sleep;
 * Habitat: Often found among humans;
 * Diet: Parasites; Feed on blood of warm-blooded animals;
 * Misc: repelled by lavender, mint & an excessive heat;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (469) 67

Miridae (plant bugs)

 * Head: 4 seg Beak mouth (labium); Antennae short & skinny, 4 seg; Ocelli absent;
 * Thorax: Wings angle down towards abdomen, Cuenus (crease) present on FW, membrane w/ 2 closed cells; Slender, delicate legs, 3 seg tarsi;
 * Misc Anatomy: 1.5-15 mm; Some brightly colored, some drab & dark; Oval-shaped & elongate, soft bodied; Some ant mimics @ certain stages;
 * Human Impact: Agricultural pests, pierce plants & feed on juices;
 * Diet: Herbivores; Eat plants;
 * Explanation of Name: AKA capsid bugs;
 * Misc: Largest family in Hemiptera;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (470) 121, 122,156, 235

Reduviidae (assassin bugs)

 * Head: 3 seg proboscis, beak short; Antennae long, thin, not clubbed; Ocelli usu present; Head elongate, narrowing behind eyes;
 * Thorax: FL sometimes enlarged for catching prey, long legs;
 * Abdomen: Edges of abdomen extend laterally beyond wings;
 * Misc Anatomy: 5-40 mm; Brown, black, or brightly colored; Some oval, some elongate & resembling a walkingstick;
 * Human Impact: Some pest control; Transmit Chagas disease, can bite;
 * Diet: Almost all predatory (inject a lethal saliva that liquefies the insides of the prey, which are then sucked out), some suck blood; Most prey on arthropods;
 * Audubon Plate Numbers: (473) 118 & 119, 105, 120

Phymatidae (ambush bugs)

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Tingidae (lace bugs)

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Lygaeidae (seed bugs)

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Coreidae (leaf–footed bugs)

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Pentatomidae (Stink bugs)

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Homoptera (aphids, cicadas, hoppers)

 * Head: Antennae variable; Piercing-sucking mouthparts form a “beak”;
 * Thorax: FW either transparent or colored, thickened, fold tent-like over body; 1-3 seg tarsi;
 * Human Impact: Many are pests of fruit trees & grain crops, & can be vectors of plant diseases, A few provide secretions or other products that are beneficial & have commercial value; Some transmit plant diseases (aphids);
 * Habitat: Abundant worldwide, most terrestrial herbivores;
 * Diet: Feed on plants
 * Explanation of Name: “Homo” – same, “ptera” – wings (uniform texture of wings);

Cicadidae (cicadas)

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Membracidae (treehoppers)

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Cercopidae (froghoppers, spittlebugs)

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Cicadellidae (leafhoppers)

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Fulgoridae (fulgorid planthoppers)

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Aphididae (aphids)

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Dactylopiidae(scale (twig or leaf))

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Megaloptera (dobsonflies)

 * Head: Mandibulate, strong mandibles, directed forward (some don’t feed); Antennae filiform, moniliform or pectinate; Compound eyes large, some have 3 ocelli; Head broad & flat;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4, relatively large, pigmented, held roof-like over body, Pleated region on hind wings that helps them fold over the abdomen, absence of terminal branching wing veins; Cannot fly well; Legs cursorial, unmodified
 * Life Cycle: Larvae aquatic, appear caterpillar like, have gills on side of abdomens; Males have tusk-like mandibles (serve no real purpose other than impressing female & holding her during mating); Female lays thousands of eggs in single mass, placing them on vegetation overhanging water, Undergo most rudimentary form of complete metamorphosis among insects, attract each other with pheromones; Short-lived;
 * Misc Anatomy: 140mm wingspan, 40-70mm long; Black, brown gray, yellowish orange-dark green; Long, soft, flexible bodies;
 * Human Impact: Harmless to humans;
 * Habitat: Live in freshwater; Adults rest on vegetation during day, are nocturnal;
 * Diet: Larvae predators; Many adults don’t feed (some nectar or fruit juices), larvae predators of other aquatic invertebrates;
 * Explanation of Name: “Mega”- large, “Ptera”- wing (large, clumsy wings);

Neuroptera (lacewings, antlions)

