RLE 5020

PEST AND DISEASE MANAGEMENT

LECTURE 2
Topic: Taxonomy of Insects

1
 Outline
● Insect morphology
● Insect classification systems
● Identification of common insect problems

2
Classification of Insects

● Kingdom Animalia
○ Invertebrates

● Phylum Arthropoda
○ Exoskeleton

○ Jointed legs
 Introduction
Phylum： Arthropoda 節肢動物門
Subphylum： Hexapoda 六足亞門

彈尾目 原尾目

雙尾目 5
奧陶紀

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2019.04.057
Are they insects?

蜈蚣
Centipedes

潮蟲亞目 馬陸
Woodlouse Millipedes

蜘蛛
spiders

7
 Are they insects?
● Sow bugs/woodlouse 潮蟲亞目 are crustaceans, closely related to lobsters,
crabs, and krill than to ants and cockroaches. Beneath their exoskeleton are
gills used to absorb oxygen from water. That is why you always find them in
damp areas around the home.
● Millipedes 馬陸/千足蟲 are diplopodans. A millipede’s body is made up of
many segments, and each segment has two pairs of legs. Diplopoda literally
means “double foot,” which is the distinguishing characteristic between
millipedes and centipedes.
● Centipedes 蜈蚣 are chilopodans. Like millipedes, their bodies have many
segments, but each segment only has one pair of legs. Unlike millipedes, there
are species of centipedes that are venomous. Their bites are not known to be
fatal, but they can be painful and some people may experience an allergic
reaction.
● Spiders, as you know, are arachnids. So are scorpions, mites, and ticks.
Arachnids are classified primarily by having eight legs and two distinct body
regions, the cephalothorax (which is a fusion of the head and thorax), and the 8
abdomen.
 Class Insecta Characteristics

● 3 body parts

● Six legs
 Class Insecta Characteristics

● Two pairs of wings

● Two kinds of eyes

○ compound
 Class Insecta Characteristics
● Two Antennae

● Two sets of jaws

Class Insecta Characteristics
● All insects begin their life cycle as an egg.
Insect Orders
General Appearance
● One fundamental rule: three pairs of segmented legs,
and almost all of them have wings.
● the word insect means segregated, referring to three separate
body parts: head, thorax and abdomen
● the head bears the mouthpart
● Except species of the Order Protura 原尾目, all other insects possess
antennae and a pair of compound eyes, the latter of which has become
much reduced in burrowing and parasitic insects.
● The thorax of insects is further divided into prothorax, mesothorax and
metathorax, each with one pair of legs.
● The abdomen is made up of 10 to 11 abdominal segments and an anus at
the end. The gonopore is located below the anus but in some species the
gonopore and anus are combined to form a urogenital pore.

14
Structure of a
Beetle
15
 Exoskeleton
● Insects have an exoskeleton formed by a
polysaccharide called chitin 幾丁質.
● Even hairy caterpillars that look soft have
exoskeleton.
● This sturdy exoskeleton not only offers
protection to the insect body, but is also
light, highly acid and alkaline tolerant, and
can protect the body from desiccation.
● Although the exoskeleton seems perfect,
it restricts growth of the insect itself. This
is why insects must molt regularly to
ensure their continuous growth in size.

16
 Discussion and Nearpod Questions

Why can’t insects grow to a huge size?

17
Locomotion of Insects

18
 Insect Wings
● Based on the presence or absence of wings, Sub class 1. Apterygota 無翅亞綱 2.
Pterygota 有翅亞綱
● The primitive apterygotes 無翅亞綱 are wingless. Eg: Silver fish and Spring tails
● wings arises from meso (forewings) and meta (hind wings ) thoracic segments
● Sometimes wings may be reduced in pterygotes 有翅亞綱 e.g. Mallophaga 食毛目
& Siphunculata 蝨亞目
● In, coccids 介殼蟲 only males are winged; and aphids may or may not have the
wings.

19
Winged coccid Winged aphids
How to describe the area of wings?
● The anterior (upper) part of the wing towards coastal margin where more
no of longitudinal veins are present is called remigium.
● The posterior part of the wing where veins are sparsely distributed is
known as Anal Area, which is called as clavus in forewings and vannus in
hindwings.
● Jugum is the inner most portion of the wing that is cutoff from the main
wing by jugal fold.

20
Wings are strengthened by a number of hollow narrow tubular
structures called veins. Arrangement of veins on wing surface is
known as Wing venation 21
 Types of Wings
Membranous wing 膜翅
膜質,薄而透明,脈明顯可見,為最常
見的一種翅,如蜂類、蜻蜓的前後翅。
Membranous, thin and
transparent wing with conspicuous veins. The
most common insect wing type. e.g., forewings and
hindwings of bees and dragonflies.

