Introduction to Entomology Chris Ebling Texas Master Naturalist © Christopher Ebling 2018. All rights reserved. Any redistribution or reproduction of part or all of the contents in any form is prohibited. You may, with expressed written permission of the author, reproduce, extract portions of, and/or reuse the content for educational purposes only, provided that you credit the author as the source of the material. 1 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Human Attitudes “Good Insects” “Bad Insects” Butterflies Wasps Ladybugs Mosquitos Caterpillars Flies Damselflies Fleas Crickets Ants Termites Bedbugs ... Are you fearful of some insects? Why? © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. The Evil June Bug Hell on Wings Photo: Thomas Hovie3 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Topics Why study insects? History Classification Insect lifecycle & morphology Insect orders & identification Insect collection and preservation 4 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Why Study Insects? Insects represent an estimated 95% of species on Earth 91,000 species described in the U.S. alone Estimate 70,000 yet to be described in the U.S. You may be able to name an insect species! Insects represent an estimated 20% of all animal biomass on Earth Insects have altered the course of human history Insects provide valuable ecosystem services Insects cause major economic loss Insects are vectors of disease 5 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insects and Human History Impacts on Human Population Centers Bubonic Plague Impacts on Military Campaigns Losses from insect-borne diseases turned back Napoleon in Syria, Egypt, the Caribbean, and Russia Innovation Paper wasps inspired French naturalist Rene Antoine Ferchault de Reaumer to suggest the use of wood as a papermaking fiber in 1719 6 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Human Disease Vector Mosquito Borne Dengue Fever West Nile Malaria Source: USDA Yellow Fever Encephalitis Sand Fly Borne Leishmaniasis Tick Borne Source: Public Library of Science Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever Lyme Disease Many infect wild and domestic animals Source: James Lindsey at Impact of Climate Change Under Study Ecology of Commanster 7 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Ecosystem Services Food Fish, Birds, Reptiles, Mammals Biological Control Fire Ant Decapitating Wasp Source: R Cauldwell Pollination $57 million in US alone Source: Wikimedia Commons Decomposition Structural Breakdown Waste Removal Source: Wikimedia Commons Nutrient Cycling Soil Formation Source: U of Maryland Ecosystem Services Emerging as Method to Assign Economic Value 8 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Forest Impacts Disease Vectors Elm Bark Beetle. Dutch Elm Disease (Direct) Source: UDSA Chestnut Blight (indirect) Leaf Damage Leaf rollers Leaf Roller Damage Source: UDSA Skeletonizers Wood Damage Borers Emerald Ash Borer Source: UDSA Budworms Galls/Cankers Acorn Weevil Fruit Damage Source: Austinbug.com Acorn Weevils 9 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Classification Source: biologycorner.com 10 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. History and Evolution First Arthropods Appeared during the Cambrian period between 500m and 600m years ago. Transitioned to a land environment between 490m and 443m years ago Source: Illinois State Museum Society First Insects Appeared during the Devonian period about 400m years ago. Most insect orders and families established during the Jurassic period between 208m and 145m years ago Source: Aerospaceweb.org 11 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Spirales Logarithmiques by 12Le Corbusier © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Bechtler Museum of Modern Art Arthropod Characteristics Arthropod means "jointed foot" all arthropods have jointed appendages Segmented body Multiple leg pairs Exoskeleton for protection & support Open circulatory system Compound eyes Wings in many groups Respiration using spiracles and trachae Class Insecta 3 body parts - head, thorax, abdomen 3 pairs of legs Wings in most All appendages attach to the thorax 13 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Lifecycle Insects go through several distinct life stages through a process called metamorphosis Instars Incomplete Metamorphosis Complete Metamorphosis Immature insects resemble adults, No pupal stage. Immature insects do not resemble adults. Pupal stage. Eg. Hemiptera Eg. Coleoptera Diagrams by Cornell University 14 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Caterpillars vs. Inchworms vs. … Identifying characteristics Prolegs Color/Patterns Presence