Entomology Review or What’s that Bug?

Lady Beetle larvae pillbugs (crustaceans) spiders, ticks, and snails (molluscs) Not all “bugs” are insects.

spiders (arachnids) centipedes (chilopods)

mites (arachnids) millipedes (diplopods) Remember this?

Phylum: Arthropoda Arthropoda

Class: Insecta Arachnida

Order: Diptera Araneae

Family: Muscidae Theridiidae

Genus: Musca Latrodectus

Species: domestica hesperus

Common name: house fly black widow Arachnids: spiders, ticks, scorpions, mites

cephalothorax two main body regions - (head and thorax fused together) abdomen four pairs of jointed legs no antennae

simple eyes no wings Arachnids • Spiders and their Kin Spiders Ticks Scorpions Mites • Spiders are mostly beneficial

Insect Characteristics Three Distinct Body Regions: Head, Thorax, Abdomen

Antennae - One Pair Jointed Legs - Three Pairs Wings - None, One or Two Pairs Undergoes Metamorphosis piercing-sucking mouthparts

chewing mouthparts

siphoning Common Insect Orders

Orthoptera - crickets, grasshoppers

Hemiptera - true bugs

Homoptera - aphids, scale, hoppers

Lepidoptera - butterflies, moths

Coleoptera - beetles, weevils

Characterized by: Diptera - flies, mosquitoes

Mouthparts Hymenoptera - bees, ants

Type of legs, wings, antenna

Metamorphosis

ORTHOPTERA - grasshoppers, locusts, crickets, mantids, cockroaches

Gradual metamorphosis, chewing mouth parts

Moderate to large, hard-bodied adults with two pairs of wings. Front wings are hard, leathery

Nymphs resemble adults, except for being wingless. Both adults & nymphs cause damage. HEMIPTERA - true bugs Recognized by triangle on back

Gradual metamorphosis, Piercing-sucking mouthparts in nymphs (immatures) and adults

Harlequin Bug HOMOPTERA -aphids, scales, leafhoppers, cicadas, whiteflies, mealybugs

Gradual metamorphosis, piercing- sucking mouthparts in nymphs (immatures) and adults

Small, soft-bodied insects, except for cicadas

Aphids HOMOPTERA

Mealybugs are considered a type of scale. They are oval, segmented, and covered with wax.

Scales may be small, round or football- shaped, and armored (California red scale) or soft-bodied (cottony cushion scale). HOMOPTERA -aphids, scales, leafhoppers, cicadas, whiteflies, mealybugs

Whitefles are tiny sap-suckers found in vegetables, ornamentals, and citrus trees.

Leafhoppers feed on undersides of leaves, transmit virus diseases. Hosts are: beans, cucurbits, potatoes, eggplants, grapes, and apples Butterflies & Moths: Lepidoptera

• Complete metamorphosis • Larva are caterpillars • 4 wings, often showy • Adults are nectar feeders Moth vs. Butterfly Moth • Antennae are feathery or wiry • Wings at rest – out-stretched, folded or angled • Day & night Butterfly • Antennae end in a club • Wings at rest out-stretched or held vertically • Day-time only

LEPIDOPTERA - butterflies, moths

Complete metamorphosis

Larvae - chewing Mouthparts Adults - siphoning

Larvae are worm-like, voracious feeders with prolegs Adults are soft-bodied with two on abdomen and thorax. pairs of membranous wings covered with small scales. LEPIDOPTERA - butterflies, moths

Leaf-eating caterpillars (tomato hornworm, armyworms, loopers) chew irregular holes. Many small caterpillars roll leaves to form shelters. Beetles = Coleoptera

• More Beetle species than all other animals • Hard “shelled” forewing • Vegetarians, predators, scavengers & parasites COLEOPTERA - beetles, weevils

Complete metamorphosis

Chewing Mouthparts (adults and larva)

Larvae (grubs, wireworms, borers) have head capsule COLEOPTERA - beetles, weevils

Adults have two pairs of wings. Horny, leathery front wings (elytra) cover membranous hind wings underneath, used for flying. COLEOPTERA - beetles, weevils

Lady beetles (ladybugs) are beneficials

Flea beetles, wireworms (click beetle larvae), cucumber beetles, vegetable weevils, and green fruit beetles are common pests in California home vegetable gardens Flies & Mosquitoes - Diptera Only 2 wings (1 pair) Mouth parts adapted for sucking or piercing & sucking Complete metamorphsis DIPTERA - flies, mosquitoes, gnats, midges

Important garden and agricultural pests include the cabbage maggot, onion maggot, apple maggot, walnut husk fly, fruit flies, and leafminers

apple maggot onion maggot

walnut husk fly cabbage maggot Hymenoptera: Ants, Wasps, Bees, Sawflies

• Narrow waists • Chewing mouthparts • Complete metamorphosis • Can have up to 2 pairs of membranous wings HYMENOPTERA - bees, wasps, ants, sawflies

Many species are beneficial, are parasites, natural enemies or biological control agents of many pest insects

HYMENOPTERA - bees, wasps, ants, sawflies

Pear sawfly larvae Leafcutter wasp

Rose sawfly damage

Raspberry horntail WHAT IF YOU DON’T SEE A BUG? Symptoms or signs of insect attack: Chewed foliage or fruit Symptoms or signs of insect attack: bleached, stippled or mined leaves

Grape leafhopper Symptoms or signs of insect attack: distortion (swelling, twisting, cupping) of plant parts Symptoms or signs of insect attack: Dieback of twigs, stems or plant

Peach tree borer Symptoms or signs of insect attack: presence of insect-related debris

frass

sooty mold So What’s that Bug? Red-humped caterpillar Bark Beetle Spider mites – not visible to the naked eye, look for webbing, suck juices from plants Stink bugs attack stone fruits, broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes. They give off an offensive odor when disturbed. Centipede: not an insect, but a general predator of insects Curled, distorted leaves and sticky honeydew exudates on leaves are strong signs of aphid infestation. Tomato Hornworm: voracious muncher of leaves Lygus bugs attack beans, strawberries and orchard crops. Assassin Bug: eats beetles, caterpillars, hornworms & other insects Syrphid fly larvae are important predators of aphids & scales Earwig, chews flowers & fruit, can also be beneficial predator by eating insects & larvae Walnut Husk Fly: 2 wings, compound eyes Codling Moth: larvae are “worm” in the center of apples & pears, look for stings, remove overwintering pupae Lacewing: good bug, preys on aphids and whiteflies Cucumber beetle: bad bug, eats crops & foliage Scales: suck plant juices under their covering