 * Head: Mandibulate, strong mandible, prognathous head; Antennae long, many-segmented, threadlike, pectinate or clubbed, segments clubbed at the tip or thickened overall; Large lateral compound eyes, some have ocelli; Distinctive head with well-developed eyes, chewing mouth, distinctive antennae;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 long & narrow, wing veins branched at the margin (separates it from megaloptera), FW & HW similar in size, narrowed at base, some have sense organs, fold rooflike over abdomen; Legs- 3 pairs thoracic, long & slender;
 * Abdomen: No cerci
 * Misc Anatomy: Most are delicately built, slender bodies; 10-40/80mm; White/gray, green, reddish-brown, black;
 * Human Impact: Not much impact, some pest control;
 * Habitat: Wide range of habitats including coastal regions, deserts, woodlands, forests;
 * Diet: Larvae predators, adults predatory or don’t feed, some only eat nectar/pollen
 * Explanation of Name: Means "net veined"

Coleoptera (beetles)

 * Head: Most have a mandibulate mouth, similar to grasshoppers, projecting forward; Antennae used primarily to smell, sometimes feel, most 11 seg, vary greatly in shape; Variety of compound eye forms, very conspicuous;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4, FW- elytra (covers for HW), HW large, membranous, folded beneath FW; Legs- most for walking, wide range of adaptations, 2-5 seg tarsi;
 * Life Cycle: Immature forms- Campodeiform -- Slender, active crawlers | Scarabaeiform -- Grub-like, fleshy, c-shaped body | Elateriform -- Wireworms; elongate, cylindrical, with a hard exoskeleton & tiny legs;
 * Misc Anatomy: 3-200mm; White-gray, red-orange, yellow, green, blue-purple, reddish-brown, black; Scutellum = behind pronotum & elytral structure, triangular or U-shaped, Humerus = shoulder like front angle of the elytra;
 * Human Impact: Some bad pests, others pest control (variable by family); Some transmit plant diseases;
 * Habitat: Worldwide, highly variable
 * Diet: Some herbivores/predators; Diet varies by family;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Coleoptera, derived from the Greek words "koleos" meaning sheath and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the modified front wings which serve as protective covers for the membranous hind wings.
 * Misc: Largest order in the animal kingdom, 25% of all known animal life forms;

Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasite)

 * Head: Males- reduced mandibulate mouthparts (not used for feeding), many modified into sensory structures; Antennae 4-7 seg, 3 lateral branches, fanlike; Males- Compound eyes protruding look like raspberries;
 * Thorax: Males- Large, fan-shaped HW, small club-like FW, few veins; Only 1st instar larvae have legs, no legs have trochanters; Saddlelike prothorax;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Females remain larviform, wingless, & legless, reduced mouthparts, eyes, antennae, head & prothoax fused & protrude from between the abdominal plates of their insect host, large soft abdomen is full of eggs, release pheromone; Males- winged, free-living, don’t feed
 * Life Cycle: Hypermetamorphic development: first instars (planidia) are free-living & highly mobile.  They locate & enter the body of a host.  Subsequent instars are legless, grub-like internal parasites; Some live less than 5 hours;
 * Misc Anatomy: .5-4mm
 * Human Impact: No impact- not abundant; No diseases but some can cause insects to be “stylopized” (destruction of hosts’ reproductive organs & sometimes a reversal of secondary sex characteristics (females look like males);
 * Habitat: Uncommon
 * Diet: Parasites of bees, wasps, grasshoppers, leafhoppers (females cannot live without host); Many don’t feed,
 * Explanation of Name: The name Strepsiptera, derived from the Greek "strepsi" meaning turned or twisted and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the resting position of the male's large hind wings.
 * Misc: Recent DNA studies suggest a close relationship to flies;

Mecoptera (scorpionflies)

 * Head: Mandibulate, long mandibles & fleshy palps; Very long filiform antennae, 14 seg; Compound eyes on side of head, 3 ocelli on top; Head extended downward;
 * Thorax: FW & HW narrow, similar & size, numerous crossveins (some secondarily wingless), membranous, banded & spotted or have darkened patterns along veins; Long, spindly legs, short claws (5 seg tarsi), HL equipped with a single claw for grabbing prey;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Males of some species have enlarged external genitalia held recurved over the abdomen like a scorpion's tail;
 * Life Cycle: Male offers gifts to female during courtship, females deposit eggs in soil, torren wood, or moss, larvae resemble caterpillars or C-shaped grubs, molt four time, many immatures have compound eyes with 30+ lenses, immature Body eruciform (caterpillar-like) or scarabaeiform (grub-like); Larvae emerge after dry season; None
 * Misc Anatomy: 3-30mm; Body soft & cylindrical in shape, long & slender;
 * Human Impact: Not pests, not abundant;
 * Habitat: Humid temperatures, subtropical climate; Present worldwide, but seldom common;
 * Diet: Some predators, all omnivores; Eat decaying vegetation & dead insects;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Mecoptera, derived from the Greek words "meco" meaning long and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the shape of both the front and hind wings.
 * Misc: Hanging scorpionflies are the only predatory insects that catch prey with their hind legs;

