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Entomology Entomology Life Science & Study Event 2014 Forum Threads 2014 Tests There are no images available for this event Question Marathons 2014 This event was not held last year in Division B This event was not held last year in Division C Contents [hide] o o o o 1 Description 2 What is an insect? 3 General Insect Structure 3.1 Head 3.2 Thorax 3.3 General Venation 3.4 Abdomen 4 Insect Taxonomy 5 Insect Identification (Orders Only) (Format stolen from DH's Rocks&Minerals Page) 6 Binder Checklist 7 Resources 8 Good Links 9 Recommendations For Group Members Description Entomology, which is similar to the Division B event Don't Bug Me, is an event in which competitors must be able to identify insects from 30 orders (div. B and C) and 100 families (div. C only). You should have a good amount of knowledge on general insect information. To do well in this event, make sure you go beyond the rules. On most tests, questions about behavior, structure, human impact, and any characteristics of certain insects may be asked. What is an insect? Before getting into the specifics of identifying insects you have to know what an insect is. An insect is an invertebrate with several distinguishing characteristics. These include: segmented bodies with paired, many jointed legs; 3 major body sections; 6 legs; and 2 antennae. After you have identified an organism as an insect you then must classify to its order (div. B and C) and family (div. C only). General Insect Structure Head The head is the anterior oval-shaped body region that hold the antennae, eyes, and mouth parts. Insects generally have two types of eyes, simple and compound eyes. Most have three simple eyes,also known as ocelli, located on the upper front part of the head. Several insects lack ocelli or only have two. Compound eyes are situated on the upper portion of an insects head and are composed of many facets. In some insects compound eyes occupy most of the head. The antennae are usually located on the front of the head below the simple eyes. These are great for identification. Some of the types of antennae include aristate (are pouch-like with a bristle), capitate (ends in a club), clavate (saw-like), filiformis (threadlike), geniculate (elbowed), monoliform (beaded), pectinate (comb-like), plumose (feather-like shape), serrate (sawtooth shape), and setaceous (bristlelike). See [1] for pictures. The mouth parts of an insect are located on the ventral or anterior part of the head. The mouth part structures typically present are the labrum (upper lip), jaw-like mandibles, jaw-like maxillae, a labium (lower lip), and the hypopharynx which acts as a tongue. Mouth parts are generally sucking or chewing. Insects with chewing mouth parts have lateral moving mandibles and chew their food, while insects with sucking mouth parts have parts like a beak which is called the proboscis through which liquid is sucked. Diagram of head: Thorax This is the middle section of the body and is divided into 3 segments called the prothorax, mesothorax, and metathorax. Each segment bears a pair of legs, and the mesothorax and metathorax usually bear a pair of wings if the insect is not wingless. Each of the thoracic segments bear 4 groups of sclerites, or platelike areas. These are the notum (dorsally), pleuron (there's one on each side), and sternum (ventrally). These segments are then divided into even smaller segments. The wings are located dorsolaterally (they're near the top) on the mesothroax and/or the metathorax. The muscles that move wings are attached to the walls of the thorax most of the time. Insect wings vary in number, size, shape, texture, venation, and in position held at rest making them a great assist in identification. Most insect wings are membranous, though some are thickened or leathery. Some are covered in hair and others in scales. Most insects fold their wings over the abdomen at rest, but others hold them vertically over the body or hold them outstretched. Here's a picture of wing venation: General Venation See bottom of http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/tutorial/wings.html for more. Abdomen The abdomen typically consists of 11 segments, but the last segment is usually represented by appendages only. Many insects have fewer abdominal segments because of fusing of some insects. Each abdominal segment generally contains 2 sclerites (or hardened body wall plate), a dorsal tergum and ventral sternum. The terga usually extend down the sides of most segments and overlap the sterna. Most insects lack appendages on the abdomen other than at the posterior end. This appendages may be lacking or drawn into the body and hidden. When these terminal appendages are present, they usually consist of a pair of cerci, a median dorsal epiproct (appendage above anus), a pair of paraprocts (pair of lobes located below and on each side of anus), and genitalia. The anal opening is on the posterior end of the abdomen, right under the epiproct. The sexes in many groups can be identified by the genitalia at the end of the abdomen. Insect Taxonomy o Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Subphylum: Mandibulata Superclass: Hexapoda Class: Insecta Insect Identification (Orders Only) (Format stolen from DH's Rocks&Minerals Page) Insect Identification Order Name (nickname) Metamorphosis Characteristics Insect Identification Order Name (nickname) Metamorphosis Characteristics Protura (Telsontails) Simple conical head, piercing mouthparts, lacks eyes and wingless, 12 segments in abdomen, .6-1.5mm Collembola (Springtails) Simple wingless, long bodies, 4-6 abdominal segments, multicolored, tube protrudes from abdomen, microscopic Diplura (same) Simple 1-segmented tarsi, chewing mouthparts, 2 cerci on head Thysanura (Bristletails) Simple spindle shaped, flat bodies with 3 long, bristly tail like appendages Ephemeroptera (Mayflies) Simple distinguished easily by their two large, triangular wings Odanata (Dragonflies & damselflies) Simple two pairs of elongate membranous wings, compound eyes large, abdomen long and slender, antennae very short Plecoptera (Stoneflies) Simple 4 membranous wings, elongate, flattened, cerci present, long antennae, mouthparts chewing Orthoptera (Grasshoppers & crickets) Simple usually 2 pairs of wings, antennae many-segmented, cerci present, has ovipositor, FW is long, narrow, and many veined Blattodea (Roaches) Simple flattened oval bodies, long laid back antennae, wings (almost never used) Isoptera (Termites) Simple small, soft-bodies, usually pale-colored, antennae generally short and threador bead-like Dermaptera (Earwigs) Simple slender flattened bodies, large pincers at end Mallophaga (Chewing lice) Simple bristly body, toothed mandibles, small compound eyes, abdomen more wide or as wide as head Anoplura (Sucking lice) Simple flattened and wingless, sucking mouthparts, abdomen thiner than head Insect Identification Order Name (nickname) Metamorphosis Characteristics Thysanoptera (Thrips) Simple slender bodies, short antennae, short legs, feathery wings Hemiptera (True bugs) Simple FW (front wing) thickened at base and membranous at tip, HW (hind) shorter than FW, wings held flat on body, tips of FW overlap, mouthparts sucking, antennae of 5 or fewer segments (long and conspicuous or short and concealed) Homoptera (cicadas and more) Simple beak short and rising at back of head (different from Hemiptera), wings held rooflike over body, tarsi 1- to 3-segmented, antennae sometimes short and bristlike or sometimes long and threadlike Neuroptera (dobsonflies, lacewings, antlions) Complete (finally) FW and HW almost same size, four membranous wings, wings held rooflike over body at rest, wings with many veins, antennae long, cerci absent, mouthparts chewing Coleoptera (beetles) Complete FW horny or leathery, FWs meet in straight line on back, HW membranous and are usually longer than FW, wings rarely absent or reduced, antennae usually with 11 segments (sometimes with 8-10), antennae variable in form Mecoptera (Scorpianflies) Complete slender, soft bodies; long legs and elongated, snout like heads Trichoptera (Caddisflies) Complete shaped or colored like certain moths, antennae long and threadlike, antennae usually long as body or longer, HW a little shorter than FW Lepidoptera (Moths & Butterflies) Complete 4 membranous wings, usually have proboscis in form of coiled tupe, wings covererd in scales Diptera (True flies) Complete one pair of membranous wings (you can identify them instantly from this), have knoblike projections called haltares Siphonaptera (Fleas) Complete laterally flattened abdomens, tough skin, enlarged coxae, mouthparts with 3 piercing stylets for blood sucking Hymonoptera (Bees, Ants, Wasps, and more) Complete wings are sometimes present, FW a little larger than HW, antennae usually fairly long Binder Checklist *NOTE* The 2013-2014 competition only allows for one double-sided, 8.5 x 11 inches page of information. However, previous years have allowed for a binder, so it may still be helpful to create one for studying purposes. Here is a binder checklist that was useful in the past: Make sure you have the following information in your binder or known by memory: Definitely necessary: Insect identification guide and sheets Nymph identification sheets Insect pictures (obviously) Insect characteristics sheets Human impact information Basic insect information Entomology glossary (to be on the safe side) Note Sheets (for quick finding if they have a section where you must answer questions about insects not already identified) for the following: Vectors Record-winning insects (largest, smallest, fastest fliers, most deadly, etc.) Historical info. (safe side, horrible test making at state had at least five questions on this subject) Invasive species Optional: o o o o Resources The following guides are highly recommended: Audubon Field Guide to Insects and Spiders: official field guide of the Entomology event, on which taxonomic scheme and questions are based on, has nice colored pictures and good bug descriptions, good for general insect knowledge; -note- this field guide groups bugs into groups based on their basic appearance rather than their correct phylogenetic groups (not good since the insects in here must be ID'd according to family and order), is also rather outdated regarding dates and population statistics National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders & Related Species of North America: contains close-up color photographs with informative description, very up-to-date; note- has more than 2,000 photos of over 940 species, which may be confusing Peterson Field Guides: Insects - shows differences between different insects, has all insects on insect list; -note- contains a lot of information on how to collect and preserve an insect, which may not be useful when preparing for this event Smithsonian Handbooks: Insects - really nice pictures, great for nymphs and larva identification; -note- thin and should only be used as a supplement (the first two/three field guides are better suited for use during the event) Good Links http://soinc.org/events/dontbugmeC/index.htm http://bugguide.net Human Impact Section Dichotomous Key Insect Behavior Soon to come: Recommendations For Group Members Both team members should have a strong background in Environmental Science (AP Level). the team should be prepared for both types of events (visual: power point/pictures, and live specimens), a lack of practice in either area can result in false identifications. the teams should have knowledge in using all types of microscopes. teams should spend a portion of their preparation, near various habitats (if available) such as marshes, swamps, forests, grassland, etc. to observe certain native species in a natural habitat (bring plenty of sunblock, & bug repellent) Biological ID Events Herpetology · Ornithology · Forestry · Entomology Categories: Navigation Main Page Forums Image Gallery Recent changes Event Pages Study Event Pages Random page Help Toolbox What links here Related changes Special pages Printable version This page was last modified on 29 September 2013, at 21:14. - This page has been accessed 21,828 times. - Disclaimers - About Science Olympiad Student Center Wiki