ENTOMOLOGY 101: Fundamentals of Entomology (Insect Orders cheat sheet)

Domain Eukarya
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Subphylum Labiata
Classes
CLASS TYPES OF
ETYMOLOGY DISTINCT CHARACTERISTIC TYPES OF WINGS METAMORPHOSIS
& ORDER MOUTHPARTS
chewing,
“diplo”=double Have two tail-like cerci; can entognathous
Diplura apterous/wingless Ametabolous
“-oura”=tail regenerate body parts (enclosed within the
head)
“proto”=first Lack of advanced structures at chewing,
Protura apterous/wingless Ametabolous
“-oura”=tail the back of the abdomen entognathous
“kolla”=glue Has collophore, an adhesive chewing,
Collembola apterous/wingless Ametabolous
“-embolon”=peg organ entognathous
Class Insecta
Subclass Apterygota (wingless)
TYPES OF
ORDER ETYMOLOGY DISTINCT CHARACTERISTIC TYPES OF WINGS METAMORPHOSIS
MOUTHPARTS

“thysan”=bristle/fringe Has bristle-like tail appendages;

Thysanura apterous/wingless chewing Ametabolous
“-oura”=tail Unusually shaped mandibles
“micros”=small
Microcoryphia Small-headed insects apterous/wingless chewing Ametabolous
“-corypha”=head
Subclass Pterygota (winged)
Exopterygotes (external winged forms; no pupal stage)
Infraclass Palaeoptera (wings cannot be folded and held above the back)
TYPES OF
ORDER ETYMOLOGY DISTINCT CHARACTERISTIC TYPES OF WINGS METAMORPHOSIS
MOUTHPARTS
“ephemeros”=but a day; Nymph: chewing
Most adults only live for a day or
Ephemeroptera short-lived membranous Adult: no functional hemimetabolous
a short time
“-ptera”=wings mouthparts

Odonata “odonta”=tooth Have toothed mandibles membranous chewing hemimetabolous

Suborder Anisoptera (dragonflies) Suborder Zygoptera (damselflies)

Infraclass Neoptera (wings can be folded; has wing-flexing mechanism)
TYPES OF
ORDER ETYMOLOGY DISTINCT CHARACTERISTIC TYPES OF WINGS METAMORPHOSIS
MOUTHPARTS

“ortho”=straight forewings: tegmina

Orthoptera Have long, straight front wings chewing paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings hindwings: membranous

Notable families:
Gryllidae (crickets), Tettigoniidae (long-horned grasshoppers), Acrididae (short-horned grasshoppers), Gryllotalpidae (mole cricket)
Most are brachypterous
“phasm”=phantom/
Resemblance of many species to (reduced wings) or
Phasmatodea apparition chewing paurometabolous
sticks or leaves secondarily wingless;
“eidos”=form/type Some have wings
“mantis”=prophet Has prayer-like posture of a Membranous; some
Mantodea chewing paurometabolous
“eidos”=form/type prophet, has large raptorial legs are wingless
Order of cockroaches, has
“blatta”=cockroach forewings: tegmina
Blattodea distinct large pronotum where chewing paurometabolous
“eidos”=form/type hindwings: membranous
head is concealed
Isoptera workers: wingless
(now under “iso”=equal Wings are all equal in size and
reproductive termites: chewing paurometabolous
Blattodea, Family: “-ptera”=wings shape
Termitidae) membranous

By: Rio S. Antion

 “derma”=skin Forewings are skin-like or forewings: tegmina
Dermaptera chewing paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings leather-like, has distinct cerci hindwings: membranous

“pleco”=folded/plaited
Plecoptera Has pleated or folded hind wings membranous chewing paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings
Male: Some have
membranous wings,
“embios”=lively Fluttery movement of wings,
Embioptera some are wingless chewing paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings have webspinners on forelegs
Female: all are
wingless
“psocus”=biting Particular gnawing habits, milled Membranous;
Psocoptera chewing paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings wings some are wingless
“phthir”=combined Anoplura:
Phthiraptera chewing and sucking lice Chewing and sucking order of lice apterous/wingless piercing-sucking paurometabolous
“-aptera”=wingless Mallophaga: chewing
Suborder Mallophaga (chewing lice) Suborder Anoplura (sucking lice)
Notable family: Notable families:
Philopteridae (chicken lice) Pediculidae (human lice), Linagnathidae (goat lice), Haematopinidae
(carabao lice)

