1. Introduction to Insects Entomology Training for Master Gardeners

2. THE INSECTS Fossil records indicate insects on land more than 300 million years ago

3. Insects are from an ancient lineage that included trilobites and other arthropods which were abundant in the oceans over 500 million years ago. but we are surrounded by other arthropods. Trilobites are extinct...

4. Arthropoda (“jointed leg”) Insects are in the phylum Arthropoda (“jointed leg”) The phylum is divided into 6 smaller groups called classes:  Crustacea (crabs, lobsters, shrimps)  Chilopoda (centipedes)  Diplopoda (millipedes)  Symphyla (symphylans)  Arachnida (spiders, mites)  Insecta (insects)

5. All arthropods share the following characteristics: 1) Arthropods have a segmented body

6. 2) All arthropods have paired, jointed legs

7. 3) All arthropods have a chitinous exoskeleton (which is periodically shed and renewed as the animal grows) University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Department of Entomology, Leon Higley

8. 4) All arthropods have a digestive system (tube that runs from head to tail)

9. 5) All arthropods have an “open” circulatory system, no veins, arteries etc. Blood is held in a dorsal tubular structure with lateral openings in the abdomen.

10. 6) All arthropods have a ventral nervous system which consists of a tiny brain, paired nerve cords which extend from the brain backward, and nerve centers called ganglia.

11. 7) All arthropods breathe by means of gills, or tracheae and spiracles. 8) Separate sexes (nearly always)

12. The Class Crustacea (lobster, shrimp, crab, pillbugs, etc.) have two pairs of antennae and at least five pairs of legs. Yummy!

13. The classes Chilopoda, Diplopoda, and Symphyla (centipedes, millipedes, etc.) have antennae, many legs and only two body regions. They add segments as they molt.

14. The class Arachnida have 8 legs and no antennae. They are in a group of Arthropods that diverged from the insects in the mid-paleozoic.

15. The Class Insecta Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta (Class: Arachnida)

16. At least half (50%-80% [?]) of the animal species currently occupying the earth are insects (approximately 1.5 million different animal species)

17. More than 1 million species of insects world-wide

18. Over 13,000 species of insects known from Florida New species appear almost daily due to shipments of plants and other materials into Florida from abroad

19. Beneficial or just co-exist (> 99%) Less than 1% Considered to be pests Of all insect species in the world

20. Relation of insects to humans: 1. Beneficial: Pollination, break down raw materials, aerate soil, bio-control of weeds and bad bugs, food for many animals, medical uses. 2. Aesthetic Value: Butterflies 3. Injurious: Feed on plants, stored foods, woods, fabrics, humans, and animals

21. The Insects 1. Three, usually distinct body regions (head, thorax, and abdomen) 2. One pair of segmented antennae 3. Usually have one pair of compound eyes 4. Three pairs of legs 5. Two pair of wings usually (some have only one pair (i.e., flies) or no wings at all).

23. The Head. Functions mainly for feeding and sensory perception.

24. The Thorax. Responsible for locomotion. Made up of 3 segments. A pair of legs arise from each segment. Wings, if present, arise from 2nd and 3rd segment.

25. The Abdomen is responsible for excretion and reproduction.

26. Growth and Develoment Metamorphosis - The process of change from egg to adult. Incomplete or gradual metamorphosis. Baby insects (nymphs) look similar to adults (grasshoppers, aphids, cockroaches). Growth occurs through molting.

27. Complete metamorphosis. Larvae look nothing like adults. The larvae pass through a pupal stage to change into the adult form (wasps, beetles, moths, butterflies, flies).

28. How Insects Feed Insects can be separated by the type of mouthparts they possess which dictates the type of job they have.

29. Most common type of mouthpart is chewing. Tear off pieces of tissue and eat it.

30. Plant damage caused by pests with chewing mouthparts

31. Some common yard and garden pests with chewing mouthparts

32. Immature beetles “Skeletonizing” damage caused by immature chewing insects

33. Another common type of mouthpart is piercing/sucking (This is a good bug)

34. Plant damage caused by pests with piercing/sucking mouthparts

35. Whiteflies – Bad insects

36. A few good bugs that eat whiteflies Minute Pirate Bug Big-eyed Bugs

37. Some specific insects Florida Master Gardeners should know …

38. Orange Dog Caterpillar – Bad insect (?)

39. Aphids

40. Some Things That Eat Aphids (Good Insects) Lady Beetles- eggs, adult, pupae, and larvae

41. Lacewing - eggs and adult Lacewing larvae

42. Aphid Mummies Parasitic Wasps

43. Mole Crickets

44. Mole Cricket Damage

45. Tropical Sod Webworm

46. Chinch Bugs

47. Earwig Enemies of Lawn Pests Rove Beetles Big-eyed Bug

48. Stinkbugs Note spines on thorax Green Stinkbug - Bad Predatory Stinkbug - Good

49. Predaceous Stinkbug Parasitic wasps

50. Leafminers – Feed within the leaf Serpentine Leaf Miner Citrus Leaf Miner

51. (Note: Black dots of excrement on leaf undersides) Lacebugs

52. Southern Pine Beetle – Tree boring Beetle Leaf-eating Beetles

53. Thrips Rasping-sucking mouthpart

54. Mealybugs UF - IFAS

55. Twospotted Spider Mite

56. Spider-Mite Webbing UF - IFAS

57. Predatory Mite (eats bad mites)

58. Armored Scales: Florida Red Scale UF, IFAS

59. Scale Insects

60. Asian Cycad Scale

61. Soft Scale: Green Scale UF - IFAS

62. Scale predators and parasites Lady Beetle Species

63. Parasitic Wasps

64. Adapted by Jim Price from: Author: Tom Weissling, University of Florida Photos: University of Florida University of Nebraska University of California Entomology And Nematology Department Copyright University of Florida 2000 For more detailed information see the Featured Creatures WWW site at http://www.ifas.ufl.edu/~insect/