22
 Insect Wings

http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/478768 23
 Types of Wings
Lepidotic wing 鱗翅
膜質,翅面密被細小的鱗片,外觀多不透
明,如蝶、蛾的翅。
Membranous wings with tiny
scales and are opaque. e.g. wings
of butterflies and moths

https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/travel-leisure/article/3085201/butterfly-bonanza-bisexual-freak-ones-wings-wider-dollar
24
 Types of Wings
Fringed wing 纓翅
膜質透明,翅脈退化,翅緣具變狀長毛,
如薊馬的翅。
Membranous and transparent with
degenerated veins and long fringe on the margins.
e.g. wings of thrips.

http://www.thrips-id.com/en/hercinothrips-femorali 25
 Types of Wings Tegmen 覆翅
革質,多為不透明或半透明,主要作保護
後翅之用,如蝗蟲的前翅。
Leathery and opaque or semi-transparent
in most cases. The key function is to protect the
hindwings. E.g. forewings of grasshoppers (Orthoptera)

26
 Types of Wings
Hemielytron 半鞘翅
又稱半翅,其基部呈質,端部膜質,如
大多數椿象類的前翅。
Leathery basal area and membranous
distal edge. E.g. forewings of most bugs.

Cotton stainer bugs

Dysdercus decussatus 27
 Types of Wings
Elytron鞘翅
骨化成硬殼,主要用來保護後翅和背部,
如甲蟲的前翅。
Ossified into a hard shell to serve mainly
as a protection device for the hindwings and back.
e.g. forewings of beetles.

28
http://www.bookzone.com.tw/event/bt1025a/guide.asp
 Types of Wings
Halter棒翅
又稱平衡棒,呈棍棒狀,在飛行時幫助平衡,如蚊的後翅。
A clavate wing also known as haltere that helps maintain
balance during flight. E.g. hindwings
of mosquitoes.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halteres
29
 Types of Wings
Piliferous wing 毛翅膜質

翅面與翅脈覆滿細毛,多為不透明或半透明,如石蛾
(Stenopsyche sp.)的。
Membranous wing with fine hair on the surface and veins.
Most are opaque or semi-
transparent. E.g. wings of Stenopsyche sp. (Trichoptera)

https://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2007f/zt01668p698.pdf

30
 Types of Wings
Hemitegmen半覆翅
翅前斜方部分(臂前區)革質,其餘部分膜質,翅折疊時革質部分覆蓋膜
質部分,從而起
保護作用,如大部分竹節蟲的後翅。
The anterior side (anterior tomal area) is leathery. Other areas are
membranous.
When folded, the leathery part covers the membranous part for
protection. E.g. hindwings of most stick insects. (Phasmatodea)

31
Legs of Insects

32
1. Ambulatorial (Walking leg): e.g. Fore
and middle legs of cockroach. Femur and
tibia are long. Legs are well developed
similar in form.

2. Cursorial (Running leg): e.g. All three

pairs of legs of Ants. Femur is not swollen.
All the legs are long.
3. Saltatorial (Jumping leg): e.g. Hind leg of grasshopper, field
cricket, Trochanter is fused with femur. Hind femur is enlarges.

4. Scansorial (clinging or climbing): e.g. All three

pairs of legs of head house. Tibia is stout and at one
side bears a thump like process. The tarsus is single
segmented. There is a single large claw that usually fits
against a thumb-like process, which forms an efficient
mechanism for hanging on to the hairs of host.
5. Fossorial (Digging leg): e.g. Fore legs of mole cricket. Femur is shout.
Tibia is short and shout and bears distally two or three strongly printed
tines. The first two segments of tarsus are also produced into strong tines.
The first two segments of tarsus are also produced into strong tines.
Tympanum is present on fore mantids.
 6. Raptorial (Grasping leg): e.g. Fore legs of preying mantids. Fore legs are of no use
in locomotion. Coxae elongated to give an extended reach to capture the prey. The
femur is large and groove when it snaps down over the prey. Tarsus consists of five
tarsomeres.

