Unit: Entomology

Lesson: Insect Classification

• What is Scientific Classification?

• Scientific Classification is a system

used to classify all living things
through a breakdown starting with the
largest grouping called a Kingdom and
continuing down to the smallest
grouping called Individual.
 • Why is Scientific Classification used in the
identification of insects?

• Insects can be placed into groupings based upon

their physical characteristics. Insects with similar
characteristics, number of wings, mouthparts, etc. are
placed in a group with other insects that possess the
same characteristics.
• Identification of insect orders aids in prevention and
management plans.
• Scientific Classification

• Kingdom
• Phylum
• Class
• Order
• Family
• Genus
• Species
• Where do Insects fit?

• Insects belong in the Phylum

Arthropoda. The Phylum Arthropoda
is characterized by having segmented
bodies and jointed appendages.
• Lady Beetle - Hippodamia convergens

• Kingdom – Animalia
• Phylum -
Arthropoda
• Class - Insecta
• Order - Coleoptera
• Family -
Coccinellidae
• Genus -
Hippodamia.
• Species -
convergens
• 5 Classes of Arthropods
• Class #1- Hexapoda: Insects, six,
jointed appendages
• Class #2- Chilopoda- Centipedes,
one pair of legs per body segment,
multiple body segments
• Class #3- Diplapoda- Millipedes, two
pairs of legs per body segment,
multiple body segments
• Class #4- Crustacea- Crayfish, five
pairs of jointed appendages
• Class #5- Arachnida- Spiders, four
pairs of jointed appendages
• There are 31 different orders of insects in the class
Hexapoda, sixteen of which are considered of
economic importance to agriculturists.

The sixteen orders are:

• Orthoptera • Neuroptera
• Hemiptera • Thysanura
• Homoptera • Isoptera
• Coleoptera • Siphonaptera
• Lepidoptera • Phthiraptera
• Thysanoptera
• Diptera
• Dermaptera
• Hymenoptera
• Blattodea
• Odonata
 Orthoptera
Includes:
Indian House Crickets
Field Cricket
Short-horned Grasshoppers
Katydid (Long-horned Grasshoppers)
Mouthparts:
Chewing
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Damage: Chewing leaves, Crop grains,
Fun Facts:
Many produce sound through stridulating.
Over 20,000 species worldwide.
 Hemiptera – True Bugs
Includes:
Assassin bugs
Kissing bugs
Leaf-footed bug
Lygus bug
Stink bug
Minute pirate bug
Big-eyed bug
Damsel bug
Mouthparts:
Piercing-Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Fun Facts:
All of the true “bugs” are in this order.
Most have a common v shape on their shield.
 Homoptera
Includes:
Cicadas
Aphids
Armored scales
Cottony cushion scale
Cochineal scale
Leafhoppers
Treehoppers
Whiteflies
Mouthparts:
Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Generally incomplete
Fun Facts:
Cochineal scales are used in
makeup products for the red
color.
 Coleoptera
Includes: Beetles and Weevils
Blister beetle
Boll weevil
Collops beetle
Darkling beetle (Pinacate or Eleodes
beetle)
Dermestid beetle
Dung beetle
Fig beetle
Flea beetle
Lady beetle (Ladybird beetle/ Ladybug)
Long-horned beetle (round-headed
wood borer)
Palo Verde root borer
Metallic wood borer (flat-headed borer)
White grub (Scarab beetle larva)
10 Striped June beetle
Mouthparts:
Chewing, Weevil- Piercing Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamophosis
Fun Facts:
Coleoptera means sheath wing.
 Lepidoptera
Includes: Butterflies and Moths
Bagworm
• Two-tailed Swallowtail
• Budworm/Bollworm
• Pink Bollworm
• Grape-leaf Skeletonizer
• Salt Marsh Caterpillar
• Tomato Hornworm
• Sphinx Moth
• Monarch
• Checkered skipper
Mouthparts: Chewing – Caterpillars,
Siphoning – adult.
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Fun Facts: The largest butterfly is the
Birdwings that have 11in wingspans.
 Diptera
Includes: Flies, Midges, Mosquito
House fly
Crane fly
Syrphid or hover fly
Bee fly
Tachinid fly
Bot fly
Deer fly
Mosquito
Gall Midge

Mouthparts:
Sponging, Piercing sucking- Mosquito
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamophosis
Facts: Are common vectors of disease.
 Hymenoptera
Includes: Bees, Wasps, Ants
Horntail wasp
Sawfly
Gall wasps
Honey bee
Leaf-cutter bee
Carpenter bee
Bumble bee
Harvester ant
Leaf-cutter ant
Fire ant
Velvet Ant (mutillid)
Paper wasp
Ichneumon wasp
Thread-waisted wasp
Tarantula hawk (spider wasp)
Mouthparts:
Chewing-Lapping
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamophosis
Facts: Contain all the social insects
except termites.
 Odonata

Includes: Dragonfly,
Damselfly

Mouthparts:
Chewing-Lapping
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Live in the water the first year of their
lives.
After leaving the water they only live a
month.
Have been around 300 million years.
Neuroptera
Includes:
Green Lacewing
Antlion
Mouthparts:

Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Both are beneficial insects.
Antlions creat a sand pit to
capture unsuspecting prey.
 Thysanura

Includes:
Silverfish
Firebrat

Mouthparts: Chewing

Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Like to lay their eggs in books and wall paper because of the
paper and glue.
Live 3-5 years
Most primitive of all insects.
•
 Isoptera
Includes:
Dry-wood termite
• Subterranean termite

Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts

Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Live for 15 years.
Lay 1 egg every 15 seconds
Eat wood. Can destroy a house in 2-3 years.
Found in every US state except Alaska.
Recycle wood in the soil.
•
 Siphonaptera

Includes:
Cat and dog flea
Mouthparts:
Piercing Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Fleas can live 100 days without feeding.
Can jump 100 times their own length.
Been around more than 100 million years.
Females can consume more than 15 times
their body weight daily.
• Phthiraptera
Formally Anoplura and Mallophaga

• Includes: Lice
• Chewing Louse
• Sucking Louse

• Mouthparts:
• Chewing and Piercing-Sucking
• Metamorphosis:
• Complete Metamorphosis
• Facts:
• Sucking lice feed continuously on lice
• Chewing lice feed on hair and feathers of animals
and humans.
• Wingless. Do not fly or jump
 Blattodea

Includes: Cockroaches
• American Cockroach
• Brown-banded cockroach
• Desert Cockroach
• Turkish Cockroach
• German Cockroach

Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts

Metamorphosis:
• Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
• Typically Live outside
• Walk inside. DO NOT live in the water pipes.
• Dermaptera

• Includes: Earwigs
• Earwig
•
• Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts
•
• Metamorphosis:
• Complete Metamorphosis
• Facts:
• Like humid, dark areas.
• Release a foul smelling liquid up to 4in away.
• Oldest known fossil dates back to Jurassic period.
• Thysanoptera

• Includes: Thrip
• Thrip
•
• Mouthparts: Rasping-Sucking Mouthparts
•
• Metamorphosis:
• Complete Metamorphosis
• Facts:
• Common Pests on flowers, citrus and onions.

• Multiples of this pest are still called Thrip.

 Ticket Out
list 1 insect order
2-5 insects in that order
mouthparts in that order
lifecycles in that order