Siphonaptera (fleas)

 * Head: Suctorial, haustellate, adapted for piercing; Antennae small, tuck away into special groves in the head; Lack compound eyes, some- 2 small ocelli;
 * Thorax: Secondarily wingless; Legs long, HL for jumping (can jump 7in), equipped with setae that grip hair & feathers & keep the flea from becoming dislodged by the host’s grooming;
 * Sexual Dimorphism: Some female reproductive cycles are triggered by reproductive cycles of female host;
 * Life Cycle: Adults require a blood meal to activate sperm & egg production;
 * Misc Anatomy: 1-10mm (usu less than 5mm); Most dark colored; Body bilaterally flattened (an adaptation for moving between hair & feathers); Large bristles (ctenidia) often present on head or thorax (called genal (by head) & pronotal (by pronotum) combs), used to shield delicate membranes, hairs point backwards for ease of movement;
 * Human Impact: Pests & disease vectors, irritating bites, Cat & dog fleas- host for tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum) that infects dogs, cats, & humans, Rabbit fleas spread a myxomatosis virus to rabbits, Oriental rat flea- Yersinia (=Pasturella) pestis, the bacterial pathogen for bubonic plague;
 * Habitat: Live on mammals (some birds) throughout world, most in temperate zones; attracted to body heat & carbon dioxide exhaled by potential host;
 * Diet: Parasites, Feed on host’s blood;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Siphonaptera is derived from the Greek words "siphon" meaning a tube or pipe and "aptera" meaning wingless. This is an appropriate appellation for these secondarily wingless insects whose mouthparts are adapted for piercing skin and sucking blood.
 * Misc: Can spend a considerable amount of time away from their host;

Diptera (flies)

 * Head: Suctorial, sponging (haustellate), some piercing; Antennae filiform, stylate, or aristate; Large compound eyes on sides of head, 3 ocelli on top;
 * Thorax: 1 pair of wings, HW reduced to halters (vibrate during flight), some wingless; can hover, fly backwards, turn in place, & even fly upside down to land on a ceiling; Mesothorax larger than pro- or metathorax; All larvae lack legs, adults - 5 seg tarsi;
 * Life Cycle: Immature body forms- Culiciform (Head capsule present with chewing mouthparts, Legs absent, Vermiform (maggots), Without legs or a distinct head capsule, Mouthparts reduced; only present as mouth hooks;
 * Misc Anatomy: .5-40mm;
 * Human Impact: Greatest impact on humans of all insects, some plant pests, disease vectors, others beneficial, pollinators, decomposers;
 * Habitat: Abundant worldwide, Larvae are found in all fresh water, semi-aquatic, & moist terrestrial environments;
 * Diet: Niches vary greatly; Diet variable;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Diptera, derived from the Greek words "di" meaning two and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the fact that true flies have only a single pair of wings.
 * Misc: Have the highest wing-beat frequency of any animal; arista in the antenna of higher flies is an air speed indicator. It allows the insect to sense how fast it is moving;

Trichoptera (caddisflies)

 * Head: Sucking-lapping mouthparts have reduced mandibles & well-developed maxillary palps; Antennae long, tapering, filiform, slender, longer or as long as the body, positioned close together & directed forward; Some have ocelli;
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, FW usually dark, sturdy, sometimes with striking color patterns, held tightly together roof-like over the abdomen when at rest, HW clear, relatively delicate, & hidden under forewings when at rest, covered in hairs (distinctive); Slow, clumsy fliers;
 * Misc Anatomy: 1.5-40mm; Most dull colored, few remarkably colored; Hairy bumps called setal warts found on head & thorax, usually have hairlike setae on body & wings (in contrast, moths have flattened scales);
 * Human Impact: Larvae food for game fish, some adults pests (in rice paddies), some indicator, most not important;
 * Habitat: Nocturnal, not too common; During day, hide in cool shady places near water, attracted to light; Most nocturnal, spend days in cool, moist environments along edges of bodies of water, attracted to light;
 * Diet: Many don’t feed (if they do- nectar or sap, algae);
 * Explanation of Name: The name Trichoptera, derived from the Greek words "trichos" meaning hair and "ptera" meaning wings, refers to the long, silky hairs that cover most of the body and wings.
 * Misc: Adults fly April-November; found in rocks dating back to the Triassic;

