ENTM 340 Insect Pests of Trees Turf and Ornamentals�

C. Sadof� Purdue University

Lectures 5-6:��� Economically Important Insect Orders�

 

I.                    Objectives:� To introduce you to the diversity of insect orders and their relevance to pest problems of ornamentals.��� Later in the semester I will refer to these orders as I explain the biology of specific pests.

a.       Resources:

                                                               i.      Taxonomic Tutorial From North Carolina State http://www.cals.ncsu.edu:8050/course/ent425/tutorial/taxons.html

�        Reviews broad classification of insects

�        Provides links to diagrams and summary of key characteristics

�����

                                                             ii.      Bugoscope- http://www.uni.uiuc.edu/~dstone/insectorders1.html

1.      (good for a quick review and links to other outlines etc)

����������� iii.� Virtual Bug Collection� http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/insectBasics/basics.html

���� A photo guide to insects of the San Francisco Bay Region

II.                 Metamorphosis-� Change in form

a.       Re Lect 1 on molting.� All insects shed their skins as they grow larger. 

b.      Kinds of metamorphosis can influence the kind of food insects eat at different life stages.

                                                               i.      Ametabolous �� adults look like large juveniles

1.      Juveniles eat what adults eat ( eg. Collembola)

                                                             ii.      Hemimetabolous � adults look like large juveniles with wings

1.      Juveniles eat what adults eat ( e.g. aphids, grasshoppers)

                                                            iii.      Holometabolous -�� worm like immatures do not resemble adults.

1.      Juveniles eat different food than adults.

a.       Japanese beetle immatures (grubs) eat grass roots.

While adults eat the leaves of over 300 kinds of trees and most flowers.

b.�� Monarch butterflies eat pollen and nectar as adults, but caterpillars eat milkweed plants.

����������������� c.� All insects in the same order have the same kind of metamorphosis.

III.               Insect Feeding Guild Concept

a.       Insects can be categorized by their feeding guilds.� These guilds describe where they must go to find eat and process food.� They also set the stage for understanding ecological relationships.� Individual orders can have insects in one or many feeding guilds.

b.      Herbivorous Guilds-� Insects that feed� on plants (to be covered in more detail later in the semester)

                                                               i.      Insects that discolor or disfigure leaves� ( spider mite, plant bug).

                                     ii.                              Producers of liquid excrement (honeydew), or wax ( aphid, scales)

                                                            iii.      Gall makers -� Those that live in specialized habitats (tumors) produced by plants.

                                                           iv.      Defoliators � Insects that remove leaf tissue

                                                             v.      Leaf miners � Insects that live between the upper and lower surface of plants.

                                                           vi.      Stem and trunk borers. � Insects that live inside plant stems and trunks.

                                                          vii.      Root feeders � Insects that feed in the soil on plant roots.

                                                        viii.      Disease vectors� Insects that transmit disease (mosquitos- malaria, elm bark beetles- Dutch Elm Disease)

c.       Beneficial Guilds � Insects that feed on insects we consider to be pests.

                                                               i.      Parasites- Insects complete their life inside a pests ( parasitic wasp)

                                                             ii.      Predators � Insects that consume other insects ( lady beetles)

                                                            iii.      Pollinators � Insects that move pollen between plants (wasps, bees and flies)

d.      Decomposers� - Insects that feed on dead and decaying plant and animal matter.� Bark lice, Collembolla.

 

IV.              Overview of taxonomic trends

A.                                                                                                                       Closely related wingless classes��

B.                                                                                                                       Ametabolous apterygota� (No change in form, wingless)

C.                                                                                                                       Hemimetabolous�� Exopterygote (incomplete metamorphosis, external wing development

1.                                                                                                                        Paleoptera� (ancient wing morphology)

2.                                                                                                                        Neoptera���� (newer wingmorphology)

a.                                                                                                                               Orthopteroid orders- Mostly chewers, herbivores and detritivores

b.                                                                                                                              Hemipteroid orders �Mouth modified to beak,� Mostly suckers

��� ������������� ��������3.���� ������� Holometabolous� Endopterygota� (complete metamorphosis, internal)��� Most diverse group, members of all guilds