“thysan”=fringe
Thysanoptera Has fringe-like wings fringed Rasping-sucking paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings

Suborder Tubulifera (tube-like last abdominal segment) Suborder Terrabrantia (last abdominal segment rarely tube-like )
Forewings: either
hemelytron or
“hemi”=half Front wing is thicker from the
Hemiptera membranous; Piercing-sucking paurometabolous
“-ptera”=wings hind wing (Heteropterans)
Hindwings: membranous
some species are wingless
Suborder Sternorrhyncha Suborder Heteroptera Suborder Auchenorrhyncha Suborder
Notable families: (true bugs) Notable families: Coleorrhyncha
Aphididae (aphids), Notable families: Cicadellidae (leafhoppers), (moss bugs/beetle bugs)
Aleyrodidae (whiteflies), Reduviidae (assassin bugs), Delphacidae (planthoppers),
Pseudococcidae (mealybugs), Tingidae (lace bugs), Membracidae (Treehoppers),
Diaspididae (armored scale insects), Pentatomidae (stink bugs), Cercopidae (Froghoppers),
Coccidae (soft scale insects), Cimicidae (bedbugs) Derbidae (Derbidhoppers)
Margarodidae (giant scale insects) Belostomatidae (water bugs) Cicadidae (Cicadas)

“mantis”=prophet
Manto- “phasm”=phantom/ Walking stick-like insect with eyes
apterous/wingless Chewing paurometabolous
phasmatodea apparition of a mantis
“eidos”=form/type
“gryll”=cricket
Mixture of both cricket-like and
Grylloblattodea “blatta”=cockroach apterous/wingless chewing paurometabolous
roach-like traits.
“eidos”=form/type
Endopterygotes (internal winged forms; has pupal stage)
TYPES OF
ORDER ETYMOLOGY DISTINCT CHARACTERISTIC TYPES OF WINGS METAMORPHOSIS
MOUTHPARTS

“neuro”=nerve Has network of numerous veins

Neuroptera membranous chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings in the wings
“megalo”=large, to fold
Megaloptera Have gigantic wings membranous chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings
“raphid”=needle
Raphidioptera Has needle-like wings membranous chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings
“meco”=long
Mecoptera Long wings membranous chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings
“siphon”=tube Has beak-like sucking mouthparts
Siphonaptera apterous/wingless Piercing-sucking holometabolous
“-aptera”=wingless and no wings
“tricho”=hair
Trichoptera Wings are covered with hair membranous chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings

By: Rio S. Antion

 “coleo”=sheath Has hardened front wings that forewings: elytra
Coleoptera chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings form a protective layer hindwings: membranous
Notable families:
Curculionidae (weevils), Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles), Scarabaeidae (scarabs), Coccinellidae (lady beetles), Carabidae (ground beetles), Elateridae (click beetles),
Cerambycidae ( long-horned beetles), Lucanidae (stag beetles), Lampyridae (fireflies), Buprestidae (jewel beetles)
Males: Have two hind
wings and two
“strepsos”=twisted Has twisted wings; mostly
Strepsiptera knobbed stalk-like chewing holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings parasitic
structure as fore wings
Females: wingless
Notable families:
Mengeidae (parasitizes Thysanurans), Carloxenidae (parasitizes bugs), Myrmecolacidae (parasitizes ants), Stylopidae (parasitizes bees and wasps)