Information about Immatures/Life Cycle

 * Head: Mandibulate mouth, well-developed head;
 * Thorax: Dorsal plates across the back of the first or all thoracic segments;
 * Abdomen: One pair of hooked prolegs often present at tip of abdomen; Abdomen membranous, last abdominal segment has a pair of anal prolegs that end in sharp claws used to grasp a substrate; Thread-like abdominal gills in case-makers;
 * Misc Anatomy: Eruciform (caterpillar-like) body;
 * Diet: Larvae herbivores, scavengers, predators;
 * Habitat: Most aquatic, living in ponds, lakes, streams;
 * Human Impact: Good indicators of water quality;
 * Mating: Adults equipped mainly to mate; Males transfer sperm/ sperm packet directly to female, may mate with more than 1 female, in streamside vegetation/ground, attract eachother with pheromones;
 * Development: Some eggs in water/on plants; Make silk & build a “case” for development, made of stones, leaves, twigs…, pupates & grow inside case (five basic types of cases- free living forms construct shelters only for pupation, saddle-case makers build cases resembling turtle shells & carry them wherever they go, Purse-case makers are free-living until the final instar, at which they build mobile silken, purselike, or barrel-like cases, net-spinners build fixed, silken retreats on rocky bottoms of swift streams that have a net for catching prey;
 * Cycle Length: Within a year, 6-7 instars;

Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)
Lepidopterans are sometimes divided into three "subgroups". The characteristics of these "subgroups" are outlined in the table below.
 * Head: Mouthparts form a coiled tube (proboscis) beneath the head (sucking); Butterflies have knobs/hooks at end of antennae; (Moths have Thread-like, spindle-like, comb-like (usu feathery) antennae); All have 2 compound eyes & chaetosema (raised spots or clusters of sensory bristles unique to Lepidoptera);
 * Thorax: Wings- 4 membranous, covered with scales, FW large, triangular, HW large, fan-shaped; Legs vary, some have sensory receptors
 * Life Cycle: Larvae Eruciform (caterpillar-like);
 * Misc Anatomy: Moths = Bland, drab colors, Butterflies usually brightly colored; Body & wings covered in small, overlapping scales;
 * Human Impact: Many beautiful & valuable in trade, caterpillars create TONS of plant damage;
 * Habitat: Adults present wherever flowers are;
 * Diet: Many suck nectar/pollinate; Larvae herbivores;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Lepidoptera, derived from the Greek words "lepido" for scale and "ptera" for wings, refers to the flattened hairs (scales) that cover the body and wings of most adults.
 * Misc: Active year-round;

Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)

 * Head: Mandibulate & ectognathous except in bees, many have relatively unspecialized mandiubulate mouthparts; Antennae 10+ seg, 13 in male, 12 in female (some 3-60 seg), longer than head; Well-developed compound eyes, 3 ocelli;
 * Thorax: FW- triangular stigma, larger than HW, HW linked to FW with hamuli (little hooks); 5 seg tarsi;
 * Misc Anatomy: .2-115mm (usu 2-30mm); Narrow junction (wasp waist) between thorax & abdomen - except in sawflies & horntails;
 * Human Impact: A few are pests, some highly beneficial (pollination, pest control);
 * Habitat: Common worldwide
 * Diet: Most predatory/parasitic, successful group because of many adaptations, many narrowly adapted for a specific habitat or host; Many eat nectar;
 * Sociality: Only order except Isoptera to have complex social divisions in some families;
 * Explanation of Name: The name Hymenoptera is derived from the Greek words "hymen" meaning membrane and "ptera" meaning wings. It is also a reference to Hymeno, the Greek god of marriage.  The name is appropriate not only for the membranous nature of the wings, but also for the manner in which they are "joined together as one" by the hamuli.
 * Misc: Sex determined by # of chromosomes (haplodiploidy); 3rd largest insect order