�����������

 

 

V. The Economically Important Insect Orders� (Hand out- Gullon and Cranston Phyllogeny p. 188).

A note on taxonomy. Order classification is about 90% stable.� The remaining 10% changes back and forth and will vary with each text book.� This happens with plants too.� Chrysanthemum is now in the genus Dendranthemum, and Coleus in Solenostemmon. The scheme I use is presented in Gullon and Cranston 2000 and in the Taxonomic tutorial from NC State.�

 

A.                 Wingless Arthropod Classes� (Apterygota, Ametabola)

(Protura, Diplura, Collembola. Thysanura.- �Of these, you are most likely to encounter Collembola, and Thysanura).

1. Collembola� (Springtails)� Colla= glue, Embolon= peg (refers to collophore)

 

Identifying Characteristics:

  • Minute, soft bodied insect, covered with scales.�
  • Wingless
  • Mandibles and maxilla are retracted within a pouch inside the head (entognathous).
  • Tubular appendage (Spring or furcula) from abdomen is held by a clasp (retinaculum).� This spring causes it to jump.��

Guild:

Decomposer

 

Where found:

 

In soil, rotting logs and vegation.� Seldom a problem on ornamentals. Rarely attack seedlings (Garden springtail, Lucerne free).� Can be found in growing media.� A problem for mushroom growers

Distribution:

Common in grassy or wooded habitats worldwide.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

7

20

Number of Species

677

>6000

 

 

2. Thysanura: (Silverfish/firebrats)� Thysanos= bristles;� Oura=tail (refers to 3 abdominal tail like appendages)

Identifying Characteristics:

 

  • Flattened soft bodied insect, covered with scales, bristles under abdomen.
  • Wingless
  • Shortened maxilla and unusually shaped mandibles
  • Has 3 equal length tails at base of abdomen� (Median caudal filament + Cerci)
  • Long multisegmented antennae.�

 

Guild:

Decomposer

 

Where found:

In moist habitats.� Feeds on starch in paper and book binding moist basements and libraries, near horticultural production areas (headhouses etc.).�� Found on untidy greenhouse floors feeding on algae, leaf litter or abandoned soil media.

 

Distribution:

Common in domestic and sylvan habitats worldwide.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

3

5

Number of Species

18

>~370

 

 

B. Hemimetabolous species (Incomplete metamorphosis) (Most with Wings)

  1. Paleoptera (Paleo=Ancient� Ptera= wing)� Refers to primitive structure of wings that do not fold over the abdomen in a resting position.�� Wing muscles are attached directly to wing bases.

�

a.       Ephemeroptera� (Mayflies)�� Ephemeros= for a day, Ptera = wing

Identifying Characteristics of adults:

�����������

  • Triangular wings.
  • Vestigial chewing mouthparts
  • Setaceous (bristle-like) antennae
  • Subimago stage precedes adult (has a terrestrial winged juvenile stage)
  • Often with 3 tails at base of abdomen (Median caudal filament + Cerci)

 

Guild:

Immatures are aquatic predators. Adults do not feed.

 

Where found:

Adults fly in large numbers at night and are attracted to light.� Model for fly fishers. In streams. Not an ornamental pest, but old shed skin of immature stage will occasionally be found at the edge of ponds, streams and aquatic plantings.

 

Distribution:

Common in freshwater habitats worldwide.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

17

19

Number of Species

611

>2000

 

 

Mayfly Central� http://www.entm.purdue.edu/entomology/research/mayfly/mayfly.html

 

 

b.      Odonata� (Dragon flies and Damsel flies)�� (Odontos= tooth, refers to the tooth on the maxilla)

 

Identifying Characteristics of adults:

 

  • Slender, Elongate tubular abdomen
  • Long translucent wings.
  • Head with large eyes.
  • Chewing mouthparts.
  • Pair of cerci, modified for grasping

 

The Odonata are divided into two suborders:

Zygoptera (damselflies) -- front and hind wings are similar in shape. Wings held over the body when resting

Anisoptera (dragonflies) -- hind wings are broader near the base than the front wings. Wings held flat over body when resting

 

 

Guild:

Immatures are aquatic predators.� Adults are terrestrial predators.

