1. Essential Question:
How do scientists capture, identify, & classify Insects?
Standard: (8B)
The student will categorize organisms using a hierarchical classification system based on similarities and differences shared among groups.

2. Characteristics, Orders, and Collecting
World of Insects
Characteristics, Orders, and Collecting

3. What You Should Know About Insects …

4. Taxonomy
Kingdom – Animalia
Phylum – Arthropoda
Class - Insecta

5. Insects Are Arthropods
Insects are the largest group of Arthropods
Jointed appendages (bendable)
Segmented bodies
Exoskeleton of Chitin that must be molted to grow
Related to spiders, ticks, scorpions, millipedes, crustaceans

6. MAIN CHARACTERISTICS Three body regions – head, thorax, and abdomen
One pair antenna (head)
Six legs or 3 pairs (thorax)
One-two pairs of wings (thorax)

8. There are ALWAYS SIX legs, and they are attached to the THORAX
Count the Legs!
There are ALWAYS SIX legs, and they are attached to the THORAX

9. Antenna One Pair on head Jointed Sensory (smell) Called “feelers”
Filiform most common shape (segments = size)
May be modified
FILIFORM

10. Antenna Modifications

11. Wings or No Wings Most adults have 2 pairs
Called forewings and hindwings
Some insects are wingless (silverfish, fleas, some termites and ants)

12. A network of Veins strengthens wings MEMBRANEOUS (clear) WINGS
More on Wings
A network of Veins strengthens wings
MEMBRANEOUS (clear) WINGS

13. Some Wings Are Covered With Powdery Scales
BUTTERFLIES & MOTHS

14. Wings May Be Modified Order Diptera (flies)
2nd pair of wings modified into HALTERES
Used for balance
Makes flies hard to catch!

15. Beetle Wings Meet in straight line down the abdomen
ELYTRA
Hard Forewing called Elytra
Meet in straight line down the abdomen
Membranous hindwings folded underneath (flight)

16. CHANGE IN FORM FROM EGG TO ADULT
Metamorphosis
CHANGE IN FORM FROM EGG TO ADULT

17. INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOUS Insects change shape gradually!

18. Complete Metamorphosis Four stages that all look different

19. Amorphic Insects
Silverfish
Springtails

20. Insects with Complete Metamorphosis
EGG  LARVA  PUPA  ADULT
Coleoptera (beetles)
Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps)
Diptera (flies) Lepidoptera (butterflies)

21. Insects with Incomplete Metamorphosis
EGG  NYMPH  ADULT
Siphonaptera (fleas)
Isoptera (termites)
Orthoptera (grasshoppers & crickets)
Hemiptera (true bugs)
Homoptera (cicadas & hoppers)
Wings NOT fully developed

22. CIRCLE THE INSECTS

23. INSECT ORDERS
INSECTS WITH WINGS

24. Why Can’t I Call All of Them Bugs?
EVERY BUG is an insect, but NOT ALL INSECTS are bugs!
True BUGS are in the Order HEMIPTERA
Posterior thorax is triangular; called SCUTELLUM
Last 3rd of wing CLEAR

25. Which of these are BUGS?
ALL

26. More Hemipterans Assassin Bug Water Boatman Giant Water Bug
Leaf Hopper

27. Coleoptera Called beetles Tough exoskeleton Forewings called Elytra
Fly with membranous hindwings
Larva called grubs
Cucumber beetle
Ladybird beetle
Rhinoceros beetle

28. Ephemeroptera Called Mayflies Juveniles are aquatic; called naiads
Adults found near water & don’t feed
Adults reproduce & die in 24 hours
Soft bodies with 2 long Ceri (tail fibers)
ADULT
NAIAD

29. Diptera Contains mosquitoes & flies One pair functional wings
Club-shaped halteres for balance
Bodies often hairy
Green Bottle fly
Hover Fly
Fruit Fly
Aedes Mosquito

30. EARWIG EATING CATERPILLAR
Dermaptera
Called earwigs
Long, flat bodies
Forceps (pincers) on end of abdomen
Short, hard forewings (membranous wings folded underneath
Large jaws (mandibles) on head
PINCERS
EARWIG EATING CATERPILLAR

31. Orthoptera Grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, katydids Very long bodies
Rear legs modified for jumping
Females with egg laying tube (ovipositor on end of abdomen)
Often communicate with chirping sounds

32. Lepidoptera Moths, butterflies, & skippers
Siphoning mouthparts coiled under head
Powdery scales on wings
Butterflies fold wings flat above body at rest
Moths are night active
Important plant pollinators

33. Isoptera Termites Live in colonies Feed on wood
Soft bodies & short antenna
Castes – workers, soldiers, kings, and queen

