Insect Identification Costa Rican and Nicaraguan Field Work

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Insect Identification Costa Rican and
NicaraguanField Work
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Basic Insect Diagrams

• Typical Insect
• Beetle Antennae Types (Capitate aka clubbed)

Typical Beetle
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Order Araneae Spiders

• Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that
  have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing
  mouth parts and no wings.
• We classify spiders into four groups wolf, orb
  weavers, Salticids (jumping spiders), and other.

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Wolf Spiders
Orb-Weaving Spiders

• Wolf spiders are usually brown w/ a light stripe
  down the back. Usually somewhat flattened with
  legs extended away from the body. Sometimes
  hairy.

The orb-weaver group includes all spiders
that are found within a web. To be counted, the
web must be attached to the plant being surveyed
by at least one point.
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Salticid (jumping) Spiders
Other Spiders
Any other spider not included in these
three groupings (wolf, orb, salticid) is left
unclassified. This may include spiders which
build webs, but are not within a web at the time
of observation.

• Jumping spiders look very chunky with big heads
  and relatively short legs. Theyre often
  colorful and are usually found on leaf undersides
  they do not build webs.

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Order AcariMites

• Tend to have four pairs of legs and often appear
  to have only one body section, which looks very
  rounded. Usually very small (1-8mm).

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Order Opiliones Harvestmen (aka Daddy Long-Legs)

• Similar to spiders but look like the have one
  body section. Larger and longer legs than mites.

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Order ThysanuraSilverfish, Bristletails

• Bristletails have long, flattened bodies with
  three or more tails, which are often white in
  color.

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Order EphemeropteraMayflies (less common)

• Mayflies have long, thin bodies 2-3 threadlike
  tails and netted, membranous wings.

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Order OdonataDragonflies, Damselflies

• Dragonflies (Suborder Anisoptera) hold wings
  horizontal at rest hind wings wider at base.
• Damselflies (Suborder Zygoptera) hold wings
  together above the body wings similar in size
  and shape.

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Order OrthopteraGrasshoppers, katydids,
cricketsSummary

• Orthopterans have two pairs of wings the
  forewings or tegmina are narrower than the hind
  wings and hardened at the base. They are held
  overlapping the abdomen at rest. The hind wing is
  membranous and held folded fan-like under the
  forewings when at rest. They have mandibulate
  mouthparts, large compound eyes, antennae length
  varies with species. Their saltatorial hind legs
  are elongated for jumping.

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Order OrthopteraFamily Acrididae Grasshoppers

• Short antennae (nearly always shorter than the
  body).
• The dorsal line of the body is usually parallel
  or flat/level (vs. arched in many Tettigonidae
  and Gryllidae)

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Order Orthoptera Family Tettigoniidae
Long-horned grasshoppers / katydids

• Very long antennae
• Often (but not always) have a curved, arched back
• Distinguished from grasshoppers by the length of
  their antennae, which may exceed their own body
  length, while grasshoppers' antennae are always
  relatively short.
• Distinguished from crickets by having rear legs
  without greatly thickened/enlarged femurs or
  spines

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Order OrthopteraFamily Gryllidae Crickets

• Thickened/enlarged rear femurs with spines.
• Antennae variable can be very long (like
  Tettigonidae)
• Often chunky-looking
• Sometimes have somewhat flattened bodies.

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Order Phasmatodea Walking sticks

• Robust body, legs half as long as the body, no
  longer than the body
• Distinguished from thread-legged bugs
  (HemipteraReduviidae) and stilt bugs
  (HemipteraBerytidae) by thick body and legs, and
  segmented body. Distinguished from preying
  mantids (Mantodea) by lack of enlarged, praying
  front arms.
• These species vary from stick-like species to
  those resembling bark, leaves and even lichens.

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Order Dermaptera Earwigs relatively uncommon

• Pinchers are the best identifying characteristic
• Elongated, flattened body

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Order Isoptera Termites

• Small, soft-bodied insects, usually pale or
  brown. Look meal-worm like.
• Live in tunnels of dirt often found on trees,
  branches, or vines and lianas.

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Order Mantodea Mantids less common

• Look vaguely like walking sticks (Phasmatodea),
  but distinguished by the enlarged, praying
  front legs.

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Order Blattodea Cockroaches - common

• Flattened, oval bodies with wings usually
  overlapping over the body. Often have spines on
  legs.