7. Natatorial (Swimming leg): e.g. Hind legs of

water bug or water. Beetle, Femur, tibia and first four
tarsomeres are all broad and flattened. Their edges are
provided with flattened setae. The hind legs serve as
oars.
8. Sticking leg: e.g. All the three pairs of legs of
housefly. Pretarsus consists of a pair of lateral adhesive
pads called pulvilli and a pair of claw. Arolium is absent.
But a median spine like structure called campodium is
present. The pulvilli are covered with dense mats of tiny
glandular hairs called tenant hairs. Secretions of these
glandular hairs are helpful in clinging to smooth surfaces
and to walk upside down on the ceiling.
9. Basket-like leg : e.g. Legs of dragonfly and damselfly. Legs are situated just being
the head and are anterior in position. Legs are spiny and closely placed which are
useful in seizing the prey during flight. Legs are not useful in locomotion.
Endopterygota Coleoptera 鞘翅目
內翅總目 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目
Hymenoptera 膜翅目

Exopterygota Isoptera 等翅下目

外翅總目 Hemiptera 半翅目
Thysanoptera 纓翅目
Orthoptera 直翅目
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Coleoptera 鞘翅目
● There are over 360,000 species of
Coleoptera in the world, it is the
largest order of insects,
representing about 40 percent of
the known insect species.
● Beetles can usually be recognized
by their two pairs of wings; the
front pair is modified into horny
covers (elytra) that hide the rear
pair and most of the abdomen
and usually meet down the back
in a straight line.

40
Coleoptera 鞘翅目
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目
Borers

Common Coleoptera
● Long-horned wood-boring beetles 天牛科 (Cerambycidae)
● Weevils 象鼻蟲科(Curculionidae)
● Ladybugs 瓢蟲科 (Coccinellidae)
● Leaf beetles 金花蟲科 (Chrysomelidae),
● Darkling beetles 擬步行蟲科 (Tenebrionidae)
● Checkered beetles 郭公蟲科 (Cleridae)
● Bess beetles 黑豔蟲科(Passalidae)
● Sap beetles 露尾甲科(Nitidulidae)
● Scarab beetles 金龜子科 (Scarabaeoidea)
● Jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles 吉丁蟲科 (Buprestidae)

42
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Long-horned wood-boring beetles 天牛科

(Cerambycidae)

半環綠虎天牛
毛角薄翅天牛 Megopis marginalis 43
Chlorophorus reductus
http://www.hkwildlife.net/Forum/viewthread.php?tid=57
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Long-horned wood-boring beetles 天牛科

(Cerambycidae)

松墨天牛 Monochamus alternatus

https://www.flickr.com/photos/janghyunkyu/39909840322
44
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hkmoths/1280805841/
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Phoenix canariensis – Rhynchophorus ferrugineus

(Curculionidae) 紅棕象甲
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Phoenix canariensis – Rhynchophorus

ferrugineus (Curculionidae) 紅棕象甲
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Brontispa longissima 椰心葉甲(Chrysomelidae)

47
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles

吉丁蟲科 (Buprestidae)

Chalcophora japonica 松吉丁蟲

The adults of this species can reach 2-4 cm in length. The body is bullet-shaped and have black
and brown black longitudinal stripes with gold flecks. The larvae, known as Flat-headed Wood-
borer, is adapted to woodboring. It has a flattened thorax and a inconspicuous head. The larval
stage may last many ears.
48
 Coleoptera 鞘翅目

Jewel beetles or metallic wood-boring beetles

吉丁蟲科 (Buprestidae)

Chrysobothris succedanea
柑橘星吉丁
49
https://alchetron.com/Chrysobothris
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

● about 180,000 species of butterflies, moths, and skippers. This

order of insects is second in size only to Coleoptera, the beetles.
● The life cycle of lepidopterans consists of four stages: egg, larva
(caterpillar), pupa (chrysalis), and adult (imago).
● The larvae do most of the eating, with the majority feeding on
foliage, although many species eat stems, roots, fruits, or flowers. A
number of moth and a few butterfly larvae are serious pests in
agriculture and forestry.
● Resulting in skeletonizing or defoliation of the plants

50
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

● Most of the Lepidoptera species overwinter as eggs, but

some overwinter as pupae in the soil or under plant
debris.
● In the spring, the larvae feed on leaves and may defoliate
a tree if populations are high.
● They molt several times and then pupate, after which
the adult moth or butterfly emerges to mate and lay
eggs.
● Some species undergo one generation per year, while
others may have several generations.