“lepido”=scale Wing surface is covered with

Lepidoptera scaly membranous siphoning holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings scales
Suborder Rhopalocera (butterflies) Suborder Heterocera (moths)
Notable families: Notable families:
Papilionidae (swallowtails), Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies), Pieridae (whites), Lymantriidae (tussock moth), Noctuidae (armyworms & stemborers),
Hesperiidae (skippers), Lycaenidae (gossamer-winged butterflies) Pyralidae (ACB), Sphingidae (hornworms), Limacodidae (slug caterpillars)
Sponging (most flies);
“di”=two Only have one pair of wings, 2nd forewings: membranous Piercing-sucking
Diptera holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings pair modified as halteres “hindwings”: halteres (mosquitoes and
blood-sucking flies)
Suborder Brachycera (short-horned flies) Suborder Nematocera (long-horned flies)
Notable families: Notable families:
Muscidae (house flies), Tephritidae (fruit flies), Calliphoridae (blow flies), Syrphidae Culicidae (mosquitoes), Tipulidae (crane flies), Psychodidae (moth flies),
(Hover flies), Agromyzidae (leafminers) Asilidae (robber flies), Sarcophagidae (flesh Ceratopogonidae (biting midges), Chironomidae (non-biting midges)
flies), Drosophilidae (small fruit flies)
Mostly have membranous wings Chewing;
“hymen”=membrane
Hymenoptera with few veins, many species are membranous Chewing-lapping holometabolous
“-ptera”=wings
parasitoids (bees)
Suborder Symphyta (primitive Hymenopterans) Suborder Apocrita (advanced Hymenopterans)
Examples: sawflies and horntails Notable Families:
Formicidae (ants), Apidae (bees), Trichogrammatidae (Trichogramma
wasps), Vespidae (paper wasps), Braconidae

By: Rio S. Antion

 ROLE IN THE
ORDER ECOSYSTEM EXAMPLES

Decomposers; Feeds on starch in paper in book binding moist basements and

libraries; Also feed on algae, leaf litter or abandoned soil media; Aid in recycling
Thysanura Silverfish and Firebrats
nutrients back to soil which is vital in soil restoration but may be a pest in paper
storages and libraries
Decomposers; Feed on a variety of live prey such as springtails, isopods, mites
Diplura and some insect larvae, and dead organic matter; Aid in recycling nutrients back Two-pronged bristletails
to soil which is vital in soil restoration
Decomposers; Feed on leaf litter and dead organic material; Aid in recycling
Protura nutrients back to soil which is vital in soil restoration
Telsontails/Coneheads

Decomposer; Seldom a problem on ornamentals and seedlings; Aid in recycling

Collembola nutrients back to soil which is vital in soil restoration; Springtails and Snow Fleas
A problem for mushroom growers
Herbivores and decomposers; Feeds on mosses, algae, fungi, lichens and leaf
Microcoryphia litter; Aid in recycling nutrients back to soil which is vital in soil restoration
Jumping bristletails

Immatures are aquatic predators; Model for fly fishers; Naiads are “ecological
Ephemeroptera indicators” of good water quality and are an important source of food for fish and Mayflies
other aquatic wildlife
Predators (immature and adult); Feed on a variety of prey in both aquatic and
Odonata terrestrial areas including nuisance species such as mosquitoes and biting flies; Dragonflies and Damselflies
May be a pest for beekeepers because they are generalist predators
Adults are decomposers; Immatures are aquatic and some feed on aquatic plants;
Potential pest of pond plants; They require clean, well-oxygenated water to
Plecoptera survive and are extremely sensitive to water pollution so they are used by
Stoneflies

ecologists as indicators of water purity; Good bait for game fishing

Scavengers; have no economic importance because their habitats are not
Grylloblattodea inhabited by humans; may be a source of food of other organisms
Ice bugs and Rock crawlers

Defoliators and decomposers; Some injures twigs when laying eggs in stems
Orthoptera (Katydids, Tree crickets); Potential pests in ornamentals; Mole cricket cane be a Grasshoppers and Crickets
real problem in golf courses as they dig soil feeding on plant roots
Defoliates deciduous trees and shrubs; In the tropics, some species have been
Phasmatodea known to defoliate forest trees and cause economic losses to shrubbery and Stick insects and Leaf insects
shade trees
Omnivores; Feed on thin leafed perennials but also feed on other insects
Dermaptera especially pests; commonly used as biocon agents in IPM
Earwigs