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Order HemipteraTrue bugs Summary

• True bugs, cicadas, leafhoppers, planthoppers,
  aphids, whiteflies

• Paired wings, folded over body
• Upper part of wings usually hardened lower
  portion membranous
• Wings are typically parallel or overlapping.

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Order Hemiptera Family MiridaePlant and leaf
bugs

• Flattened, often colorful, elongated. They have
  long legs and stand up erect above the leaf.
• Distinguished from assassin bugs
  (HemipteraReduviidae) by narrow, elongated
  shape.
• Distinguished from cockroaches (Blattodea) by
  more cylindrical bodies lack of spines on legs.
• Small terrestrial insects, usually ovalshaped and
  elongate, soft-bodied, less than 12mm in length.

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Order Hemiptera Family ReduviidaeAssassin
bugs, ambush bugs, thread-legged bugs

• Elongate body. Front femurs generally thickened.
  Elytra hardened just at base the majority of
  the wings are membranous.
• Distinguished from Miridae by more angular shape
  with broad shoulders), and just generally more
  robust appearance. Also sometimes not as
  colorful as Miridae
• Elongated head with a distinct narrow neck, long
  legs and a prominent segmented beak
• The tip of the proboscis fits into a groove in
  the prosternum to make a noise

Thread- Legged Bug (right). Note thin body, very
thin long legs (usually longer than body), head
held upright at angle
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Order HemipteraFamily BerytidaeStilt bugs
(less common)

• The body is more robust than the thread-legged
  bug (HemipteraReduviidae), with legs no longer
  than the body. Smaller and thinner-bodied than
  walking sticks (Phasmatodea). Usually has
  visible wings folded over the body, unlike either
  group.
• Slender, usually brownish 5-9mm.
• Legs and antennae long and slender
• Antennae 4 segmented
• Found on vegetation

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Order HemipteraFamily ScutelleridaeShield-back
ed bugs

• Bodies are broad and oval, ¾ as wide as long.
  Have long, fully-hardened elytra that completely
  cover abdomen
• More oval than stink bugs (HemipteraPentatomidae)
  . Elytra more hardened and body more oval than
  either Miridae or Reduviidae.
• Often brightly-colored 8-10mm

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Order HemipteraFamily PentatomidaeStink bugs

• More angular and flattened than shield bugs
  (Scutelleridae), Reduviidae, or Miridae.
• Elytra are hardened at the base, but the last
  1/4 of the wings are membranous (greater extent
  of hardened elytra than Miridae or Reduviidae).
• Shield-shaped body, triangular scutellum is
  usually as long as the corium of the forewing

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Order HemipteraFamily Cicadidae Cicadas

• Cicadas have large, cylindrical bodies with large
  eyes set widely apart on the head. Have
  membranous wings which are usually transparent
  and distinctly-veined. Very short antennae
• Usually 2-5 cm (but as long as 15 cm)

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Order HemipteraFamily MembracidaeTree-hoppers

• Similar to Cicadellidae and Fulgoroidae.
• Best distinguished by the laterally flattened
  shape with a projecting, often pointy pronotum
  (sometimes looks like a shark fin)
• Small jumping insects, 12mm or less
• Large pronotum usually prolonged backward over
  abdomen

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Order HemipteraFamily Cicadellidae Leafhoppers

• Laterally flattened, wings held angled over body
  like a tent.
• Similar to Membracidae and (especially)
  Fulgoroidae.
• Best distinguished from Fulgoroidae by the
  triangular head shape (as viewed from above the
  nose follows the shape of lines drawn tangential
  to the eyes. See diagram below).
• Distinguished from Membracidae by lack of erect,
  pointy pronotum (may have pointy
  snout/proboscis).
• Also have antennae which attach in front of or
  above the eyes (versus below the eyes in
  Fulgoroidae)
• Hind tibia have spines (hard to see)
• Minute, plant-feeding insects, with
  piercing/sucking mouthparts
• Most less than 10mm and many are brightly colored

nose
Note triangular head shape (right)
eye
eye
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Order HemipteraSuperfamily FulgoroidaePlant-ho
ppers

• Elongate and flattened with wings held vertically
  or dorsal/ventrally flattened with overlapping
  wings
• Similar to Membracidae and (especially)
  Cicadellidae.
• Best distinguished from Cicadellidae by the
  squared-off head shape (as viewed from above
  the snout is flattened relative to the angle of
  the eyes. See diagram below).
• Distinguished from Membracidae by lack of erect,
  pointy pronotum (may have pointy snout/proboscis)
• Also have antennae which attach below the eyes
  (versus in front of or above the eyes in
  Cicadellidae)
• Minute, plant-feeding insects, with
  piercing/sucking mouthparts
• Most less than 10mm and many are brightly colored
• Primary food of ruddy-tailed flycatcher!

nose
eye
eye
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Order Hemiptera Superfamily Aleyrodidae
Whiteflies

• Minute whitish insects, generally 1-2 mm long.
  Often look powdery.
• Commonly found on leaf undersides usually seen
  flying away as you turn over the leaf.