 

 

Where found:

Near ponds, or rotting logs and vegetation.� Adult males often patrol areas to prevent other males from mating with their mates. Not an ornamental pest, but may be associated with aquatic gardens.

 

Distribution:

Common in fresh-water habitats worldwide.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

11

29

Number of Species

407

>5000

 

 

2. Neoptera (Neo=New,�� Ptera= wing)� Refers to more derived structure of wings that allow them to fold over abdomen in a resting position.� Wing muscles are attached to the thoracic terga.

 

a.                    Major Divisions

1.              Exopterygota- Wings develop as bud on outside of body cavity (incomplete metamorphosis)

2.              Endopterygota � Wings develop as buds inside body (complete metamorphosis)

 

b.�������� Neopterous Exopterygota

HAVE CHEWING MOUTHPARTS �No beak-like modifications��

Aquatic ancestral group

  • Plecoptera� (stone flies)*
  • Embioptera (web spinners)

Orthopteroid Orders

Terrestrial

�        Dermaptera* (earwigs)

�        Grylloblatodea (rock crawlers)

�        Phasmotodea* (walking sticks)

�        Orthoptera*�� (grasshoppers, crickets and katydids)

Dictyopterous (produce eggs in cases, like mantids and cockroaches)

�        Mantodea* (Mantids)

�        Blattodea*� (Cockroaches)

�        Isoptera*��� (Termites)

*= commonly encountered or problematic in ornamental systems.

 

c.�� Hemipteroid Neopterous Exopterygota

WITH� BEAK (ROSTRUM)� AND/ �� USUALLY� SUCKING MOUTHPARTS

 

�                    Psocoptera- book lice�

�        Pthiraptera- Wingless lice

�        Suborder Mallophaga � chewing lice

�        Suborder Anoplura � sucking lice��

�        Thysanoptera - thrips

�        Hemiptera � True bugs

�        Suborder Heteroptera �plant and predaceous bugs��

�        Suborder Homoptera- leaf hoppers, aphids cicadas and more����

 

C. Neopterous Exopterygota

 

1. Plecoptera- Stoneflies (folded= skin, ptera-wings)

�

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Elongate narrow to stout insects
  • Fore and hind wings membranous.
  • Adults have multisegmented cerci
  • Chewing mouthparts

 

Guild:

Adults are decomposers.� Immatures are aquatic.� Some feed on aquatic plants.� May be a potential pest of pond plants� Not reported yet.�

 

Where found:

Adults attracted to lights at night.� Need water.� Good bait for fishing�

Distribution:

Common in and around fast-moving streams in temperate and boreal climates.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

10

15

Number of Species

465

>2000

 

 

Orthopteroid Orders (Orthos= straight, Ptera= wing) Refers to straight position of fore-wings.

 

1.� Dermaptera- Earwigs (Derma= skin, ptera-wings) refers to texture of the front wings.

�

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Elongate narrow insects
  • Wings reduced or absent.
  • Unjointed cerci, used in defense and to cut plant tissue
  • Chewing mouthparts

 

Guild:

Omnivorous.� Generally decomposers, though can be thought of as defoliatiors because of their tendency to feed on thin leafed perennials (hostas, and flowers).�

 

Where found:

Found in moist dark areas during the day.� Will forage at night.� Smooth elongate form allows them to inhabit rather cracks and crevices.� Accumulate under boards and in mulch.� Keep this in mind when mulching thin-leafed perennials.

Distribution:

Common and widely distributed throughout the world.   Largest diversity is found in the tropics and subtropics.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

4

10

Number of Species

20

~1800

 

2.� Phasmotodea�� (Phasm= phantom) refers to ghost-like or cryptic appearance of these insects.

Identifying Characteristics of adults:

 

  • Wings reduced or absent
  • Very Elongate body.
  • Prothorax very much shorter than meso or metathroax
  • Chewing mouthparts

 

 

Guild:

Defoliators

�

Where found:

Occasionally the walkingstick (Diapheromera femorata) will defoliate deciduous trees and shrubs in the Lake States. Parasites and dry weather during egg hatch. usually keep this pest from becoming a problem.� This group of defoliators is far more diverse and numerous in the tropics.