51
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Adoxophyes privatana 捲葉蛾/ 茶角紋小捲蛾

host: Citrus 柑橘 spp.

https://idtools.org/id/leps/tortai/Adoxophyes_orana.htm 52
http://hkwildlife.net/Forum/viewthread.php?tid=88817 http://gaga.biodiv.tw/9505/16.htm
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Cyclosia papilionaris 蝶形錦斑蛾

host: Aporusa dioica 銀柴

53
https://zh.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cyclosia_papilionaris_by_Kadavoor.JPG
https://www.learnaboutbutterflies.com/Caterpillar%20-%20Cyclosia%20papilionaris.htm
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Histia flabellicornis 鳳斑蛾/重陽木螢斑蛾

Host: Bischofia javanica 秋楓

54
http://dearlep.tw/species.html?namecode=348116&photo_id=2f27a525ffda7232ee9905d13b3b8d8d
https://www.flickr.com/photos/hellomumu/14708733596
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Orthocraspeda furva 三點斑刺蛾

host: Litsea glutinosa 潺槁木姜子

55

http://gaga.biodiv.tw/9702bx/770.htm
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Heortia vitessoides 細紋黛齒螟/黃野螟

host: Aquilaria sinensis 牙香樹

56
Forests 2019, 10(4), 331; https://doi.org/10.3390/f10040331
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Perinda nuda 榕透翅毒蛾

Host: Ficus spp.

Pupa

https://www.fehd.gov.hk/english/pestcontrol/photo_page/Perina_nuda_larva_egg.html 57

https://www.atptree.com/en/perina-nuda/
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Glyphodes bivitralis 雙點絹野螟蛾

host: Ficus spp., Erythrina variegata 刺桐

http://caterpillartaiwan.blogspot.com/2015/03/glyphodes
-bivitralis-guenee-1854.html
58
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Agathodes ostentalis 華麗野螟

Host: Erythrina variegata 刺桐

59
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Metanastria hyrtica 大斑ㄚ枯葉蛾

Nocturnal behaviour 60
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

Phauda flammans 朱紅毛斑蛾/燄色榕蛾

Host: Ficus spp.

61
https://www.hk01.com/18%E5%8D%80%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E/634156/%E5%A4%A7%E5%9F%94%E6%9C%B1%E7%B4%85%E6%AF%9B%E6%96%91%E8%9B%BE%E5%A4%A7%E7%88%86%E7%99%BC-
%E5%BA%B7%E6%96%87%E7%BD%B2%E9%BA%BB%E5%B8%83%E5%8C%85%E6%A8%B9%E5%B9%B9-%E9%98%B2%E5%B9%BC%E8%9F%B2%E5%95%83%E9%A3%9F%E6%A6%95%E6%A8%B9%E8%AE%8A%E7%A6%BF
 Lepidoptera 鱗翅目

https://www.hk01.com/%E7%A4%BE%E6%9C%83%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E/630559/%E6%A6%95%E6
%A8%B9%E8%9B%BE%E7%81%BD-
%E6%9C%B1%E7%B4%85%E6%AF%9B%E6%96%91%E8%9B%BE%E5%86%8D%E7%88%86%E7%99
%BC-
%E6%96%B0%E7%95%8C%E6%A6%95%E6%A8%B9%E9%81%87%E8%A5%B2%E8%AE%8A%E7%A6
%BF-%E6%B3%A2%E5%8F%8A23%E6%A3%B5%E5%8F%A4%E6%A8%B9#media_id=6941043
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目

Hymenoptera 膜翅目

● Symphyta 廣腰亞目 : Sawflies (the joint where thorax and abdomen

meet does not contract)
● Aprocrita 細腰亞目: ants, bees, wasps, hornets, Eumenid wasps

leaf cutter bees

63
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/leaf-cutter-bees.htm
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目

https://blog.xuite.net/egi0516/wretch/157377012

http://hkwildlife.net/Forum/viewthread.php?tid=88304

樟葉蜂 Mesoneura rufonota

Hosts: Cinnamomum camphora

2020

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7074244/pdf/insects-11-00076.pdf
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目

Agenocimbex jucunda 朴童錘角葉蜂 (Sawfly)

host: Celtis sinensis 朴

http://www.hkwildlife.net/Forum/viewthread.php?tid=79555

http://hkcww.org/hkother/readid.php?id=4779

65
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目

Tetrastichus sp. 嚙小蜂 (Eulophidae 姬小蜂科)

Eulophid parasitoids

66
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目

Quadrastichus erythrinae 刺桐釉小蜂

Host: Erythrina variegata
(Erythrina Gall Wasp)

Photos from: Mr. Clive Lau, AFCD

67
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目
刺桐釉小蜂
Quadrastichus erythrinae (Eulophidae)
Photos from: Mr. Clive Lau, AFCD
 Hymenoptera 膜翅目