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Order Hemiptera Superfamily Aphididae Aphids

• Very small (usually 1-3mm) and soft bodied
• Wings, when present, membranous and not covered
  with a whitish powder (unlike whiteflies)
• Hind wings much smaller than front wings
• Often found in large groups (colonial)

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Order Thysanoptera Thrips

• Tiny (usually 1-3mm) and very slender insects
  with fringed wings (not always visible)
• Usually brown to blackish, occasionally pale.

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Order ColeopteraBeetlesSummmary

• Coleoptera have four wings, with the outer two
  (known as elytra) typically hardened and the
  inner two membranous.
• In most families the elytra cover most or all of
  the body, but in some families (e.g.,
  Staphylinidae) parts of the body and/or inner
  wings exposed.

• What to look for when determining family
• Shape (round, oval, or elongate flattened vs.
  cylindrical body)
• Size (width) of pronotum relative to body and
  head
• Presence/absence of beaked snout
• Whether body and/or elytra are hardened vs.
  relatively soft
• Whether head is visible or hidden beneath
  pronotum
• Color

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Order ColeopteraFamily Brentidae Long beaked
snout uncommon

• Long beaked snout extending mostly forward (at
  most slightly down, vs. Curculionidae which has
  distinctly downward-curving beak)
• Also known as straight-snouted weevils.

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Order Coleoptera Family BuprestidaeJewel
beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles less
common

• Flattened body with elytra that come to a point
  at the rear
• Often metallic or brightly colored
• Called jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring
  beetles because of their glossy iridescent colors

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Order Coleoptera Family Cantharidaeless common

• Body and elytra relatively soft.
• Elongate, flattened body
• Lampyridae, Meloidae, and Oedemeridae are also
  soft-bodied, but Cantharidae are distinguished by
  having a pronotum which is nearly as wide as the
  body and which is equally wide at the head and
  body ends and a head which extends beyond the
  pronotum.
• Related to the Lampyridae or firefly family, but
  being unable to produce light.

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Order Coleoptera Family CarabidaeGround
tiger beetles less common

• Often black and shiny or metallic occasionally
  colorful
• Antennae filiform (threadlike), inserted between
  mandibles and eyes.
• Head at eyes is nearly always narrower than
  pronotum, which in turn is narrower than the
  body.
• Often found on the ground, though occasionally on
  plants.
• Most similar to Scarabaeidae (which have clubbed
  antennae) and Tenebrionidae (which have a
  pronotum which is nearly as wide as the body).

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Order Coleoptera Family Cleridae Hairy
uncommon

• Distinguished from all other beetle families by
  the dense hairs covering all parts of the head
  and body.

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Order Coleoptera Family Cerambycidae
Long-horned beetles relatively common

• Best distinguished from any other beetle by the
  extremely long, filiform (threadlike) antennae,
  which are often as long as or longer than the
  beetle's body (no other beetle family has
  antennae longer than 1/2 of the body length)

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Order Coleoptera Family Chrysomelidae Leaf
beetles one of the most common beetle families
we encounter

• Body is elongate, to very slightly oval (not as
  much as either Coccinellidae or Erotylidae)
• Often colorful, with filiform antennae (shorter
  than the body)
• Best distinguished from other colorful beetles
  (e.g., Coccinellidae and Erotylidae) by elongate
  shape, a pronotum which is narrower and distinct
  from the body, and a protruding head.
• Distinguished from Cerambycidae by shorter
  antennae.
• Distinguished from soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae, Oedemeridae)
  by hardened body and elytra.

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Order Coleoptera Family Coccinellidae Lady
bugs - common

• Body is typically very oval
• Pronotum is nearly as wide as the body and often
  appears fused directly to the body
• Colorful, often with dot or stripe patterns, with
  short antennae
• Most similar to Erotylidae, which has similar
  color and pattern and a similar fused pronotum,
  but Coccinellidae is more oval
• Distinguished from Chrysomelidae by oval shape,
  pronotum nearly as wide as the body and appearing
  fused to the body
• Distinguished from soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae, Oedemeridae)
  by hardened body and elytra.

