Diagnostic Characteristics

Question 1

0.6-1.5 mm long
whiteish
eyeless
no antennae

Answer 1

Protura

proturans

Question 2

0.25-6 mm long
furcula/tenaculum (tail-like appendage)
collophore (tube-like structure underneath)

Answer 2

Collembola

springtails

Question 3

<7 mm
pale colored
two caudal filaments (short, sometimes look like pinchers)
eyeless/no ocelli
lack scales

Answer 3

Diplura

diplurans

Question 4

up to 15 mm in length
cylindrical body, may be arched in live specimens
compound eyes:  large, contiguous
ocelli
body with scales
3 caudal filaments relatively parallel
maxillary palps prominent

Answer 4

Microcoryphia

bristletails

Question 5

elongate
flattened
3 caudal filaments, often with cerci projecting at almost right angles from median filament
usually have compound eyes: small, separated
ocelli may be present
body with scales

Answer 5

Thysanura

silverfish

Question 6

small to medium sized
elongate
soft-bodied
2 or 3 long caudal filaments
membranous wings with numerous cross veins
forewings large and triangular
hind wings rounded, small or absent
antennae short, small, and setaceous

Answer 6

Ephemeroptera

mayflies

Question 7

wings are elongate, many-veined and membranous
large and many-faceted compound eyes
setaceous antennae
long and slender abdomen
chewing mouthparts

Answer 7

Odonata

dragonflies & damselflies

Question 8

soft-bodied and flattened
wings fold flat over abdomen
fore wings elongated and narrow
long antennae
chewing mouthparts

Answer 8

Plecoptera

stoneflies

Question 9

oval
dorsoventrally flattened body
cursorial legs
head concealed dorsally by pronotum
tegmina

Answer 9

Blattodea

cockroaches

Question 10

usually white
soft-bodied
abdomen broadly joined to thorax
most wingless
if winged, wings are membranous-forewings and hind wings equal in size
moniliform or filiform antennae

Answer 10

Isoptera

termites

Question 11

elongate, slender, somewhat flattened body
forceps like cerci
wings shorter than body, don’t project much over the abdomen
filiform antennae
chewing mouth parts (mandibulate)

Answer 11

Dermaptera

earwigs

Question 12

large (50 mm long or longer in this area)
elongate
raptorial forelegs
extended pronotum (plate-like structure on thorax)
head is freely moveable, can look over their “shoulders”

Answer 12

Mantodea

mantids

Question 13

elongate and stick like body

wings are reduced or absent

Answer 13

Phasmatodea

stick insects, walking sticks

Question 14

jumping legs
elongate
flattened
biting/chewing mouth parts
winged or wingless
forewings many-veined and thickened
hind wings broader and membranous
body elongate
cerci well-developed
antennae long, many segmented, and filiform
tympana

Answer 14

Orthoptera

grasshoppers, crickets, katydids

Question 15

wings held flat on body with tips crossing apically
forewings hemelytra
hind wings membranous
piercing-sucking mouthparts
antennae fairly long (4-5 segments)
well-developed compound eyes in most cases
0-2 ocelli
most with a distinct scutellum (shield like structure on thorax)

Answer 15

Hemiptera

(Suborder: Heteroptera)

(true bugs, stink bugs, plant bugs)

Question 16

sucking mouthparts arising from posterior of head
forwings have uniform texture, either membranous or thickened and leathery
hind wings membranous
wings held tent-like over body
setaceous or filiform antennae
0-3 ocelli

Answer 16

Hemiptera

(Suborder: Homoptera)

(cicadas, scales, plant hoppers, aphids)

Question 17

wingless
eyes reduced or absent
ocelli absent
antennae 3-5 segmented

Answer 17

Phthiraptera

lice

Question 18

0.5-5.0 mm 
slender body
sucking mouthparts
if present, wings are sclerotized rods with fringe of hairs 
short antennae

Answer 18

Thysanoptera

thrips

Question 19

scales on wings
adult mouthparts are sucking
large compound eyes

Answer 19

Lepidoptera

butterflies, moths

Question 20

small to medium-sized
most are dull colored
slender body
four membranous wings which are very hairy and have scales
wings held tent-like over body
antennae long and slender, filiform
chewing mouthparts, well-developed palps

Answer 20

Trichoptera

caddisflies

Question 21

0.5-2.0 mm
laterally flattened
wingless
numerous backward-projecting spines and bristles
saltatorial hind legs
short antennae in grooves on head
piercing-sucking mouthparts

Answer 21

Siphonaptera

fleas

Question 22

wings with many veins
soft-bodied
4 membranous reticulated wings
wings held tent-like over body
mandibulate mouthparts
long antennae, filiform, pectinate, clubbed
no cerci

Answer 22

Neuroptera

lacewings, antlions, dobsonflies, mantisflies

Question 23

highly diverse sizes from less than 1 mm to 125 mm
elytra, which meet at midline
chewing mouthparts
nearly all lack ocelli
variety of antennal types
may have shortened elytra

Answer 23

Coleoptera

beetles

Question 24

9-22 mm
slender body
head (clypeus) often prolonged below eyes as a beak
most have 4 membranous wings similar in size and venation

Answer 24

Mecoptera

scorpionflies

Question 25

one pair of wings
halters (knobbed structures - modified wings)
diverse mouthparts including: piercing, sucking, cutting and lapping or sponging

Answer 25

Diptera

true flies

Question 26

winged species have four membranous wings
hind wings smaller than forewings
hamuli on the anterior margin of the hind wings connect hind and wings
well-developed ovipositor
some species’ ovipositors are modified into a stinger
antennae long, usually 10+ segments
mandibulate mouthparts
many individual have a thin “waist”

Answer 26

Hymenoptera

bees, ants, wasps