Entomology 101Jason J. Dombroskie

Manager, Cornell U. Insect CollectionCoordinator, Insect Diagnostic Lab

jjd278@cornell.eduThis material can only be used for CCE MGV audiences.

Outline

• What is an insect?

• Anatomy

• Life cycles

• Diversity

• Major orders

• Herbivory

Corydalus cornutus

Cornell U. Insect Collection

• > 7 million specimens

• ~200 000 species

• worldwide coverage

• http://cuic.entomology.cornell.edu/

• on facebook

Insect Diagnostic Lab

• ~700 IDs per year

• 10-20 000 IDs for NYS Dept. Ag. & Markets

• occasionally IDs can be made from a photo

• mostly local, but some submissions worldwide

• $25 fee

• http://entomology.cornell.edu/IDL

Arthropods

Regier, et al. 2005

What is an insect?

• 3 main body parts

• 6 jointed legs

• 1 pair of antennae

• compound eyes

• usually some sort of metamorphosis

Booneacris glacialis

Head

• antennae

• mouthparts

• compound eyes

• ocelli

Monochamus scutellatus Popillia japonica

Tetanocera sp. Antheraea polyphemus

labrum

mandible

maxilla

labium

wikim

edia

com

mo

ns

Polygonia progne

Corydalus cornutus

Aedes sp.

Hybomitra zonalis

Monochamus notatus Aeshna canadensis

Isoptera Darapsa myron

Thorax

• six legs

• four wings or less

• muscular

Am

ateur En

tom

olo

gists’ Society

Limenitis archippus

Lethocerus americanus

Zeugomantispa minuta

Machimus sp. with Herpetogramma pertextalis

wikim

edia

com

mo

ns

Tipula apicalis

Cybister fimbriolatus

Elasmucha lateralis Automeris io

Abdomen

• internal organs

• genitalia

• ovipositor

Ophiogomphus rupinsulensis Lauxania shewelli

Merope tuber Adoxophyes sp.

Anabrus simplex

Bombus ternarius Megarhyssa atrata

Growth• exoskeleton• body expands after moult, then

hardens• each moult is called an instar• all moulting is done by the nymph

or larva• adult insects do not moult,

therefore do not grow• adult structures are present in the

immatures as either pads or imaginal discs

Acrididae

Incomplete Metamorphosis

Complete Metamorphosis

Breathing

• spiracles, tiny holes on side of body

• connect up to tracheae

Smerinthus jamaicensis

Insect Diversity

• Over 1 million described species (>65% animal diversity)

• 3-8 million species total

• Well over 16 000 species in NY State

Eucatocha ?barberi

• sucking mouthparts

• Heteroptera

– with hemelytra

– beak with jointed sheath

• “Homoptera”

– both wings similar in texture

– beak slender, unjointed

Bugs: Hemiptera

Tibicen canicularis Macrosiphum sp.

Anthocoris melanocerus Banasa dimidiata

• one of the big four, may be most diverse group

• adults with elytra

• diverse in form

Beetles: Coleoptera

Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus

Ontholestes cingulatus Pyractomena sp.

Evodinus monticola Chrysomela scripta

• single pair of wings

• second pair modified to halteres

• most diverse group in northern areas

• diverse habits

Flies: Diptera

Ctenophora dorsalis

Systoechus candidulus

Tabanus lineola group

Eutreta sp.

Aedes sp.

• scaly wings

• nearly all phytophagous as larvae

• adults usually with proboscis, feed on fluids

• “Microlepidoptera” most diverse

Moths & Butterflies:Lepidoptera

Prochoreutis inflatella

?Dejongia lobidactylusSatyrium acadicum

Antheraea polyphemus Synchlora aerata

• may be most diverse group, esp. parasitoids

• “Symphyta” - sawflies

– thick waist

– caterpillar-like larvae, herbivores

• Apocrita - others

– wasp-waist

– grub-like larvae, various foods

Ants, Bees, Wasps, & Sawflies:Hymenoptera

Dolerus unicolor Diprion similis

Augochlorposis metallica Diplolepis rosae

Herbivore sign

• external feeders– large herbivores

– skeletonizers

– sap feeders

• shelter builders

• mobile shelter builders

• leafminers

• galls

• borers

Neodiprion lecontei

Oligiocentria lignicolor Nematus calais

Blepharida rhois Melanoplus femurrubrum

Bucculatrix canadensisella

Paraclemensia acerifoliella Caliroa sp.

Pyrrhalta viburni

Corythuca cydoniae Aleyrodidae

Aphrophoridae Coccus sp.

Clepsis melaleucana Acrobasis rubrifasciella

Malacosoma americanum Erynnis icelus

Lilioceris lilii Cryptocephalinae

Psyche castaColeophora deauratella

Cameraria sp. Dibolia borealis

Phytomyza aquilegivora Metallus sp.

Diastrophus sp.

Epiblema scudderiana Adelges ?lariciatus

Rhabdophaga strobiloides

Bruchinae

Cerambycidae

Papaipema leucostigma

Tremex columba