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Order Coleoptera Family Curculionidae Weevils
one of the most common families we encounter

• Curculionidae are distinguished from all other
  beetles by having distinct beaks which curve
  downwards from the head
• Brentidae also have beaks, but they extend
  forwards from the head in a relatively straight
  line
• Also have geniculate (bent) antennae with small
  clubs beyond that curculionids have considerable
  diversity of coloration, shape, and size, with
  adult lengths ranging from 1 mm to 40 mm.

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Order Coleoptera Family Elateridae Click
beetles less common

• Elateridaes have elongated, flattened bodies
  similar to Buprestidaes, but are distinguished by
  having a pronotum with three points separated by
  two arches at the rear (see pictures at bottom
  right).
• Click beetles can be large and colorful (some are
  brilliant metallic green), but most are small to
  medium-sized (typically nocturnal and phytophagous.
• If you turn them over onto their backs, theyll
  make a clicking noise and right themselves.

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Order ColeopteraFamily ErotylidaePleasing
Fungus Beetles relatively uncommon

• Usually very similar to lady bugs (Coccinellidae)
  in color, pattern, and having a pronotum which is
  nearly as wide as the body and appears fused to
  the body, but the body is more elongate vs. oval.
  
• Distinguished from Chrysomelidae by somewhat more
  rounded shape, pronotum nearly as wide as the
  body and appearing fused to the body
• Distinguished from soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae, Oedemeridae)
  by hardened body and elytra.
• Important structural characters include their
  clubbed antenna, Body shape usually is
  elongate-oval or egg-shaped.

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Order ColeopteraFamily HisteridaeClown or
hister beetles uncommon

• Oval body, usually shiny black, red or bluish.
• Elytra are slightly shorter than the body,
  exposing one or two abdominal segments (similar
  to Staphylinidae, which are more elongate and
  have even shorter elytra).
• Some have very flattened bodies
• Legs are very short, sometimes are tucked under
  body and not visible
• Looks leathery
• Distinguished from the similar-looking
  Scarabaeidae by the short elytra

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Order ColeopteraFamily Lampyridae
Lightningbugs, Fireflies relatively uncommon

• Body is elongate, elytra and body are both soft
• Head is tucked under the pronotum often only
  eyes visible
• Often have plumose (feathery) or comb-like
  antennae
• Some (not all) have light-producing segments near
  the end of the abdomen
• Similar in shape to the other soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Meloidae, Oedemeridae), but
  distinguished by head tucked under the pronotum

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Order ColeopteraFamily Languriidae Lizard
beetles relatively uncommon

• Very long, narrow, elongate body (long and
  languid)
• Clubbed antennae
• Often metallic bronze or green also can be
  reddish with black elytra.
• Similar in shape to the soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae, Oedemeridae),
  but distinguished by hard elytra and hard,
  cylindrical body
• Distinguished from Chrysomelidae by longer, more
  elongate body and clubbed antennae

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Order Coleoptera Family Lycidae Net-winged
beetles relatively uncommon

• Soft-bodied, with soft, loose-fitting elytra with
  a distinct net-like pattern.
• The head is triangular and the antennae are long,
  thick and serrate. Most Lycidae are brick-red in
  colour.
• Distinguished from other soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae, Oedemeridae)
  by the loose-fitting, netted elytra.

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Order Coleoptera Family Meloidae Blister
beetles relatively uncommon

• Soft-bodied beetle with soft elytra
• Distinguished from other soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Oedemeridae) by having
  a pronotum which is narrower than both the body
  and the head
• Body often covered by short hairs (shorter and
  less obvious than Cleridae)
• Often black, but can be colorful and patterned
• Gives off toxic substance when disturbed
• Somewhat similar to Tenebrionidae distinguished
  by soft body and elytra, and narrow pronotum
• Distinguished from Chrysomelidae by soft body and
  elytra, head wider than pronotum

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Order Coleoptera Family MordellidaeTumbling
flower beetle - uncommon

• Body wedge-shaped and humpbacked, with head bent
  down relative to body
• Usually black with white, red, or yellow
  coloration
• Humpbacked shape distinguishes these beetles from
  all other families

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Order Coleoptera Family Nitidulidae Sap
beetles - uncommon