Nymph and female adults are herbivores; have no economic importance; may be
Embioptera a source of food for other organisms
Webspinners

Decomposers and carnivores; Among the most cosmopolitan of all insect pests
Blattodea but only less than 1% are considered pests; Household pests; Transmit germs Cockroaches
and diseases
Generalist predator; may be a biocon agent if it feeds on insect pests but may be
Mantodea considered as pests if it feeds on beneficial insects
Preying mantises/ mantids

Decomposers; Problematic in wood structures and outdoor landscapes with

Isoptera untreated wood decking and old trees
Termites

Decomposers; Aid in soil restoration; No economic importance; May be a source

Zoraptera of food for other organisms
Zorapterans and Angel insects

Scavengers; Feeds on organic matter such as algae, lichens, spores and dead
Psocoptera insects; Few species are considered pests which feed on stored products and Booklice and Barklice
paper materials (booklice)

Sucking habit may allow transmission of disease Typhus and Rickettsia; Nuisance
Phthiraptera species for humans (head lice) Chewing lice and Sucking lice

Predators; Feed on spiders and other insects; No economic importance because it

Mantophasmatodea is very rare; May be a source of food of other organisms Gladiators

By: Rio S. Antion

 Most feed on plants using their piercing and sucking mouthparts to extract plant
sap; Some species, including aphids, are important agricultural pests, damaging
Hemiptera True bugs, Aphids and Hoppers
crops by the direct action of sucking sap, but also harming them by being the
vectors of serious viral diseases
Many are destructive pests of plants, especially grain crops, fruits and vegetables;
Thysanoptera Some species transmits disease and are key pests of ornamentals; Predatory Thrips
thrips are beneficial species that may control mites and other small insect pests
Specialist predators; Their larvae (lacewing) are beneficial because they feed on
Lacewings, Aphidlions, Mantidflies
Neuroptera agricultural pests such as aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects; Used as biocon
and Antlions
agents;
Larvae are important predators in aquatic ecosystems; Also serve as food for fish
Megaloptera and other aquatic vertebrates
Dobsonflies and Alderflies

May be used to control pests because their larvae and adults feed on mites and
Raphidioptera aphids; serves as food for wood foraging birds such as Tree creepers and Snakeflies
Woodpeckers
Larvae are important predators in aquatic ecosystems; Also serve as food for fish
Mecoptera and other aquatic vertebrates
Scorpionflies and Hangingflies

Blood-sucking external parasites; Considered as nuisance due to their irritating

Siphonaptera bites; May also transmit pathogens that cause disease in humans and other Fleas
animals;
Ornamental pests from leaf feeders to root feeders to borers and leaf miners;
Coleoptera Beneficial species include a wide range of generalist and specialist predators, Beetles and Weevils
especially lady beetles and ground beetles
Internal parasites of bees, wasps, grasshoppers, and some hemipterans; May be
Strepsiptera considered pests because they parasitize on beneficial insects; Are not abundant Twisted-winged parasites/ Stylops
enough to have a significant impact on the insect populations
May be herbivores, predators or scavengers; Larvae may serve as food for fish
Trichoptera and other aquatic vertebrates; Fishermen often gather them for use as bait for Caddisflies
game fish; Few species are pests in rice paddies
Leaf distorter and discolorers; Decomposers; Transmits diseases among mammals
Diptera which makes them problematic to public health; Some flies are pests of True flies and Mosquitoes
agricultural plants
Values for their beauty; Larvae are more destructive to agricultural crops and
Lepidoptera forest trees than any other insect order; Most adults are pollinators; Few are Butterflies, Moths and Skippers
useful in commerce (silkworms)
Most members are extremely beneficial-either as natural enemies of insect pests
Hymenoptera (parasitic wasps) or as pollinators of flowering plants (bees and wasps); Some Bees, Wasps and Ants
species are regarded as pests ( Sawflies, gall wasps, some ants)

By: Rio S. Antion