Entomology Basics for Master Gardeners:Know Your Pests!

Amanda Rose Newton02.12.15

Keys to Insect Management

Know your Pests!!

Know your landscape

Know your tools for control

Know Your Landscape

O Some insects are commonly associated with certain plants

Know Your Landscape

O Location of materials in the landscape can affect potential pest problems

Know Your Pests!

O You will not be successful in treatment without knowing your foe

• Proper ID• Associate injury symptoms with pest• Selection of proper control strategy

Quiz Time!

Question 1O 1. Which of the

following is NOT an insect?

O a) aphidO b) spider miteO c) beetleO d) wasp

Question 2O Which insect has

complete metamorphosis?

a) lacebugb) Japanese beetlec) aphidd) annual cicada

*PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS

Question 3O What are the 3 parts

of an insect’s body?O A) head,abdomen,

thoraxO B) head, thorax,

abdomenO C) body, wings, legsO D) head, body, tail

Question 4O Which Insect has not

evolved much from original form?

O A) cockroachO B) dragonflyO C) dung beetleO D) grasshopperO E) stinkbug

Question 5O Which of the

following insects have piercing sucking mouthparts?

a) monarch caterpillarb) cockroachc) carpenter antd) aphid

Question 6O Which of the

following insects have chewing mouthparts.

a) mealybugb) adult butterflyc) butterfly caterpillar

d ) lacebug

Question 7O True or False:O Small beetles grow

into large beetles.O FALSE

Question 8O Chitin helps for

which part of insect anatomy?

a) Wingsb) Exoskeletonc) Antennaed) Heart

Question 9O Which body part do

insects NOT have in common with humans?

a) Lungsb) Heartc) Esophagusd) Eyes

Question 10O True or False:O MOST insects are

pestsO FALSE!!

Question 11O Insects make up

what percentage of the animal kingdom?

a) 20b) 40c) 60d) 80

Question 12O Insects use their

eyes mainly toa) Detect lightb) Detect color

differencesc) Magnify images

Question 13O True or False:Ticks are an Insect

FALSE

Question 14O During complete

metamorphosis, what stage follows the egg stage?

a) Pupab) Adultc) Nymphd) Larva

Question 15O How many distinct

cultures worldwide consume insects as regular part of diet?

a) 2b) 3000c) 78d) 1020

The Arthropods

O 100,000 species in North AmericaO 1,000 species in a typical backyardO Mostly beneficial or harmless

O PollinationO Food for birds, fish, frogs, etc.O Produce honey, wax, shellac, silk

O Less than 2% are pestsO Destroy food crops, ornamentalsO Attack humans, livestock, and petsO Transmit disease

What Is an Arthropod?

O Skeleton on the outside of the body

O Distinct body segmentation

O Paired, jointed appendages

O Dorsal, tubular heart valves

O Double, ventral nerve chord

O Open circulatory system

All arthropods have:

Classes of Arthropods

O Malacostraca (crayfish, lobsters, sowbugspillbugs) crustaceans

O Arachnida (spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions)O Chilopoda (centipedes)O Diplopoda (millipedes)O Insecta (true bugs, beetles, butterflies, wasps,

fleas, grasshoppers, silverfish, etc.)

The Chilopods

O Two main body regionsO Flattened bodyO 30 to 340 legs (1 pair

per body segment)O 1 pair antennaeO Predaceous, can be venomous

Class ChilopodaCentipedes

The Diplopods

O 2 body regionsO Body generally roundedO 1 pair of antennaeO 80-400 legs (2 pair per body

segment)O Feed on decaying organic

matterO Often coil when disturbed

Class DiplopodaMillipedes

Arthropod Diversity

Coleoptera

LepidopteraHymenoptera

Diptera

Hemiptera

Other insects

Other arthropods

What makes an Insect?O All have:

O 3 body partsO 6 legsO AntennaeO Fly if wingedO Have compound eyes

What about Arachnids?O Spiders, Scorpions, Ticks, and Mites have:

O 2 body partsO 8 legsO No antennaeO No wingsO 6-8 simple eyes

Insect PartsO All Insects have 3 body parts

O HeadO ThoraxO Abdomen

Larva Body PartsO Even Larva (baby insects) have 3 parts

Insect EyesO Ocelli- compound eyes can detect movement

and food. Found on more advanced insectsO Simple- detects light and dark.