Distribution:

Common in tropical and subtropical climates where they are found living on their host plants.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

2

3

Number of Species

32

>2500

 

 

Link with good photos

http://www.ifrance.com/phasme/anglais/ahtml/angdiapherF.htm

Link with more pest information

http://www.pma.edmonton.ab.ca/natural/insects/projects/stickins.htm

 

Distribution:

Common in tropical and subtropical climates where they are found living on their host plants.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

2

3

Number of Species

32

>2500

 

 

3.� Orthoptera�� (Orthos= straight, Ptera= wing) Refers to straight position of fore-wings.

 

This large order includes grasshoppers, katydids, crickets and mole crickets..� Most are herbivorous, many are omnivorous.

 

Identifying Characteristics of adults:

 

  • Leathery Forewings are have parallel veins that appear in straight lines
  • Elongate body.
  • Many posses stridulatory organs that make sounds used in courtship
  • Chewing mouthparts

Guild:

Defoliators and Decomposers (grasshoppers, crickets), Decomposers, crickets,� Others injure twigs when laying eggs in stems (Katydids, Tree Crickets). Root feeders (Mole crickets).

�

Where found:

In vegetation, and leaf litter.� This order is usually of minor importance to ornamentals, with grasshoppers occasionally feeding on leaves of perennials and flowers, and grass.� Mole crickets can be a real problem in golf courses in the southern US as they dig in the soil feeding on plant roots.

 

Distribution:

Common and abundant throughout the world

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

11

28

Number of Species

1,080

>20,000

 

 

Dictyopterous (egg case producing) Orthopteroid orders

1. Blattodea� (Blatta = cockroach)

 

Identifying Characteristics of adults:

 

  • Leathery Forewings are have parallel veins that appear in straight lines
  • Elongate flattened body.
  • Legs built to run
  • Chewing mouthparts
  • Lay several eggs in a large, often bean shaped case.

 

Guild:

Decomposers and carnivores (the tendency toward cannibalism selects for fast runners and good hiders)

�

Where found:

Members of this order are built to run fast in and hide in tight places.� Many are nocturnal. These are found in leaf litter out doors and in dwellings.�

Distribution:

Common throughout most of the world, most abundant in tropical and subtropical climates.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

5

5

Number of Species

50

~4000

Cockroach Picture Gallery (University of Nebraska)

 

2. Mantodea (Mantis = insects)� Mantids

 

Identifying Characteristics of adults:

 

  • Leathery Forewings are have parallel veins that appear in straight lines
  • Forelegs modified for grasping
  • Large Eyes for hunting
  • Chewing mouthparts
  • Lay many eggs in a large foamy egg cages

 

Guild:

Generalist predators

�

Where found:

Members of this order are generalist feeders and often found in foliage of trees, and shrubs.� Very diverse group with interesting mimickry in tropics.� Not a substantial source of biological control in temperate North America.

Distribution:

Common in tropical and subtropical climates.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

1

8

Number of Species

20

~1800

 

�

3.� Isoptera-Termites ( Iso= Equal, Ptera- Wing)� Refers to relative size of adult forewing and hind wings.

 

These insects are social with individuals belonging to various morphological casts.� Each caste has its own function.� Primary reproductives are the only ones who mate. The female primary reproductive is the queen.

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Elongate body
  • Adult winged primary reproductives have equal sized membranous fore and hind wings
  • Wingless secondary reproductives help care for young
  • Wingless white immature workers live underground or in moist areas.
  • Wingless soldiers with heavily sclerotized mouth parts and large head capsules defend the colony
  • Chewing mouthparts.
  • Egg case characteristic is lost���

 

 

Guild:

Generally decomposers.� Endosymbionts allow them to completely consume wood. If wood is place in the ground in Eastern North America it will eventually be colonized by either termites or carpenter ants.�

 

Where found:

Found in moist wood of structures and trees in North America.� Infested wood in trees and homes contain mud tunnels and is completely consumed, (unlike carpenter ants that leave behind the xylem tissue).� Problematic in outdoor landscapes in the following areas

�        Untreated/treated wood decking placed in ground.