of hairs Number of prolegs Presence of dorsal horn Larch sawfly larva Photo: Steven Katovich Butterflies & Moths - Lepidoptera 5 pair prolegs or less Hooks on prolegs Sawflies, Wasps - Hymenoptera 6 prolegs or more No hooks on prolegs Northern Pine Looper Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Bugwood.org 15 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology Source: The Robinson Library 16 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Mouth Parts Mandible Piercing-Sucking Photo by Pest and Diseases Image Library Photo by Jim Occi Used for biting and grinding solid foods Used to penetrate solid tissue and then suck up liquid food Sponging Siphoning Photo by Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Photo by James Politte Used to sponge and suck liquids. Used to suck liquids. 17 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Antennae Aristate (Diptera) Capitate (Lepidoptera) Photo by The Insects of Cedar Creek Photo by Peter Wirtz Antennae are pouch-like with a lateral bristle. Antennae are abruptly clubbed at the end. Clavate (Coleoptera) Filiform (Coleoptera, Blattaria) Photo by Ein Paradies liegt uns zu F��en - das Mostviertel Photo by Donald Duerr, USDA Forest Service Antennae are gradually clubbed at the end. Antennae have a thread-like shape 18 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Antennae Geniculate (Hymenoptera) Lamellate (Coleoptera) Photo by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Photo by Gerald J. Lenhard, Louisiana State University Antennae are hinged or bent like an elbow.. Clubbed antennae end in nested plates... Moniliform (Isoptera) Pectinate (Coleoptera) Photo by the USDA Forest Service Photo by the USDA Forest Service Antennae have a beadlike shape. Antennae have a comb-like shape. 19 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Antennae Plumose (Lepidoptera, Diptera) Serrate (Coleoptera) Photo by Gerald J. Lenhard, Louisiana State University Photo by Steve L. Brown, University of Georgia Antennae have a feather-like shape.. Antennae have a saw-toothed shape. Insect Antennae are an Excellent Identification Feature Setaceous (Odonata) Photo by Richard Seaman Antennae have a bristle-like shape.. 20 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Legs Diagram by the University of Florida 21 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Legs Very Similar. Cursorial Segments are Thinner and Longer Ambulatory (Hemiptera, Coleoptera) Cursorial (Blattaria, Coleoptera) Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA ARS Photo by Clemson University These legs are made for walkin’. Legs are modified for running. Fossorial (Othoptera, Hemiptera) Natorial (Coleoptera Hemiptera) Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA ARS Photo by Dale Parker, AquaTax Consulting Fore legs are modified for digging. Legs are modified for swimming. 22 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Legs Saltatorial (Orthoptera) Photo by Joseph Berger Raptorial (Hemiptera, Mantodea) Legs adapted for jumping. These legs are characterized by Source: Wikimedia Commons an elongated femur and tibia’. Fore legs modified for grasping (catching prey). 23 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Wings Insects have evolved many variations of wings, and an individual insect may possess more than one type of wing. Wing venation patterns are commonly used to ID insects at the family and species level Photo by Alex Wild Photo by Clemson University Some insects are unable to fold their wings. Most insects are able to fold their wings over the (Ephemeroptera and Odonata) body. 24 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Wings Membranous (Odonata, Neuropter), Diptera, Hymenoptera,Isoptera) Halteres (Diptera) Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA ARS Photo by The Insects of Cedar Creek Wings are thin and more or less transparent. Hind wings are reduced to mere nubs used for balance during flight. Elytra (All Coleoptera) Hemelytra (Hemiptera) Photo by Scott Bauer, USDA ARS Photo by Russ Ottens, University of Georgia. Hardened forewings of beetles modified to protect the hind wings when at rest. Hardened throughout the proximal two-thirds, while the distal portion is membranous.. 25 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Morphology – Wings Scales (Lepidoptera, Trichoptera) Tegmina (Orthoptera, Blattaria, Mantodea) Photo by Ronald F. Billings, Texas Forest Service Photo by The Insects of Cedar Creek Scales allow for vivid color patterns Lathery forewings that help protect the hind wings. 26 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Orders 27 © Christopher Ebling, 2012. All rights reserved. Insect Orders Coleoptera