Class: Insecta

 Head + thorax + abdomen

 One pair of antennae
 Adults may have wings on thorax
 Thorax with 6 walking legs
 Pests, predators, or benign to horticultural crops
Part 1: Collembola‡, Dermaptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera*,
Homoptera*, Isoptera‡, Odonata, Orthoptera, Thysanoptera*
Part 2: Insect orders with complete metamorphosis:
Coleoptera, Diptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Neuroptera
Part 3: Self Test – identify the insects to order
‡ Not tested in Apprenticeship or in HORT 1217.
* Note that some newer resources may now include Homoptera and Thysanoptera as suborders
of Heteroptera or refer to all three orders as belonging to the “Hemipteroid Assemblage”.
Insecta (subphylum Hexapoda)
Insect Orders s © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Collembola‡

 Springtails
 No metamorphosis: E, P >> A
 Chewing mouthparts concealed in head
 Antennae variable: and with 4-6 segments
 Abdomen with fork-like tail and clasp
 Wings absent
 Small (most < 2 mm)
 Found in soil, duff, growing media

‡ Not tested in Apprenticeship or in HORT 1217

Collembola
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Collembola ‡ : springtails
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Collembola ‡ : springtails
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Dermaptera

 Earwigs
 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A
 Chewing mouthparts
 Antennae thread-like (filiform)
 Tip of abdomen with large pincers (forceps-like cerci)
 +/- wings (forewings short and leathery)
 Small to medium (5-25 mm)
 Soil, duff, foundations, on plants, in fruit

Dermaptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Dermaptera: earwigs
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Ephemeroptera
 Mayflies
 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A#
 Mouthparts chewing on larvae & absent on adults
 Antennae small and bristle-like (setaceous)
 Elongate abdomen; tip with 2-3 caudal filaments
 Forewings triangular & 2-3x size of hind wings
 Adults with conspicuous abdominal appendages for
balance on water
 Small to quite long (5-35 mm)
 Aquatic (naiads); adults in wet areas & short lived
Ephemeroptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Ephemeroptera: mayfly
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Ephemeroptera: mayfly nymphs
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Hemiptera
 True bugs
 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A
 Piercing-sucking ‘beak’ (originates on anterior of
head and folded under abdomen - opisthognathous)
 Antennae variable, most with 4-5 segments
 forewings modified to hemelytra (half leathery)
 Hind wings entirely membranous
 Wings form a triangular pattern on scutellum
 Very small (< 1 mm) to large (> 3 cm)
 Many habitats; very few are major plant pests
Hemiptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: Dicyphus hesperus: predatory on whitefly, spidermite, and aphids
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: lacebug
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: lygus bug
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: stink bug and western conifer seed bug
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: Podisus maculiventris (predatory)
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: egg hatching
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Hemiptera: Macrolophus caliginosus (predator of whitefly)
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Homoptera*
 Aphids, scales, cicadas, leafhoppers, etc.
 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A; (scale incomplete)
 piercing-sucking ‘beak’ but head orientation varies
 Antennae variable; usually setaceous
 Abdomen appendages: aphids have cornicles
 Most: four uniform membranous wings; variable
 Most small to medium (1-15 mm); cicadas big
 Habitat variable; many important plant pests and no
beneficial species
* Note that some newer resources may now include Homoptera and Thysanoptera as suborders
of Heteroptera or refer to all three orders as belonging to the “Hemipteroid Assemblage”.

Homoptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: aphids
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: cicadas
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: whitefly
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: mealybug
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: psyllid nymphs found on Acuba japonica
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: scale
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Homoptera: leafhopper
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Isoptera‡

 Termites
 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A
 Chewing mouthparts
 Antennae straight, bead-like (moniliform)
 Abdominal-thoracic connection is broad
 +/- 4 wings (all similar in size)
 Small to medium (5-20 mm), different castes
 Rotting wood, soil, foundations

‡ Not tested in Apprenticeship or in HORT 1217

Isoptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Isoptera ‡ : termite
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Odonata

 Dragonflies and damselflies

 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A
 Chewing mouthparts on larvae & adults
 Antennae small & bristle-like (setaceous)
 Abdomen long & slender
 Four large wings, about equal is size, many cross
veins
 Large insects: most 15-100 mm
 Aquatic predaceous naiads; adults in wet areas

Odonata
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 nymph head

Odonata: dragonflies
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Orthoptera

 Grasshoppers & crickets

 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N#, A
 Chewing mouthparts
 Antennae thread-like (filiform)
 Large hind legs (especially the femora); +/- cerci
 Leathery forewings hide membranous ones +/-
 Relatively large insects (10-100 mm)
 Terrestrial plant feeders

Orthoptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Orthoptera: grasshopper
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Orthoptera: grasshopper
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
Orthoptera: cricket
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Thysanoptera*

 Thrips
 Gradual metamorphosis: E, N1, N2, PP1, PP2, A
 Rasping-sucking, asymmetrical mouthparts
 Antennae bead-like (moniliform)
 Abdomen torpedo shaped; no appendages
 Wings (+/-) large & feathery (long hairs)
 Very small insects (< 3 mm long)
 Habitat: on plants (a few are predators of other thrips)
* Note that some newer resources may now include Homoptera and Thysanoptera as suborders
of Heteroptera or refer to all three orders as belonging to the “Hemipteroid Assemblage”.

Thysanoptera
Insect Orders © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture
 Thrips on a magnolia flower

Part 2: Insect orders with

Thysanoptera: thrips complete metamorphosis
Insect Orders Click here to continue © Kwantlen.ca/Horticulture