Mouth PartsO Important to I.D. insects!O Chewing- beetles, grasshoppersO Piercing- True bugsO Sponging- FliesO Coiled Tube- Butterflies, Moths

Insect Mouthparts

Chewing

Insect Mouthparts

Chewing-lapping Sponging

Honeybee House fly

Insect Mouthparts

Piercing-sucking

Leafhopper

Flea

MosquitoStable Fly

Insect Mouthparts

Siphoning Rasping

ThripsButterfly

Insect Wings

Beetle - elytra

Thrips – fringed

True bug - hemelytra Grasshopper - tegmina

Wasp – membranous

Legs

Insect Physiology 101

Oklahoma Master Gardeners

CHTIN!

Insect Physiology 101O All Insects have an open

circulatory systemO Allows for increased

biochemical processesO Metabolism!O FlightO Breaking down

chemical substancesO Liquid feeding

O Breathe through spiracles

Insect Physiology 101O METAMORPHOSIS

O AmetabolousO HemimetabolousO ParametabolousO HolometabolousO Parthenogenesis

Ametabolous

O “Without”O These insects get bigger but have no

noticeable changes

Ametabolous

O Protura (Proturans)O Diplura (Diplurans)O Thysanura (Silverfish)O Collembola (Springtails)

Paurometabolous

O Egg, nymph, adult)O Gradually change in size and become

reproductive through series of moltsO Juvenile Hormone!

Gradual, True Bug

Gradual

- Isoptera (Termites)- Dermaptera (Earwigs)- Phthiraptera (Lice)- Psocoptera (Booklice)- Zoraptera (Angel insects)

\

• Orders:

Gradual

- Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Roaches, Walkingsticks, Mantids)

- Thysanoptera (Thrips)- Hemiptera (True Bugs, Aphids,

Scales, Leafhoppers, Plant Hoppers, Whiteflies)

Hemimetabolous

O Three life stages (egg, naiad, adult)O Immature= aquatic

Incomplete Metamorphosis

- Ephemeroptera (Mayfly)- Odonata (Dragonfly)- Plecoptera (Stonefly)

Complete Metamorphosis

Complete

O Orders:

- Neuroptera (Lacewings)- Coleoptera (Beetles)- Mecoptera (Scorpionfly)- Lepidoptera (Butterfly)- Diptera (True Fly)- Siphonaptera (Flea)- Hymenoptera (Ants, Bees, Wasps)

ParthenogenesisO Asexual

ReproductionO Some insects have

all female asexual reproduction generation in life cycleO APHIDS!

Insect OrdersO Insects are grouped into orders based on

mouth parts, antennae, and morphology (appearance)

O Important for I.D.O Most common- Blattodea, Coleoptera,

Diptera, Hemiptera, Hymenoptera, Lepidoptera, Mantodea, Orthoptera

BlattodeaO “Insects avoiding light”O CockroachesO Less than 1% pestsO 1700+ Species!

ColeopteraO “Hard Wings”O BeetlesO 400,000

Watch out for imposters! Asian Multicolored Lady

Beetles introduced from China

Can not survive winter in Virginia- often seek shelter in your house!

Not considered beneficial

Flea BeetlesO Order: Coleoptera, several

speciesO Range: Most Vegetables,

favorite here are squash, eggplant, root vegetables, cabbage

O Damage: Chewing mouthparts leave holes in leaves, quite damaging to young plants. Larva eat roots.

O Control: Floating Row Cover! Sprays of Spinosad, NeemOil, etc.

Japanese BeetlesO Order: ColeopteraO Popillia japonica

O Range: Many vegetables, flowers, small fruits. LOVE roses

O Damage: skeletonize leaves, chew flowers, defoliate plants. Larvae eat roots

O Control: Hand pick, apply row covers, baited traps, milky disease spores, nematodes, insecticidal soap

Mexican Bean BeetleO Order: Coleoptera

O Epilachna varivestrisO Range: Cowpeas, Limas,

Snap beans, soybeansO Damage: chew on leaves

causing “lacy” appearance, kills plants

O Control: Row Covers, plant early, hand remove, trap crop, Neem spray

DipteraO “Two Wings”O HalteresO True Flies, Mosquitoes, gnats

MosquitoO Order: Diptera

Species: Aedes sp, Culexsp.