34. Homoptera Cicadas, leaf hoppers, wingless aphids
If wings present, held roof like over body & membranous
Piercing-sucking mouthparts
Cicada
Leafhopper

35. Odonata Dragonflies & damselflies
Dragonflies hold clear wings spread perpendicular to body at rest
Damselflies hold clear wings together over abdomen

36. Hymenoptera Bees, ants, wasps Narrow waist connects thorax & abdomen
Abdomen curved downward
May have stinger on end of abdomen
Carpenter bee
Red ant
Yellow jacket

37. INSECT ORDERS
WINGLESS INSECTS

38. Thysanura Called Silverfish
Found around houses or outside under stones or wood
Fast runners
Damage books
Secretive and active at night.
Flat, long bodies
Long antennae
Three, long, tail like appendages

39. Siphonaptera Fleas Ectoparasites Bodies laterally compressed
Enlarged hind jumping legs
Very short antenna

41. Anoplura Sucking lice Parasites of mammals Very small
Head and body lice are examples
Attracted to children’s fine hair
Carry disease

42. Mallophaga Biting lice External parasites on birds & mammals
Broad head & flattened body
Feed on dead skin, feathers, and fur

43. CHANGE IN FORM FROM EGG TO ADULT
Metamorphosis
CHANGE IN FORM FROM EGG TO ADULT

44. INCOMPLETE METAMORPHOUS Insects change shape gradually!

45. Complete Metamorphosis Four stages that all look different

46. Amorphic Insects
Silverfish
Springtails

47. Insects with Complete Metamorphosis
EGG  LARVA  PUPA  ADULT
Coleoptera (beetles)
Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps)
Diptera (flies) Lepidoptera (butterflies)

48. Insects with Incomplete Metamorphosis
EGG  NYMPH  ADULT
Siphonaptera (fleas)
Isoptera (termites)
Orthoptera (grasshoppers & crickets)
Hemiptera (true bugs)
Homoptera (cicadas & hoppers)
Wings NOT fully developed

50. Collecting Equipment
Aerial net for butterflies,dragonflies. Light-weight pieces;
don’t snag net---it tears!
DON’T drag your net on the ground 

51. Collecting Equipment Use insect behavior to your
benefit when working with
sweep nets or aerial nets.
Once disturbed, most insects
will run or fly UP as soon as
you stop swinging the net.
Block their escape by flipping
the long ‘tail’ of the bag over
the rim. Now, reach for your
jar.
‘Tail’
Rim

52. Collecting Equipment Sweeping just above plants,
especially those in bloom,
might net insects flying away
from you.
Use medium to long strokes, flipping the end of the bag over the rim when finished.
This technique may work with tall plants, too.

53. Collecting Equipment Sweeping usually will catch a variety of insects.
Avoid being stung by agitated bees and wasps by quickly opening your net to release them---then flipping the bag over the rim again to keep other insects for sorting.
Uga
HF Schwartz, CO State Univ, Bugwood.org

54. CAUTION!!!
Poison Ivy
Leaves of 3, let it be.

55. Collecting Equipment Kill Jar Cotton balls Ethyl acetate
Cardboard with holes in it
Lid WITHOUT holes
Be careful:
Don’t drop the jar, glass will break
Only open the jar to add an insect
Don’t smell the fumes.
Try to keep butterflies/moths in their own jar

56. Beetle Pinning Example
Pin Position---to the right of center .
Diptera
Hymenoptera
Coleoptera
For larger specimens!
Hemiptera
Orthoptera
Dermaptera
Lepidoptera
Beetle Pinning Example
Odonata
Hemiptera

57. Pointing Small, Delicate Insects
We’ll just use a small piece of notecard
Point in place on insect pin

58. Pinning Insect Video Pointing Insects
glue
Use pinning block to pin the point first. Bend the very tip of the point down, dot with glue. Glue point to insect’s right side. Again, this works BEST if the insect is fresh or softened/’relaxed’.
Use Elmer’s Glue---effective, non-toxic, water soluble
This technique is used for insects too small or delicate to pin directly
Pinning Insect Video

59. Butterfly Pinning Example
Spreading Lepidoptera

60. Collecting Equipment
Plan B: Skip ethyl acetate, put your DRY specimens into small containers or ziplock bags (don’t crush) and place them in the freezer over night; thaw briefly & pin

61. Traps, Trapping…if you’re having trouble and need to work at home
REMEMBER: Safety is of the utmost importance!!

62. Traps, Trapping
Porch or Security Lights? Catch insects coming to the light at night or before dawn (avoid ‘Bug Lights’)
Beat the birds
to your catch!