BIO 402: Field Biology

INSECT ORDERS

INSECT ORDERS ARE DISTINGUISHED BY:
    1) structure of wings
    2) structure of mouth parts
    3) types of metamorphosis

ORDER COLLEMBOLA (springtails)

General Features:
    minute size (measured in mm)
    commonly found on window sills or other moist places

Metamorphosis: simple

Furcula = extension of abdomen, the spring
    manubrium = common segment
    dens = branches posterior segment

Tenaculum = clip on 3rd abdominal segment

Collophore = ventral tube with membranous tip on 1st abdominal segment

Jump by bending furcula, under body and secured by the tenaculum
spring by suddenly releasing

ORDER ODONATA (dragonflies & damselflies)

General Features:
    very long abdomen
    two large pair of wings
    larval forms in water, adults fly near ponds & lakes
    adults are predatory
    Naiad = juvenile form (lives in water)

Metamorphosis: Incomplete (aquatic to terrestrial)

Damselflies characterized by:
    1) front & hind wings nearly identical in shape
    2) wings folded above body when resting
    3) weak fliers

Dragonflies characterized by:
    1) front & hind wings different in shape
    2) wings held out to side & open when resting
    3) strong fliers

Libellulidae = largest dragonfly family in eastern NA
    has boot-like pattern on hind wing

ORDER ORTHOPTERA (grasshoppers, crickets & katydids)

General Features:
    commonly two pairs of wings
    front pair long, narrow, & somewhat thickened
    enlarged hind legs for jumping
    cerci (paired tail extension) commonly present
    most eat vegetation (on vegetation or on ground)

Metamorphosis: gradual

Grasshoppers in several families:

Romaleidae - short wings, black, coastal (lubbers)
Acrididae - largest grasshopper family in USA (tympanum on abdomen, antennae short)
Tettigoniidae – katydids (antennae long, wings wide & green)
Gryllidae - common crickets (antennae long, wings narrow black or colorless)

ORDER DICTYOPTERA (roaches and mantids)

General features:
    netted wing venation
    chewing mouth parts

Metamorphosis: gradula

Separated by having large coxae, distinct cerci

Roaches have large pronotum
Three common species in homes:
   American and Oriental in Blattidae
   German cockroach is in Blattellidae

   Mantidae – is the only family of mantids in area

ORDER PHASMATODEA (walking sticks)

General features:
    very elongate body (stick-like)
    no raptorial front legs
    antennae long

Metamorphosis: gradual

Our family of is = Heteronemiidae (wingless)

ORDER ISOPTERA (termites)

General features:
    Soft, white-bodied and ant-like
    Abdomen broadly attached to the thorax
    Only the reproductive adults have wings
    Highly developed cast system of social life
    Live on or under wood

Metamorphosis: complete

To separate types: do you have soldier, worker, or reproductive?
    soldiers & workers w/o wings
    reproductives with wings

ORDER THYSANOPTERA (thrips)

General features:
    This is a very small group (size & number of species)
    Mouthparts rasping & sucking
    Wings with 2 pair, with fringe of hairs
Found on flowers, especially petals

ORDER HEMIPTERA (true bugs)

General features:
    Basal portion of front wings thickened, apical portion thin and membranous
        produce distinct pattern when folded over back
    Mouth parts of piercing-sucking type, held under body
        some eat plant, some predators
    Found in a wide variety of habitats (depending on food)
    Many have scent glands, result in distinct bad odor

Metamorphosis: complete

Feature: scutellum distinctly present

Pentatomidae - stick bugs
    large scutellum, wide body, usually green or brown

Coreidae - squash bugs
    front wing w/ numerous veins, margin of abdomen raised

Gerridae - water striders
    aquatic floaters, very long slender legs

ORDER HOMOPTERA (cicadas, hoppers, aphids & scale insects)

General features:
    Wings folded over body in a roof-like position
    Mouth parts of piercing-sucking type; all are plant eaters
    Found on and around plants

Metamorphosis: complete

Cicadidae – cicadas
    wide blunt head, large clear front wings

Cicadellidae – leafhoppers
    small & colorful

Membracidae – treehoppers
    pronotum large and hump-like

Aphids & scale insects included in several families each

ORDER COLEOPTERA (beetles)

General features:
    Largest of all orders of anything, possibly more beetles than all other organisms
    Have four wings
        front pair hard & leathery (= Elytra)
        hind wings thin & membranous
    Commonly have chewing mouth parts; some have sucking parts (weevils)
    Well known from metamorphosis (larvae = grubs)
    Can be found essentially everywhere

