1- Order Thysanura Species: North America – 50 World – 700 Families: North America - 4 Thysanura: refers to bristletails. (thysan, bristle or fringe; ura, tail)

Thysanura Bristletails are small to moderate sized. Wingless insects with 3 slender tail like appendages & long slim antennae. Body is gray, brown, or white & usually covered with scales. They have chewing mouth parts Nymphs undergo an ametabolous type of development.

2- Order Collembola Species: North America – 650 World – 3,600 Families: North America - 7 Collembola: refers to collophore. (coll, glue; embola, wedge or peg)

Collembola Collembola are small (less than 6mm) Wingless Have an unique ventral tube on the 1 st. abdominal segment & often a forked, springing organ (furcula) on the 4 th. Abdominal segment. They have chewing mouthparts. Have an ametabolous type of development.

3- Order Ephemeroptera Species: North America – 622 World – 2,200 Families: North America - 18 Ephemeroptera: (ephemero, short lived, for a day; ptera, wings)

Ephemeroptera Winged insects with 2 to 3 long, thread like filaments projecting from the tip of the abdomen. Range from 2-32mm in length. Most have 4 membranous wings. The hind wings are much smaller or absent. Wings are held together upright over the body. A Hemimetabolous type of development. (incomplete metamorphosis)

4- Order Odonata Species: North America – 413 World – 5,000 Families: North America - 11 Odonata: refers to the toothed mandibles (odon, tooth)

Odonata Adults are moderate to large predaceous insects. Big compound eyes, 4 abundantly veined wings, and long slender bodies. A Hemimetabolous type of development. (incomplete metamorphosis) The order Odonata is divided into 2 suborders (Anisoptera “dragonflies” and Zygoptera “damselflies”)

5- Order Orthoptera Species: North America – 1,200 World – 15,000+ Families: North America - 10 Orthoptera: Refers to straight wings. (ortho, straight; ptera, wings)

Orthoptera Most are medium to large. Enlarged hind legs adapted to jumping. Front wings thickened & usually narrow. Hind wings are membranous and broad. Chewing mouth parts.

6- Order Isoptera Species: North America – 39 World – 2,200 Families: North America - 4 Isoptera: refers to equal wings. (iso, equal; ptera,wings) This order is the termites.

Isoptera Small to medium. Feed on wood or other dead plant material. Chewing mouthparts. Live in colonies consisting of 3 common social castes (reproductive, worker, & soldier)

7- Order Plecoptera Species: North America – 470 World – 1,750 Families: North America - 9 Plecoptera: refers to the folded posterior region of the resting hind wing. (pleco, twisted or braided; ptera, winged)

Plecoptera Stoneflies are small to medium (4-60mm). Have 4 membranous wings that at rest are held flat over the abdomen. Front wings are narrower than hind wings. The expanded anal lobes of the hind wings are often folded fanlike at rest. Long antennae are slender & many segments. Chewing mouthparts. Hemimetabolous type of development.

8- Order Dermaptera Species: North America – 18 World – 1,100+ Families: North America - 6 Dermaptera:Refers to skin wings (derms, skin; ptera, wings) This order is earwigs

Dermaptera Small to medium 4-26mm. Elongated insects with a pair of forcepts like appendages, the cerci, at the tip of the abdomen. Sclerotized front wings are very short, veinless, & meet in a straight line down the back. Rounded hind wings folded beneath the front. Chewing mouthparts.

9- Order Thysanoptera Species: North America – 600 World – 5,000 Families: North America - 5 Thysanoptera: refers to fringed wings. (thysano, fringe; ptera, wings) This order is the thrips.

Thysanoptera Minute.5-5mm long. Elongated insects that may be wingless or have 4 narrow wings fringed with long hair. Antennae are short. Mouthpart form a short, conical proboscis used for sucking liquids. 1 or 2 segmented tarsi.

10- Order Hemiptera Species: North America – 11,500 World – 56,000 Families: North America - 75 Hemiptera: refers to half wings. (hemi, half; ptera, wings)

Hemiptera This order is divided into 2 suborders, sub order Herteroptera (true bugs) and suborder Homoptera (cicadas, aphids, scale insects, and ect..) Piercing-sucking mouthparts. Usually 4 wings. Size ranges from 1-over 100mm. May be soft or hard bodied. Winged or wingless.

11- Order Homoptera Species: North America – World – Families: North America - Neuroptera; neuro, nerve; ptera, wings

Homoptera Antennae very short and bristlelike; tarsi 3- segmented Antennae usually long and filiform; tarsi 1 or 2 segmented. Antennae arising from front of head between eyes or in front of eyes.

12- Order Neuroptera Species: North America – 338 World – 4600 Families: North America - 15 Neuroptera; neuro, nerve; ptera, wings. Dobsonflies, Alderflies, Snakeflies, Lacewings, Antlions, Matispids, and Others.

Neuroptera Weak-flying insects with four similar, membranous, large wings containing many longitudinal veins and crossveins. Adults and larvae have chewing mouthparts and feed on other insects, insect and spider eggs, and mites.

13- Order Coleoptera Species: North America – 28,000 World – 300,000+ Families: North America Coleoptera: refers to sheath wings. (coleo, sheath; ptera, wings) This order is the Beetles.

Coleoptera The largest order of insects. Thickened front wings that are leathery and soft or hard and brittle. Sizes are from 1-200mm. Elytra usually meet in a straight line along the middle of the back cover most of the longer, folded, membranous hind wings. Chewing mouthparts.

