• a body composed of 3 tagmata. Head, thorax and abdomen
• a pair of relatively large compound eyes ans usually three ocelli located on the head
• a pair of antennae, also on the head
• mouthparts consisting of a labrum, a pair of mandibles, a pair of maxillae, a labium and a tongue-like hypopharynx
• 2 pairs of wings derived from outgrowths of the body
• and 3 pairs of walking legs

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Collembola

Common Name: Springtails

Characteristics; Abdomen terminates in a forked tailed-like structure which enables them to jump when disturbed. They are almost always assiated with damp conditions, which is essential for their survival. Other habitats include under bark of trees or in and around rotting fruit and vegetables and they typically feed on decaying plant material. 

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Thysanura

Common Names: Bristle tails, Silverfish, Firebrat 

Characteristics; carrot shaped body tapering toward abdomen. Body covered by scale-like structure with chewing mouthparts. Feed on starchy material, decaying vegetation. In homes frequently found trapped in sink basins or bath tubs as they lack the sticky pads on tarsi so cannot crawl out.

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Ephemeroptera

Common Name: Mayflies

Characteristics; no mouth parts, front wings triangular in shape and held upright when at rest, hind wing round, small or lacking. Delicate body with 2 to 3 elongates hair-like appendages extending from abdomen. Short lived and fly to light in spring-early summer months. 

Habitat: Found mostly around streams and lakes.

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Class: Hexapoda

Order: Odonata

Suborder: Anisoptera

Common Name: Dragronflies

Characteristics; small and hair-like antennae. Compound eyes, very large. Stalk-like abdomen. Typically found around water. Open wings, cannot close them.

Class: Hexapoda

Oder: Odonata

Suborder: Zygoptera

Common Name; Damselflies

Id traits; slender bodies than dragonflies. able to close wings

Class: Hexapoda

Oder: Phasmatodea

Common Names: Stick bugs, Walking sticks

Characteristics; more than 2000 species worldwide. Most are tropical in origin with relatively few naturally living in the US. Most species of this family mimic twigs in both body shape and color. However, there are some tropical species which are leaflike in appearance.

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Dermaptera

Common Name: Earwigs

Metamorphosis; Gradual metamorphosis

Id traits; flat elongated body. well developed mandibles. forceps at the end of the abdomen which they use in a threatening display when disturbed.

May or may not posses wings. Winged species have forewings modifies into small, tough covers (tegmina). Hind wings are membranous, semicircuar and are folded in a fan form under the tegmina.

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Plecoptera

Common Name: Stoneflies

Id traits; wings fols flat and over each other covering entire abdomen, linear in appearance, hind wing same shape as front wing but with large folding fan. 2 tails at rear. Nymphs are aquatic and resemble silverfish or bristletails.

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Embiidina

Common Name: Webspinners

Id traits; segmented tarsi with enlarged basal segment on front tarsus. tarsal silk gland. no ocelli. chewing mouthparts. Males have wings with blood sinus veins to stiffen the wings. Females do not have wings.

Habitat; live in leaf litter, under stones and bark. they live in silk-lined colonies made up of female and brood. Feed on dried plant material, dried grasses.

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Isoptera

Common Name: Termites

Id traits; Simple in morphology but advanced in social behavior. Soft bodied. no construction on waist.

Opaque or dark wings with dark veins

chewing mouthparts

wing scales

equal sized wings

monoform or filiform antennae

serile workers are male and female

nasutiform- spray irritating liquid from frontal gland up to 100mm

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Mantodea

Common Name: Praying Mantid

Wings: 2 pair: Mesothorax wings toughened (tegmina) to protect membraneous, folded (fan-like) metathoracic wings.

Body characteristics: adult front legs modified for grasping elongate, thin body & legs for camouflage. They have a flexible, elongated prothorax that looks like a neck and increases their head mobility
egg - distinctive egg case

females are larger than males

Metamorphosis: Gradual metamorphosis

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Thysanoptera

Common Name: Thrips

Metamorphosis; Gradual metamorphosis

Feeding habits; phytophagus

habitat; plants and flowers

Id traits; fringed wings, small

Economic pest 

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Psocoptera

Common Names: Booklice, Barklice, Barkflies

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Phthiraptera

Common Name: Lice

Metamorphosis: paurometabolous - eggs glued to host hairs

Body characteristics:1) body flattened top to bottom

                             2) legs have special claws to grasp host

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Phthiraptera

Suborder: Mallophaga

Common Name: Chewing Lice

Metamorphosis: Ametamorphosis

Feeding habits; parasitic on birds

Habitat; feathers, skin debris

Id traits; Chewing mouth parts, head as wide as body

Economic pest

Class: Hexapoda

Oder: Phthiraptera

Suborder: Anoplura

Common Name: Sucking lice (pubic, head and body)

Metamorphosis; Ametamorphosis

Feeding habits; parasitic

Habitat; host specific

Id traits; sucking mouth parts, head narrower than body

Vector of disease 

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Trichoptera

Common Name: Caddisflies

Metamorphosis: holometabolous, larvae aquatic and build cases

Body characteristics:larvae - cases of larvae using substrate materials like stones or vegetation (twigs, leaves), a few use only silk.

adult - hairy wings, held in inverted V over body - mottled colors. 

Where found: adults weak flyers near water; larvae aquatic

Class: Hexapoda

Order: Siphonaptera

Common Name: Fleas

Highly specialized bloodsucking parasites.

Can transmit viruses like typhus.

Id traits; laterally flattened appearance enables them to quickly move through the host's hair. 

2 short antenna sensitive to stimuli including heat, vibration, traces of CO2, shadows and change in air currents.