�        Mulching too close to wood frame of house.

�        Old trees

 

Distribution:

Extremely common in tropical and subtropical climates.   Generally less abundant in temperate regions.

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

4

7

Number of Species

44

~2300

 

�

Life history of Subterranean Termite (Rhinotermes) (representative of Eastern N. America) Life histories vary in dry and tropical areas.

Subterranean termites take about 4 years to produce new primary reproductives.� Swarming of reproductives occurs on warm days in spring.� At this time new queens establish new colonies.� Development of eggs into specific castes is determined by insect growth regulators and pheromones.� Endosymbionts that allow digestion of wood are transferred from the fecal mater of one individual to the mouth of another by a process known as anal tropholaxis.� Most of colony lives underground, as exoskeleton of all but primary reproductives.�� .

.

�

 

Timothy Miles Urban Entomology Program with termite pix

http://www.utoronto.ca/forest/termite/termite.htm

 

****************End of slides for Lecture 5**********************************************************

***************************************Start Slides for Lecture 6**************************************

 

c.�� Hemipteroid Neopterous Exopterygota

WITH� BEAK (ROSTRUM)� AND/ �� USUALLY� SUCKING MOUTHPARTS

 

�                    Psocoptera- book lice�

�        Pthiraptera- Wingless lice

�        Suborder Mallophaga � chewing lice

�        Suborder Anoplura � sucking lice��

�        Thysanoptera - thrips

�        Hemiptera � True bugs

�        Suborder Heteroptera �plant and predaceous bugs��

�        Suborder Homoptera- leaf hoppers, aphids cicadas and more����

 

 

 

1.� Psocoptera- Barklice and booklice� (Psoco= to rub away or gnaw, ptera-wings)

�

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Small insects with large head and swollen clypeus (=fat lip)
  • Maxilla modified into slender rod.
  • Collar-like prothorax
  • Chewing mouthparts

 

Guild:

Decomposers.� Chew on flakes of bark and lichen�

 

Where found:

Found on twigs. Produce webs.� Will occasionally web tree tunks,� More problematic I south (FLA).

�Recently I collected a branch from a flowering pear tree located in a home landscape about 20 miles south of Cincinnati.� The branch had distinct webbing particularly between the branch and the the spur-type flower buds.� I also noted grayish colored psocids inside the webbing.� I counted about 8 total psocids on a branch about 4 ft long.� All the lower limbs, or those visible from the ground, had the webbing and psocids.� Recent accounts of this have been submittted by several ornaent contributors from southern states, however, it apparently occurs here in the mid-west as well. � 7/2/02

David Held , KY

 

Univ California Berkely Virtual Bug Collection:

http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/insectBasics/basics.html

�see book-lice

Distribution

 

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

22

35

Number of Species

245

~3200

 

2.� Pthiraptera-�� Lice (Pthir =� Lice�� Aptera= wingless)

Suborders:

Mallophaga (Mallo=wool, phaga=eat)Chewing Lice

Anoplura� (Anopl=unarmed, ura=tail) - Sucking Lice

 

 

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Wingless, adapted to ectoparasitic life history
  • Mallophaga have chewing mouthparts
  • Anoplura have piercing sucking mouthparts

 

Guild:

Ectoparasites.� No ornamental importance.

 

Where found:

Mallophaga attack mammals (1 tarsal claw), and Birdlice have 2 tarsal claws

Anoplura- Sucking Lice

Sucking habit� allows transmission of disease typhus and rickettsia (by body louse pediculus humanus (corporea), head louse = peduculus humanus capitis, pubic louse = pthirus pubis).

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

17

26

Number of Species

1000

~5500

 

�

3.� Thysanoptera- Thrips�� (Thysanos =� Fringed�� Ptera= winged)

Note: Thrips is plural and singular. There is no animal called a �thrip�.�

 

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Minute slender bodied insects
  • Fringed wings
  • Rasping sucking mouthparts�
  • Form a semi-pupa

 

Guild:

Suborder Terebrantia distort or discolor leaves and flowers.� Suborder tubulifera is predaceous.� Many are omnivorous.

