Entomology Orders Description

Front 1

1. Antennae long, filiform
2. Front wings long and narrow; M-Cu crossveins form distinctive boxes near center of front wing
3. Hind wings shorter than front wings; basal area of hind wing enlarged and pleated
4. Cerci long, multi-segmented

Back 1

Plecoptera

Front 2

* Antennae short and bristle-like
* Front legs long and often held out in front of body
* Compound eyes large, usually covering most of the head
* Wings: four membranous wings with many veins and crossveins front wings large, triangular hind wings smaller, fan-shaped
* Abdomen slender, bearing two (or sometimes three) long terminal filaments

Back 2

Ephemeroptera

Front 3

* Antennae short and bristle-like
* Compound eyes large, often covering most of the head
* Four membranous wings with many veins and crossveins
* Base of hind wing broader than forewing
* One distinctively pigmented cell (stigma) on leading edge of wing
* Abdomen: long and slender

Back 3

Odonata

Front 4

* Antennae slender, filiform
* Pronotum oval, shield-like, covering much of head and thorax
* Legs adapted for running; tarsi 5-segmented
* Front wings thickened; hind wings membranous, pleated
* Cerci short, multi-segmented

Back 4

Blattodea

Front 5

# Body may be darkly pigmented
# Head well-developed, with chewing mouthparts and beaded antennae
# Compound eyes present

Back 5

Isoptera

Front 6

* Filiform antennae
* Head triangular with well-developed compound eyes
* Mouthparts mandibulate, hypognathous
* Prothorax elongate with large, spiny front legs adapted for catching prey
* Front wings thickened, more slender than hind wings
* Tarsi 5-segmented
* Cerci short, multi-segmented

Back 6

Mantodea

Front 7

* Antennae slender, beaded
* Mouthparts mandibulate, prognathous
* Tarsi 3-segmented
* Front wings short and leathery
* Hind wings semicircular and pleated
* Cerci enlarged to form pincers (forceps)

Back 7

Dermaptera

Front 8

* Antennae filiform
* Mouthparts mandibulate, hypognathous
* Pronotum shield like, covering much of thorax
* Front wings narrow, leathery (tegmina); hind wings fan-like
* Hind legs usually adapted for jumping (hind femur enlarged)
* Tarsi 3- or 4-segmented
* Cerci short, unsegmented

Back 8

Orthoptera

Front 9

* Antennae long, slender
* Mouthparts mandibulate, prognathous
* Body long, cylindrical
* Prothorax shorter than meso- or metathorax



* Leg segments long and slender
* Tarsi 5-segmented
* Wings often reduced or absent
* Cerci short, unsegmented

Back 9

Phasmidatodea

Front 10

* Antennae slender with 4-5 segments
* Proboscis 3-4 segmented, arising from front of head and curving below body when not in use
* Pronotum usually large, trapezoidal or rounded
* Triangular scutellum present behind pronotum
* Front wings with basal half leathery and apical half membranous (hemelytra). Wings lie flat on the back at rest, forming an "X".
* Tarsi 2- or 3-segmented

Back 10

Hemiptera

Front 11

* Antennae slender or bristle-like
* Proboscis short, arising near lower back margin of head
* Front wings, when present, uniform in texture; at rest, wings fold tent-like over the abdomen
* Tarsi 1- to 3-segmented

Back 11

Homoptera

Front 12

* Antennae filiform, stylate, or aristate
* Mouthparts suctorial (haustellate)
* Mesothorax larger than pro- or metathorax
* One pair of wings (front); hind wings reduced (halteres)
* Tarsi 5-segmented

Back 12

Diptera

Front 13

* Chewing mouthparts (sometimes located at the tip of a beak or snout)
* Front wings (elytra) are hard and serve as covers for the hind wings; meet in a line down the middle of the back
* Hind wings large, membranous, folded beneath the elytra
* Tarsi 2- to 5-segmented

Back 13

Coleoptera

Front 14

* Mouthparts form a coiled tube (proboscis) beneath the head
* Antennal type:
o Butterflies: knobbed or hooked at tip
o Moths: thread-like, spindle-shaped, or comb-like
* Front wings large, triangular; hind wings large, fan-shaped
* Body and wings covered with small, overlapping scales

Back 14

Lepidoptera