Insect Orders

Common Insect Orders in Kansas

Note: The following orders are consistent with Bugguide.net as of August 2015. Older references may define orders differently.

ORDER	COMMON NAMES	CHARACTERISTICS	WINGS	MOUTHPARTS	METAMORPHOSIS
Microcoryphia	Bristletails	Long antennae and two or three long tails (cerci) off end of abdomen	None	Chewing	None
Zygentoma	Silverfish, Firebrats	Long antennae and two or three long tails (cerci) off end of abdomen	none	chewing	none
Ephemeroptera	Mayflies	Triangular shaped wings, with hind wings much smaller than forewings. Usually have two or three long tails off end of abdomen	Two pair	Chewing, but reduced	Incomplete
Odonata	Damselflies, Dragonflies	Often fairly large insects with membranous wings and huge compound eyes. Legs of adults modified to catch prey so they can't really walk or run	Two pair	Chewing	Incomplete
Plecoptera	Stoneflies	Wings nearly equal in length, but hind wings larger than forewings. Wings folded flat over body when at rest. Antennae long	Two pair	Chewing	Incomplete
Phasmida	Walkingsticks	Long-legged, sticklike insects	Wings either greatly reduced or lacking	Chewing	Gradual
Orthoptera	Crickets, Grasshoppers, and Katydids	Normally fairly large insects. Front wings long and leathery, hind wings broad & membranous, folded under front wings. Antennae usually long and slender. Legs often modified for jumping, grasping or digging	Two pair or wingless	Chewing	Gradual
Dermaptera	Earwigs	Forceps on abdomen; front wings short & leathery, hind wings membranous	Two pair or wingless	Chewing	Gradual
Mantodea	Mantids	Generally fairly large, elongate insects with front legs modified for grasping	Two pair or wingless	Chewing	Gradual
Blattodea	Cockroaches and termites	Oval, flattened insects with long antennae and legs adapted for running or Workers and soldiers are wingless, reproductives shed wings after mating. If winged, the fore and hind wings are nearly equal in size and shape. Thorax is broadly attached to the abdomen	Two pair or wingless	Chewing	Gradual
Psocodea	Barklice, Booklice, Parasitic Lice	If winged, the wings are folded roof-like over back or Parasites of birds and mammals	Two pair, wingless, or one pair	Chewing or sucking	Gradual
Hemiptera	True Bugs and Aphids, Leafhoppers, Planthoppers, Scale Insects, Cicadas	Base of front wings leathery, rest of wing membranous. Often with distinctive triangular area near the middle of the back between the wings and the prothorax or Wings held roof-like when at rest	Two pair or wingless	Sucking	Gradual
Thysanoptera	Thrips	Tiny insects with fringes of hair on wings. Wings fold flat over body when at rest	Two pair	Rasping-sucking	Intermediate
Neuroptera	Lacewings, Antlions, Mantidflies	Wings with many veins and cross veins, held roof-like over back when at rest	Two pair	Chewing	Complete
Megaloptera	Dobsonflies, Alderflies and fishflies		Two pair	Chewing	Complete
Coleoptera	Beetles	Front wings form hard shell-like cover over abdomen and the membranous hind wings	Two pair or wingless	Chewing	Complete
Hymenoptera	Ants, Bees, Sawflies, Wasps	Front wings are noticeably larger than hind wings. Wings often with hooks to interlock when in flight. Many are thread-waisted (having a narrow connection between the thorax and abdomen)	Two pair or wingless	Chewing or Chewing-lapping	Complete
Trichoptera	Caddisflies	Membranous wings with numerous hairs or sometimes scales held roof-like over back	Two pair	Chewing but reduced	Complete
Lepidoptera	Butterflies, Moths, Skippers	Scales on wings	Two pair	Siphoning	Complete
Mecoptera	Scorpionflies	Wings may be flat of roof-like, some males have scorpion-like tail. Mouthparts located at the end of a beak-like structure	Two pair or wingless	Chewing	Complete
Diptera	Flies, Midges, Mosquitoes	Second set of wings reduced to halteres	One pair or wingless	Sucking or sponging	Complete
Siphonaptera	Fleas	Small insects. Body flattened from side to side	Wingless	Sucking	Complete