Entomology 402 - Key to immature insects - p.

Overview - Key to immature insects - Introduction

This key allows determination of most immature insects to order.
Most insect problems occur when the pest is an immature and often adults are not present. Problem
diagnosis is aided by determining the order of the insect present. Combining this information with host plant,
time of year and plant parts affected can narrow down the causes of the problem to one or a few possibilities.
Not all pest problems are covered in this CD. This key provides a tool for you to begin diagnosis on any insect
pest problem.
1a

1b

Nymphs of hemimetabolous insects, and Young of Apterygota, Protura, Diplura, and Collembola
thorax of older forms with wing-pads except in wingless species
tarsus usually with more than one segment (exceptional forms occur, such as some lice)
compound eyes usually present
mouthparts and general appearance similar to adults - 2
Larvae of holometabolous insects
thorax without wingpads
tarsus with one segment or none, or legs entirely lacking
no compound eyes present although groups of ocelli may occur
general appearance different from adults - 19

2a
2b

Mouthparts of chewing type, sometimes concealed in head - 3

Mouthparts not of chewing type, if concealed in head, body greatly depressed (flattened) - 16

3a
3b

Terrestrial insects with no tracheal gills - 4

Aquatic insects with tracheal gills - 14

4a
4b

Antennae present - 5
Antennae absent - Protura

5a
5b

Antenna with at least 7 segments - 6

Antenna with fewer than 7 segments - 13

6a
6b

Abdomen ending in 2 conspicuous forceps-like appendages - 7

Abdomen not as above - 8

7a
7b

Mouthparts easily seen; tarsus with 2 or 3 segments; color dark (earwigs) - Dermaptera
Mouthparts nearly concealed; tarsus with one segment; color almost white - Diplura

8a
8b

Abdomen ending in very long, tail-like appendages - 9

Abdomen not as above - 10

9a

Chewing mouthparts visible externally; body often scaly; 3 tail-like appendages present (bristletails,
silverfish) - Thysanura
Mouthparts withdrawn into head; body not scaly; only 2 tail-like appendages present - Diplura

9b

10a Prothorax smaller than mesothorax or metathorax; very small insects, rarely over 1/8 inch long (barklice,
booklice) - Psocoptera
10b Thoracic segments about equal in size or prothorax or mesothorax largest; if prothorax smallest, legs
greatly extended - 11
11a Head vertical in position, perpendicular to axis of body; not social insects living in colonies - 12
11b Head horizontal in position, in same plane as body; social insects (nymphs of termites) - Isoptera

Entomology 402 - Key to immature insects - p. 2

12a Hind legs fitted for jumping, femora enlarged (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.) - Orthoptera
12b Hind legs fitted for walking, femora not enlarged (roaches, mantids, etc.) - Blattodea, Mantodea
12c Front legs with 1st tarsal segment enlarged and silk glands (webspinners) - Embiidina
13a With forked springing organ near posterior end of ventral surface of abdomen; body not greatly depressed;
not parasites of birds or mammals (springtails) - Collembola
13b Without forked springing organ; body greatly depressed; parasites of warm-blooded animals (nymphs of
chewing lice) - Phthiraptera (Mallophaga)
14a Labium greatly enlarged to form hinged 'mask' covering mandibles; tracheal gills located within rectum
(nymphs of dragonflies) or as 3 leaf-like plates at posterior end of abdomen (nymphs of damselflies) Odonata
14b Labium as found in regular chewing mouthparts - 15
15a Paired feathery tracheal gills located on first 7 abdominal segments; tarsus ending in single claw; usually 3
long abdominal "tails" (nymphs of mayflies) - Ephemeroptera
15b Thread-like tracheal gills as tufts or single strands on thorax, abdomen 'neck', or coxae; tarsus with 2 claws;
2 long abdominal "tails" (nymphs of stoneflies) - Plecoptera
16a Body greatly depressed; head pointed in front; tarsus one-segmented with single claw; parasites of
mammals (nymphs of sucking lice) - Phthiraptera (Anoplura)
16b Body not greatly depressed - 17
17a Mouthparts of rasping-sucking type consisting of cone-shaped structure housing stylets on ventral surface
of head, less than 5mm long (nymphs of thrips) - Thysanoptera
17b Mouthparts of piercing-sucking type with elongated, jointed, trough-like labium enclosing stylets; size
variable (nymphs of true bugs, leafhoppers, aphids, cicadas, etc) - 18
18a Beak arising from front of head (bugs) Hemiptera (Heteroptera)
18b Beak arising from rear of head (aphids, leafhoppers, etc.) Hemiptera (Auchenorrhyncha,
Sternorrhyncha)
19a Thorax with 3 pairs of jointed legs - 20
19b Thorax without 3 pairs of jointed legs - 27
20a Abdomen without appendages except possibly single pair at posterior end - 21
20b Abdomen with 2 to 10 pairs of unsegmented, ventral or lateral appendages in form of fleshy prolegs,
slender filaments, or groups of crochets (hooks) - 23
21a Middle and hind legs larger than fore legs; all legs directed forward; usually found in protective cases;
abdomen ends with 2 claws; aquatic (caddisflies) - Trichoptera
21b All legs about equal in size; legs not all directed forward; not living in cases; aquatic or terrestrial - 22
22a Mouthparts of normal chewing type with mandibles stout and maxillae not closely associated with
mandibles (grubs, larvae of beetles) - Coleoptera
22b Mandibles and maxillae long and sickle-shaped, maxillae fitting closely over groove on underside of
mandibles to form sucking device (lacewings, antlions, etc.) - Neuroptera
23a Abdominal appendages in form of lateral filaments; aquatic species - 24
23b Abdominal appendages in form of ventral prolegs; mostly terrestrial species - 25

Entomology 402 - Key to immature insects - p. 3

24a Abdomen ending in 2 pairs of stout hooks or single long filament (hellgramites, fishfly larvae, alderfly
larvae) - Neuroptera (Megaloptera)
24b Abdomen not as above (beetle larvae) - Coleoptera
25a Prolegs (abdominal legs) with crochets (hooks); head with 2-6 ocelli on each side (caterpillars) Lepidoptera
25b Prolegs without crochets; one ocellus on each side, or about 20 on each side - 26
26a With large single ocellus on each side of head (larvae of sawflies) - Hymenoptera
26b Approximately 20 small ocelli on each side of head (scorpionfly larvae) - Mecoptera
27a With distinct head and well-developed chewing mouthparts - 28
27b Head reduced or apparently absent; mouthparts reduced and specialized - 31
28a Last pair of spiracles much larger than any other pair, sometimes opening through a tube, OR tip of
abdomen with small "gills" (mosquito larvae, etc.) - Diptera
28b Last pair of spiracles not distinctly larger than others; without gills - 29
29a Head and mouthparts usually hard and dark-colored, contrasting with thorax (beetle larvae) - Coleoptera
29b Head and mouthparts light-colored, not sharply contrasting with thorax - 30
30a Body usually fleshy, grublike, and curved; spines and hairs generally absent on thorax and abdomen
(larvae of bees, ants, and wasps) - Hymenoptera
30b Body cylindrical and straight or only slightly curved; with transverse row of prominent hairs on each
segment of thorax and abdomen in mammals; or bird nests (flea larvae) - Siphonaptera
31a Posterior end of abdomen with pair of large spiracles or spiracular plates, usually located close together;
mouthparts consisting of pair of hooks which operate vertically (maggots) - Diptera
31b All spiracles small and similar, often difficult to see; mouthparts operate horizontally, often difficult to see
(larvae of bees, ants, wasps, etc.) - Hymenoptera