How+to+Identify+an+Insect+to+Order

This is a list of some of the main insect orders and their unique characteristics, which can be helpful with identification. All of the orders mentioned here can be found in the state of Vermont.

-endognathous (chewing mouthparts that are withdrawn into their heads) -lack wings (Meyer, 2009) -have a furcula, or forked tail, that when released springs the insect into the air (when at rest, the furcula points backwards) -springtails have 2 main body shapes: elongated and cylindrical, or compact and spherical
 * Collembola (springtails)**

-have chewing mouthparts (Meyer, 2009) -lack wings -long antennae -flattened body covered with scale-like material -have styli (abdominal appendages) -3 hairy terminal appendages (2 cerci, 1 median filament)
 * Thysanura (bristle tails)**

-2 pairs of membranous wings -hind wings significantly smaller than forewings -mandiblulate mouthparts -short, thin antennae -2 or 3 terminal tails on abdomen (Meyer, 2009)
 * Ephemeroptera (mayflies)**

-very small antennae -large, compound eyes -2 pairs of transparent, membranous, veiny wings -very long, slender abdomen (Meyer, 2009)
 * Odonata (dragonflies and damselflies)**

1. Blattodea (cockroaches and termites) 2. Mantodea (mantids) Dictyopterans have: -long and thin (filiform) antennae -mandibulate mouthparts -most legs have 5 tarsi, exept for mantids that have raptorial forelegs -many species are winged, forewings hardened -cerci present (Meyer, 2009)
 * Dictyoptera- can be separated into 2 sub orders:**

-powerful hind legs for jumping -2 pairs of wings, forewings harder than hind wings and leathery at the base -hind wing is membranous and folded under forewing when at rest -mandibulate mouthparts -large compound eyes (Meyer, 2009)
 * Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets and katydids)**

- flattened, elongated body -pincer-like cerci -2 pairs of wings: forewings are short and protectively hardened, hind wings are membranous and folded underneath the forewings when at rest (some species are also wingless) ("Insect orders," 2005) -mandibulate mouthparts -long antennae (Meyer, 2009)
 * Dermaptera (earwigs)**

-elongated, flattened, soft bodied -2 pairs of membranous wings -wings held curved around the body when at rest (some species are also wingless) -hind wings are slightly wider than the forewings -mandibulate mouthparts -long legs -2 cerci at tip of abdomen (Meyer, 2009)
 * Plecoptera (stone flies)**

-wingless, colorless -short antennae -mandibulate mouthparts found in biting lice, sucking mouthparts found in sucking lice -eyes reduced or absent -legs have hooked tarsi for gripping onto their hosts (Meyer, 2009)
 * Phthiraptera (lice)**

-slender wings (front and hind wings) with a dense fringe of long hairs -short antennae -narrow head -cylindrical body (Meyer, 2009)
 * Thysanoptera (thrips)**

-2 pairs of wings, some may be wingless -generally membranous wings -piercing or sucking mouthparts ("Class insecta," 2003) -compound eyes, and up to 3 ocelli/simple eyes (Meyer, 2009)
 * Hemiptera (true bugs, aphids and cicadas)**

-modified front wings that serve as protective covers for membranous hind wings -mandibulate mouthparts (Meyer, 2009)
 * Coleoptera (beetles and weevils)**

-2 pairs of membranous wings that are covered in tiny scales -large compound eyes -one ocelli (simple eye) present above each compound eye -antennae present (long and slender in female moths, feathery in male moths, clubbed in butterflies) -mouthparts formed into sucking tube (haustellum) -butterflies hold wings vertically at rest, moths hold wings flat at rest (Meyer, 2009)
 * Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)**

-one pair of membranous wings -hind wings reduced to small club like structures (halteres) used as stabilizers during flight ("Arthropods - key," ) -sucking mouthparts -large compound eyes -short simple antennae (Meyer, 2009)
 * Diptera (flies and mosquitos)**

-piercing-sucking mouthparts -large hind legs for jumping -strong tarsal claws -small antennae that tuck away into head grooves -laterally flattened bodies -all spines point to rear of insect (Meyer, 2009)
 * Siphonaptera (fleas)**

-usually have mandibulate mouthparts -2 pairs of membranous wings (although some wingless) -forewings are larger than hind wings -females have an ovipositor (can be modified) -usually have a constriction between the first 2 segments of the abdomen -compound eyes (Meyer, 2009)
 * Hymenoptera (ants, bees and wasps)**

//Insect orders//. (2005). Retrieved from http://www.insectidentification.org/orders_insect.asp
 * References:**

//Arthropods - key a: Arthropods with six legs, with well-developed wings//. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amnh.org/learn/biodiversity_counts/ident_help/Text_Keys/arthropod_keyA.htm

//Class insecta//. (2003). Retrieved from http://bugguide.net/node/view/52/bgpage

Meyer, J. (2009). //Index to the compendium of hexapod classes and orders//. Retrieved from http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/library/compendium/index.html

Figure 1: Springtail [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/springtails.htm
 * Images:**

Figure 2: Fenwick, D. (2011, January 18). //Aphotofauna//. Retrieved from http://www.aphotofauna.com/bristletail_dilta_species_1_thysanura.html

Figure 3: Weilenmann, H. (2004). //Mayfly//. Retrieved from http://www.danica.com/flytier/pwhillock/mayfly.htm

Figure 4: Ramel, G. (Photographer). Odonata [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.discoverlife.org/20/q?search=Odonata

Figure 5: Shankar, S. (Photographer). (2005). Praying mantis india.jpg [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Praying_mantis_india.jpg

Figure 6: Gibson, J. (Photographer). (2010). [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://daysoflivingaimlessly.blogspot.com/2010/07/day-255-ant-and-grasshopper.html

Figure 7: Earwig [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://nusitegroup.com/5-basement-bugs-that-indicate-you-have-water-problems/earwig/

Figure 8: Stonefly [Web Photo]. Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/stoneflyfactschris/

Figure 9: (2010). Pediculus humanus | Body Louse [Print Photo]. Retrieved from http://may.plumbweb.net/etc/Taxons/Animalia/Arthropoda/Hexapoda/Insecta/Phthiraptera.html

Figure 10: Some insects are nuisances [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.uky.edu/Ag/kpn/kpn_07/pn070618.htm

Figure 11: (2007). Aphid giving birth to live young [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphid

Figure 12: Bossi, A. (Photographer). (2007). Schynige Platte - Coleoptera.JPG [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:5804_-_Schynige_Platte_-_Coleoptera.JPG

Figure 13: Butterfly [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://sf.funcheap.com/annual-butterfly-bird-festival-fremont/

Figure 14: Dery, B. (Photographer). (2005). Diptera [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.infovisual.info/02/photo/diptera.html

Figure 15: Gross, J. (Photographer). (2004). [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://bugguide.net/node/view/7033

Figure 16: Fire Ant [Web Photo]. Retrieved from http://www.prontopest.com/ant-control/

Created by K. Pinder