O Range: USAO Damage: Nuisance Pest,

Vector of diseaseO Control:

O Reduce Breeding AreaO Chemical TreatmentO Repellents

Flower and Hover Flies• Mimic bees and wasps in

coloration to avoid predation

• Flowers adapted to include them due to abundance

• Will often times produce bad smell (rotten meat, sulfur) to attract flies over other pollinators

• Will feed on same flowers you plant for bees

HemipteraO “Half wings”O True BugsO Cicadas, Stink bugs, leafhoppers, potato

bugs, assassin bugs

Brown Marmorated Stink BugO Halyomorpha halysO Not to be confused with our

native green stink bug! Now heavily displaced.

O Accidently released into Eastern Pennsylvania from Asia

O Pest of many commoditiesO Nuisance indoors when

attracted to warm houses on fall days and when they emerge in spring

Assassin Bug Predaceous bug that

feeds on aphids, leap hoppers, beetles, and most anything else.

Will bite!!

HymenopteraO “Membrane wings”O Ants, Bees, Wasps, HornetsO Most Important order?

Parasitic Wasps (Braconids) Fantastic caterpillar

control! Lay eggs in soft body of

caterpillar Can also purchase

through beneficial insect retailers

Orchard Mason Bees• Native Pollinators• Love Flowering trees,

Serviceberry• Can build Mason Bee

Nests to attract to garden• Solitary bee• 250 mason bees can

pollinate an acre of apple trees. Would take 10,000 honeybees to do that.

Green Sweat Bee • Metallic Green• Lick up sweat• Love flat-faced flowers,

plant Erigeron, gaillardia, sunflowers, and asters

Bumble Bee• Social bee• 47 species• Live underground• Do not make honey• Like golden currant,

serviceberry, chokecherry flowers

• “Buzz Pollination”• Important for tomato and

pepper crops

LepidopteraO “Scale winged”O MothsO Butterflies

Black Swallowtail –

Parsley, Dill, Fennel, Queen Anne’s Lace, etc.

Pipevine Swallowtail

Gulf Fritillary

Passionvine, Passiflora incarnata

Zebra Swallowtail

MantodeaO Like a prophetO MantidsO Beneficial?

Mantids 2 species in Maryland-

Carolina Mantid and Oriental Mantid

Not as beneficial as originally thought. Non selective in eating preferences.

OrthopteraO “Straight wings”O Grasshoppers, crickets, katydids

Neuroptera

“Nerve-winged”Lacewings, antlions, snakeflies, mantispids, dobsonflies

Complete metamorphosis

Chewing mouthparts (adult), piercing mouthparts (larva)

Membranous wings with many veins

Green Lacewings Soft bodied insect that is

a better aphid eater than Lady Bugs!

Newer to beneficial market

Nick named “Aphid Lion”

Thysanoptera

O “fringe-winged”O thrips

Oklahoma State University

Rasping-sucking mouthparts

2 pairs of “feathery” wings

Why are Insects Important?O Food sourceO Eat pests that eat our cropsO PollinateO Turn dead plants into soilO Make silk, dyes, etcO Are cool!

Where do Insects Live?O Every continent on Earth!O Under Ground

Where do Insects Live?O On Plants and Flowers

Where do Insects Live?O Meadows/grass

Where do Insects Live?O In Trees

Where do Insects Live?O Water

Camouflage

Protection

The Positives:O Insects help us

everyday!O DecomposersO PollinatorsO Pest EatersO Soil Helpers

DecomposersO Break down:

O TrashO LeavesO Old fruitO Woody materialO Dead animals

PollinatorsO For every 3 bites you

eat, thank a bee!O Without bees, no

crops!O Hummingbirds,

flies, beetles, moths, and bats also help

O Helps flowers exist

Pest EatersO Many insects are

natural enemies for many “bad insects”

O These bad insects:O Bite us

(mosquitoes)O Eat our plantsO Destroy trees

Soil HelpersO Many invertebrates

do good work undergroundO Allow air to flowO Break down large

pieces and leavesO Make plants happy

ReferencesO All photos from University of Nebraska

Extension, Virginia Tech Extension, University of Georgia extension, or personal collection unless otherwise cited.