Metamorphosis: complete (larvae = grubs)

much of taxonomy based on legs and antennae

Lucanidae - stag beetles
    very large nonfunctional mandibles

Elateridae - click beetles
    loosely jointed prothorax (causes clicking when bent)
    pronotum prolonged backward & fits into mesosternum

Lampyridae - firefly beetles
    posterior of abdomen yellow & luminescent
    head covered by prothorax

Coccinellidae - ladybird beetles
    rounded body w/shiny elytra either orange, black w/dots
    head hidden by expanded pronotum

Cerambycidae - long-horned beetles
    elongate body, tarsomeres 5-5-5
    long antennae (some longer than body)

Chrysomelidae - leaf beetles
    elongate body, tarsomeres 5-5-5, 3rd enlarged, 4th very small
    short antennae

Curculionidae - weevils & snout beetles
    largest family with over 40,000 species
    have elongate head into a snout; antennae elbowed & inserted into the snout

ORDER LEPIDOPTERA (butterflies & moths)

General features:
    Best known for scales on wings
    Mouth parts typically sucking
    Larvae (caterpillars) with a head + 13 segments

   wing venation critical in taxonomy

Metamorphosis: complete (larvae = caterpillars

Three well know groups:

• Butterflies – antennae long, lack long hairs, knobbed with tip straight
• Skippers – antennae long, lack long hairs, knobbed with the tip bent
• Moths – antennae short to long, commonly with long hairs, rarely knobbed, tip straight

Psychidae - bag worm moths
    males with wings, females wingless
    larvae form bags, here on red cedar trees

Hesperiidae - skippers
    butterfly-like, long antennae with swollen tip
    wings with spots
    active fliers to flowers

Papilionidae - swallowtails
    hind wing with posterior extension (tail)

Pieridae - sulphur, white & orange tip butterflies
    colorful wings with different colored margins

Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies
    greatly reduced front legs
    dorsal & ventral surface of wings different

Saturniidae - giant silkworm moths
    difference between m & f on antennae, males plumose
    very colorful moths, well collected
    attracted to bright mercury vapor lamps (street lights)
    includes the Luna moth

Sphingidae - hawk moths
    long skinny wings, abdomen protrude well behind
    some resemble hummingbirds when they fly

ORDER DIPTERA (flies)

General features:
    Have one pair functional wings
    The hind wings are reduced to halteres (for equilibrium)
    Mouth parts sucking
    Larvae (maggots) are legless & wormlike
    Wide variety of habitats

Metamorphosis: complete (larvae = maggots

many families, must first decide on one of six keys
    antennae & facial sutures
    antennal segments from base: scape, pedicel & flagellum

Tipulidae - crane flies
    large size with long legs, slow fliers

Culicidae - mosquitoes
    scaly wings, long proboscis
    larvae are aquatic

Tabanidae - horse & deer flies
    large eyes, distinctive flying pattern around head

Asilidae - robber flies
    long skinny abdomen

Muscidae - house flies

ORDER SIPHONOPTERA (fleas)

General features:
    Wingless
    Body is laterally flattened
    Legs are very long compared to rest of body
    Adults feed on blood of mammals and birds

Metamorphosis: complete

Small and flat à typically make slides of individuals

ORDER HYMENOPTERA (ants, bees, & wasps)

General features:
    Have four membranous wings, the hind ones are smaller
    Many species are known for stinging, all female
    Wide variety of habitats

Metamorphosis: complete

taxonomy based on antennae & wings mostly

a number of families include parasitic species

Ichneumonidae - ichneumons
    largest hymenoptera family
    antennae at least half as long as body
    abdomen long & slender
    females with very long ovipositor

Cynipidae - gall wasps
    cause characteristics galls on oaks & other plants
    abdomen with only two segment visible dorsally; hump-backed
    1st segment of tarsi longer than 2nd & 3rd

Mutillidae - velvet ants
    with colorful hairs, females w/o wings, BUT STING

Formicidae - ants
    1st (& 2nd) abdominal segments form a hump
    social; fire ants in genus Soleopsis
    easily caught with small bottle of alcohol

Vespidae - true wasps
    yellow jackets & hornets (females sting)
    black/yellow coloration on abdomen

Apidae - bumble & honey bees
    body black, hairs yellow & black)