14- Order Trichoptera Species: North America – 1,200 World – 10,000 Families: North America - 18 Trichoptera: Tricho, hair; ptera, wings.

Trichoptera Adults ingest liquid food such as nectar and live one to two months. The complete life cycle requires about one year. Adults of most species are inactive during the day. Females deposit many hundreds of eggs in gelatinous strings or masses.

15- Order Lepidoptera Species: North America – World – Families: North America - Lepidoptera: lepido, scale; ptera, wings.

Lepidoptera Adult Lepidoptera are small to large insects with minute, often powdery-like scales that cover the wings and body of most species. The compound eyes are large and the antennae are long. The proboscis is extended to suck up liquid food and coiled when not in use.

16- Order Diptera Species: North America – 1,800 World – 90,000 Families: North America - 106

Diptera Flies are characterized by a single pair of membranous wings attached to an enlarged mesothorax. Flies range in size from less than 1 mm in length, to 75 mm. The compound eyes are often large. Food consists chiefly of nectar.

17- Order Siphonaptera Species: North America – 275 World – 2,100 Families: North America - 7 Siphonaptera: siphon, tube; aptera, wingless

Siphonaptera Adult fleas are bloodsucking ectoparasites of mammals and to a lesser extent, birds. Adults range in length from 1-10 mm although most are less than 5 mm. Wings are absent and the body is laterally compressed giving a distinct flattened appearance. The antennae are short, 3-segmented structures which usually fit into grooves on the head.

18- Order Hymenoptera Species: North America – 17,100 World – 110,000 Families: North America - 74 Hymenoptera: hymeno, membrane; ptera, wings

Hymenoptera Range from some of the smallest known insects to large specimens 75 mm or more in length. Most species have four membranous wings are smaller than the front wings and are attached to the front wings by a row of tiny hooks on the anterior margin. Mouthparts are used for chewing, or for both chewing and sucking.

19- Order Mecoptera Species: North America – 67 World – 451 Families: North America - 5 Mecoptera: meco, long; ptera, wings

Mecoptera Scorpionflies are small to medium sized, slender insects that typically have a distinctly elongated face. The face projects downward and terminates with chewing mouthparts. Adults feed primarily on dead insects.

20- Order Anoplura Species: North America – 70 World – 490 Families: North America - 5 Anoplura: anopl, unarmed; ura, tail

Anoplura They are small, wingless, blood-feeding insects that are external parasites of mammals. The body is flat and the head is narrower than the prothorax.

21- Order Mallophaga Species: North America – 700 World – 2,900 Families: North America - 8 Mallophaga:Refers too wool eat. (mallo, wool; phaga, eat)

Mallophaga Small.5 – 11mm. Flat bodied. Wingless. External parasites. Mouthparts modified for chewing.

Order Diplura Species: North America – 75 World – 500 Families: North America - 3 Diplura refers to two tails (dipl, two; ura, tail)

Diplura Diplurans are small (usually less than 7mm) Pale insects that possess two caudal filaments and 1 segmented tarsi No wings, compound eyes, or scales Mouthparts are a chewing type

Order Phasmida Species: North America – 27 World – 2,025 Families: North America - 1 Phasmida: refers to apparition, phantom

Phasmida Large mm. Wingless in the U.S. Antennae are long and slender. Prothorax is short. Mesothorax & metathorax are very enlongated. Legs are long and slender.

Order Dictyoptera Species: North America – 80 World – 5,500 Families: North America - 6 Dictyoptera: refers to net wings. (dicty, net; ptera, wings)

Dictyoptera Medium to large Enlarged pronotum, legs modified for running. 5 tarsi segments. Front wings are thickened & the large hind wings are membranous and folded. Chewing mouthparts. Nymphs have a hemimetabolous type of development.

Order Grylloblattodea Species: North America – 11 World – 17 Families: North America - 1 Grylloblattodea: (gryll, cricket; blatta, cockroach)

Grylloblattodea Adults are wingless mm long. Antennae are moderately long. Legs have 5 segmented tarsi. American species have long cerci with 9 segments. The ovipositor is sword shaped.

Order Embioptera Species: North America – 11 World – 200 Families: North America - 3 Embioptera: refers to lively wings. (embio, lively; ptera, wings)

Embioptera Small 4-7mm. Usually brown. 4 equal wings have alternating brown & pale longitudinal bands. Antennae are slender and segments. Rapid runners. Tarsi are 3 segmented

Order Zoraptera Species: North America – 2 World – 24 Families: North America - 1 Zoraptera: refers to pure wingless. (zor, pure; apters. Wingless) Originally they were taught to be all wingless, later that was no the case.

Zoraptera Minute insects 1.5 – 3mm. Have either 4 wings or wingless. Wings have only few veins. Hind wings are smaller than the front. Antennae are 9 segments. Tarsi are 2 segments

Order Psocoptera Species: North America – 270 World – 2,200 Families: North America - 11 Psocoptera: (psoco, rub small “refers to chewing food into powder”; pters, wings

Psocoptera Small less than 6mm. Winged or wingless. 4 membranous wings usually held rooflike over the abdomen. Chewing mouthparts.

Order Protura Species: North America – 20 World – 152 Families: North America Apterygota: without wings. 2. Protura: Refers to the pointed, terminal segments of the abdomen. (prot, first; ura, tail)

Protura Proturans are minute ( mm) Whitish insects that lack wings, compound eyes and antennae. Have a cone shaped head containing piercing- sucking mouthparts. Styli occur on the underside of the first 3 abdominal segments The immatures have an ametabolous type of development.