Lesson: Insect
Classification
What is Scientific Classification?
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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?
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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?
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Insects belong in the Kindgom
Animalia, Phylum Arthropoda. The
Phylum Arthropoda is characterized
by having segmented bodies and
jointed appendages.
• 5 Classes of Arthropods
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Class #1- Hexapoda: Insects,
six, jointed appendages
Class #2- ChilopodaCentipedes, one pair of legs
per body segment, multiple
body segments
Class #3- DiplapodaMillipedes, two pairs of legs
per body segment, multiple
body segments
Class #4- CrustaceaCrayfish, 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:
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Orthoptera
Hemiptera
Homoptera
Coleoptera
Lepidoptera
Diptera
Hymenoptera
Odonata
trevor was
here
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Neuroptera
Thysanura
Isoptera
Siphonaptera
Phthiraptera
Thysanoptera
Dermaptera
Blattodea
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.
Coleopter
Includes:
Beetles and Weevils
a
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 (roundheaded 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
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Two-tailed Swallowtail
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Budworm/Bollworm
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Pink Bollworm
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Grape-leaf Skeletonizer
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Salt Marsh Caterpillar
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Tomato Hornworm
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Sphinx Moth
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Monarch
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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 suckingMosquito
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.
Includes:
Silverfish
Firebrat
Springtail
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.
Thysanura
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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.
•
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.
Siphonaptera
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Includes: Lice
◦ Chewing Louse
◦ Sucking Louse
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Mouthparts:
Chewing and Piercing-Sucking
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Sucking lice feed continuously on blood
Chewing lice feed on hair and feathers of animals and
humans.
Wingless. Do not fly or jump
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• Phthiraptera
Formally Anoplura and Mallophaga
Includes: Cockroaches
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American Cockroach
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Brown-banded cockroach
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Desert Cockroach
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Turkish Cockroach
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German Cockroach
Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts
Metamorphosis:
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Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
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Typically Live outside
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Walk inside. DO NOT live in the water pipes.
Blattodea
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Includes: Earwigs
Earwig
Mouthparts: Chewing Mouthparts
Metamorphosis:
Incomplete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Like humid, dark areas.
Release a foul smelling liquid up to 4in away.
Oldest known fossil dates back to Jurassic period.
• Dermaptera
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Includes: Thrip
Thrip
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Mouthparts: Rasping-Sucking Mouthparts
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Metamorphosis:
Complete Metamorphosis
Facts:
Common Pests on flowers, citrus and onions.
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Multiples of this pest are still called Thrip.
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• Thysanoptera
Ticket Out
list 1 insect order
2-5 insects in that order
mouthparts in that order
lifecycles in that order