• Distinguished from all other beetles by extremely
  flattened body with wide lip around sides of body
• Clubbed antennae
• Often have elytra that are slightly shorter than
  the body, exposing 1-2 abdominal segments
• Usually found on fermenting/decaying fruit, sap,
  or fungi

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Order Coleoptera Family Oedemeridae False
blister beetles - uncommon

• Elongate and cylindrical (vs. flattened) body
• Soft-bodied with soft elytra
• Distinguished from all other soft-bodied beetles
  (Cantharidae, Lampyridae, Meloidae) by
  cylindrical body and cylindrical pronotum that is
  wider at front than at rear

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Order Coleoptera Family Passalidae Bess
beetle, patent leather beetle - uncommon

• Bright black with a shiny patent leather-look
• Elongate body with parallel sides
• C-shaped antennae with enlarged end
• Prothorax and body same width, but separated by
  narrow waist.
• Distinguished from Scarabeidae by narrow waist,
  lack of distinctly clubbed antennae
• Distinguished from Tenebrionidae by narrow waist,
  C-shaped antennae with enlarged end
• Distinguished from Cerambycidae by short antennae
• Distinguished from Chrysomelidae by narrow waist,
  and pronotum and body of similar width

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Order Coleoptera Family Scarabaeidae Scarab
beetles, dung beetles, horned beetles, golden
beetles relatively common

• Oval but somewhat elongate body pronotum nearly
  as wide as body
• Clubbed antennae
• Often jewel colored or metallic
• Large, often has horns (e.g., rhinoceros beetle)
  or other protuberances
• More common on the ground or wood than on plants
• Distinguished from Carabidae and Tenebrionidae by
  clubbed antennae

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Order Coleoptera Family Staphylinidae Rove
beetles relatively common

• Distinguished from all other beetle families by
  having very short elytra which expose much of the
  abdomen (usually 2 segments)
• Histeridae and Nitulidae also have shortened
  elytra which expose 1-2 abdominal segments, but
  Staphylinidae have much shorter elytra, which are
  usually not much longer than their combined width
• Slender, elongate body typical though some rove
  beetles can be ovoid in shape. Colors range
  from yellow to reddish-brown to brown to black.
• Antennae typically filiform, with moderate
  clubbing in some genera.
• Some types of rove beetles superficially resemble
  earwigs (Dermaptera), but lack pincers.
• Often raise tip of abdomen when running, like a
  scorpion

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Order Coleoptera Family Tenebrionidae
Darkling beetles relatively uncommon on plants

• Black or brown, with filiform antennae
• Pronotum is nearly as wide as elytra
• Usually on forest floor (common in leaf litter)
• Many produce odorous chemicals
• Distinguished from Carabidae by having a pronotum
  which is nearly as wide as the elytra from
  Scarabaeidae by filiform antennae

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Order HymenopteraFamilies Formicidae (ants) or
Ants, sawflies, wasps, bees

• Winged forms distinguished from Diptera by
  presence of two pairs of wings narrow waist and
  distinct separation between thorax and abdomen.
• We only classify ants (family Formicidae) to
  family level all other Hymenoptera are not
  identified to family.
• Family Formicidae (ants)

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Order LepidopteraMoths, butterflies Summary

• The larvae, caterpillars, have a toughened
  (sclerotized) head capsule, chewing mouthparts,
  and a soft body, that may have hair-like or other
  projections, 3 pairs of true legs, and additional
  prolegs (up to 5 pairs).
• Most caterpillars are herbivores, but a few are
  carnivores (some eat ants or other caterpillars)
  and detritivores.
• Adults have two pairs of membranous wings
  covered, usually completely, by minute scales.
  In some species, wings are reduced or absent
  (often in the female but not the male).
• Antennae are prominent. In moths, males
  frequently have more feathery antennae than
  females, for detecting the female pheromones at a
  distance.
• The Trichoptera (caddisflies) which are a sister
  group of the Lepidoptera have scales, but also
  possess caudal cerci on the abdomen, a feature
  absent in the Lepidoptera.

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Order LepidopteraMoths, butterflies

• We classify Lepidoptera by life stage egg,
  caterpillar, pupae, or adult.

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Order Diptera Flies

• One pair of wings
• Thorax and abdomen are usually fused and
  approximately the same width
• Also have a pair of halteres, derived from the
  hind wings, on the metathorax (often hard to see
  without a magnifying glass).
• Most similar to Hymenoptera, but can be
  distinguished by the presence of only two wings,
  and the absence of a narrow waist separating the
  thorax and abdomen.

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