 

Where found:

Thigmotactic, in flower buds, on leaves, in soil.�� Western flower thrips transmits disease and is a key pest of ornamentals greenhouses.�

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

5

8

Number of Species

694

>4500

 

4. Hemiptera

A. Suborder Heteroptera True bugs (Hetero= Different, Ptera=winged) (Lacebugs, Wheel bugs Assassin bugs and others.

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Part of forewing thickened or leathery, tips are membranous
  • Wings held flat over body
  • Piercing sucking mouthparts�
  • Antenna is slender with visible segments
  • Triangular scutellum (dorsal plate) located behind prothorax

 

Guild:

Discolor or disfigure leaves, Produce some tar-like excrement, Predators, Terrestrial and Aquatic�

 

Where found:

This diverse order includes a broad range of sucking insects that feed on plants.� Key pests include lacebugs, honeylocust plant bug, 4-lined plant bug and others. Some may vector disease.� Other members of this group is predacous, including Assassin bugs, and Ambush bugs.����

Distribution

 

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

40

73

Number of Species

3587

>50,000

 

B.                                                                                   Suborder Homoptera -Cicadas, leaf hoppers, aphids, psyllids, scale insects etc. �( Homo=Whole,� Ptera= winged)

 

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Forewing and hindwing is membranous
  • Wings held rooflike over body (when present)
  • Piercing sucking mouthparts�
  • Antenna is seta, or spine- like

 

Guild:

Discolor or disfigure leaves, Produce waxy and/or honeydew type excrement, Gall formers, Root feeders

 

Where found:

Very diverse group. Mostly found on plants.� Very important pest group.� Aphids, scales, mealybugs, psyllid, cicada, potato leafhoppers� to name a few.� Can transmit disease.

 

Distribution:

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

38

60

Number of Species

6359

>32,000

 

 

Holometabolus Endopterygota

 

Holometabolous species (Complete metamorphosis) (Most with Wings)

 

Endopterygota � 85% of all extant species have complete metamorphosis.� This adaptation allows adults and larvae to exploit 2 entirely different habitats. (Mosquitos= huma nblood as adults, on algae and other insects as aquatic immatures, Japanese beetles feed on leaves and adults and turf roots as immatures.

 

Neuroptera

Coleoptera

�

Diptera -- true flies *

Mecoptera -- scorpionflies

Siphonaptera -- fleas� (can transmit diseases such as the plague)

Trichoptera -- caddisflies (good fish food/ bait and scaly wings are predecessor to Lepidoptera)

Lepidoptera -- butterflies and moths*

Hymenoptera�ants, wasps, and bees*

�

 

 

1. Neuroptera� (Nerve winged) lacewings, antlions, and dobsonflies, mantidflies*

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Forewing and hindwing are membranous with well developed �net-veined wings�
  • Adults have chewing mouthparts.
  • Mandibles of some larvae are long and sickle like�

 

 

Guild:

Beneficial Predators

 

Where found:

Terrestrials include important predators of ornamental pests including green and brown lacewings, and dusty wings. Antlions make curious funnel shaped tunnels that trap ants

Dobson flies have aquatic nymphs that are important predators.�

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

15

21

Number of Species

349

~5,500

 

 

  1. Coleoptera � (Coleo= Sheath Ptera= wing)� beetles and weevils

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Forewing hardened into sheath called an elytra
  • Adults and larvae have chewing mouthparts.
  • Range in size from large to small
  • Weevils have elongated mouth or rostrum, giving them the appearance of having long snouts.
  • Larvae can be �C�shaped grub (scarabs),� Slender long-legged active crawlers (ground, leaf, and lady beetles), or Slender short-legged and sclerotized (wireworms).

 

 

Guild:

Very diverse group: Defoliators, Leaf miners, stem and trunk borers, root feeders, Pollen feeders, Beneficial Predators, Decomposers

 

Where found:

Just about anywhere including water.� Ornamental pests range from leaf feeders and root feeders ( Japanese beetles) to borers (Elm bark beetle, Bronze birch borer) and leaf miners (Black locust leaf miner), and seed feeders (weevils).

Beneficial species include a wide range of generalist and specialist predators, especially lady beetles, and ground beetles.

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

112

166

Number of Species

23,592

>300,000

 

 

3. Diptera � (Di = two, Ptera = wing) true flies *

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Mouthparts variable, adapted for piercing �sucking (mosquitos), cutting sponging (horse flies), and sponging (house flies).� Larvae chew in many ways.
  • One pair of membranous wings on mesothorax (forewing). The hind wings are reduced to nubs, called halteres.
  • Antennae can be long and body slender in the gnat-type flies.
  • Antennae can be� a bristle, and the body stout in the housefly type flies.

 

Guild:

Very diverse group: Leaf distorter and discolorers, Gall makers,� Leaf miners, stem and trunk borers, root feeders,� Beneficial Predators, Beneficial parasites. Beneficial pollinators.� Decomposers. Ability to transmit disease among mammals (Malaria, West Nile Virus) make this a very important to public health.

 

 

Where found:

Just about anywhere including water.�

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

108

130

Number of Species

16,914

~98,500

 

 

�

 

4. Siphonaptera� (Siphon= tube, aptera= wingless).

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Very small
  • Wings absent
  • Chewing mouthparts adapted to piercing flesh and sucking blood of mammals and birds.
  • Body flattened laterally and covered with bristles.

 

Guild:

Adapted to piercing flesh and sucking blood.�

 

 

Where found:

Adults suck blood.

Larvae feed on organic debris, primarily adult flea feces.� Can take up residence in backyard feeding on wild furry mammals, then moving on to pets.�

 

��Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

7

16

Number of Species

325

~2,380

 

5.� Lepidoptera -- (Lepido =Scaly, Ptera=Wings)� Butterflies and moths

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Scaly wings
  • Adults have siphonous mouth parts and are adapted to� feed on pollen and nectar
  • Caterpillar immatures
    • have chewing mouthparts feeding on plant tissue (mostly)
    • Have up to 5 pairs of prolegs (stubs emerging from abdomen that function as legs)
  • Moths and Butterflies (an artificial classification) may be separated as follows:
    • Moths-� Feathery antennae, night flyers (can be dull or bright colored)
    • Butterflies �Hooked or nobbed antennae, day flyers (can be bright colored)

 

Guild:

Defoliators, Leaf miners, borers, root feeders , fruit feeders, predators (very rare).

 

Where found:

Terrestrial.� Many pests are of critical importance to the nursery industry

 

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

75

135

Number of Species

11,286

>112,000

 

6. Hymenoptera�(Hymen= membrane, Ptera= wing) ants, wasps, and bees

Identifying Characteristics

 

  • Chewing mouthparts
  • 2 pairs of membranous wings
  • Ants, bees, and wasps, have junction between thorax and abdomen constricted (Apocrita)
  • Sawflies and horntails have a broad junction between the thorax and abdomen� (Symphyta)
  • Larvae can be legless as in bees, and social wasps, or legged, as in sawflies.
    • Sawfly larvae have 6 or more pairs of prolegs�

 

 

Guild:

Defoliators, Leaf miners, borers, root feeders , fruit feeders, benefical as predators , parasites, pollinators,

 

Where found:

Terrestrial.� Many pests are of critical importance to the nursery industry. Benefits are also of critical importance.

 

Distribution

 

North America

Worldwide

Number of Families

70

90

Number of Species

17,777

103,000

 

Review Exercises:

1.�� Give an example of a Ametabolous, Hemi-metabolous and Holometabolous insect.��� How does this characteristic affect the range of habitat an insect can use?

2.�� Which orders are holometabolous?

3.� Which order includes only those insects that suck on plant sap?

3.�� What is a feeding guild?� Give one example from 3 trophic levels.

4.��� What does �ptera� mean?��

5.�� Give the order name for each of the following wing descriptions:

����������� a.� Two wing

����������� b.� Membranous wing

����������� c.� Half wing

����������� d. Straight-veined wing

����������� e.� Sheath- wing

����������� f. Nerve Wing

����������� g� Short lived (ephemeral) winged insect

����������� h.� Folded wing

����������� i.�� Equal wing

����������� j.�� Scaled wing

6.� List the 3 orders that have the most described species in order of their abundance:� Why are they all holometabolous (see question 1)?