Xylocopa (Carpenter or borer bees) has nesting behavior of

burrowing into dead wood to establish tunnels in order to
lay eggs; others may build nests on trees
 Isoptera 等翅目

Isoptera 等翅目
● The termites are medium-sized, social insects.
● Their colonies contain three castes--workers, soldiers, and swarmers
(sexually mature kings and queens).
● The workers and soldiers are wingless and dirty-white in color. The
swarmers are dark-bodied and have four long, many-veined, whitish wings.
● They have chewing mouthparts and a gradual metamorphosis, the life
stages being the egg, nymph, and adult. Termites are sometimes incorrectly
called white ants, but they are very different from ants in both structure
and metamorphosis.
● True ants, which belong to the order Hymenoptera, have the abdomen
constricted (pinched in) just back of the thorax; termites do not.
● Termites may be found in logs, stumps, fence posts, timbers of buildings, or
in wood lying on the ground.

70
 Isoptera 等翅目

● Termites mostly feed on dead plant material and cellulose, generally

in the form of wood, leaf litter, soil, or animal dung.
● Termites are major detritivores, particularly in the subtropical and
tropical regions, and their recycling of wood and plant matter is of
considerable ecological importance.

71
 Isoptera 等翅目

Macrotermes barneyi
黃翅大白蟻

http://www.csbzpco.com/nd.jsp?id=28

72
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2021.649962/full
 Isoptera 等翅目

Odontotermes formosanus 黑翅土白蟻

black-winged subterranean termite

73
 Hemiptera 半翅目

Hemiptera 半翅目

● Suborder Heteroptera 異翅亞目: the so-called true bugs,

this large group of insects consisting of more than 40,000
species, can be recognized by an X-shaped design on the back,
which is formed by the wings at rest.
● Suborder Auchenorrhyncha 頸喙亞目 (Homoptera,
former name): cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers,
planthoppers, and spittlebugs, more than 32,000 species of
sucking insects
● Suborder Sternorrhyncha 胸喙亞目 (Homoptera, former
name) contains the aphids, whiteflies, and scale insects

74
 Hemiptera 半翅目
https://www.britannica.com/animal/heteropteran

Suborder Heteroptera 異翅亞目

 Hemiptera 半翅目
https://www.britannica.com/animal/homopteran

角蟬

Suborder Auchenorrhyncha 頸喙亞目

 Hemiptera 半翅目

Tessaratoma papillosa 荔蝽
hosts: Dimocarpus longan, Litchi chinensis

77
https://ajh57.wordpress.com/tag/tessaratoma-papillosa/
 Hemiptera 半翅目

Dysdercus decussatus
黑頭叉紋赤星椿象(叉帶棉紅椿)

https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/field/bugs/cotton_stainer.htm 78
 Hemiptera 半翅目

Ricania sp. 廣翅蠟蟬

79
http://hkcww.org/hkother/readid.php?id=5084
 Hemiptera 半翅目

Pseudaulacaspis cockerelli
椰子擬白輪盾介殼蟲
Host: Ficus microcarpa

https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/orn/scales/false_oleander_scale.htm

80
 by courtesy of Mr.Clive Lau (AFCD) who provided the information
Hemiptera 半翅目

Cycas revoluta – Aulacaspis yasumatsui (Diaspididae)

蘇鐵白輪盾介

The scale has the ability to kill

its host within a period of less
than a year without any
control measure.
 by courtesy of Mr.Clive Lau (AFCD) who provided the information
Hemiptera 半翅目

Cycas revoluta – Aulacaspis yasumatsui

(Diaspididae) 蘇鐵白輪盾介
 by courtesy of Mr.Clive Lau (AFCD) who provided the information
Hemiptera 半翅目

Cycas revoluta – Aulacaspis yasumatsui

(Diaspididae)
 Hemiptera 半翅目

Icerya aegyptiaca 埃及吹綿介殼蟲 (breadfruit mealybug)

Hosts: Macaranga tanarius
https://www.cabi.org/isc/datasheet/28426 (with information of natural enemies)

With Sooty moulds

https://www.dreamstime.com/photos-images/icerya.html

84
 Hemiptera 半翅目

Problems to affected trees

- abnormal leaf fall
- honeydew or sooty moulds on branches and stems
- external feeding on stems
- Whole plant dwarfing

https://wallygro.com/blogs/feature/how-to-get-rid-of-mealybug-on-houseplants 85
 Thysanoptera 纓翅目

Thysanoptera 纓翅目

● Thysanoptera is a worldwide order of nearly 6000 species in

nine families.
● Hemimetabola (incomplete development, i.e. egg, nymph,
adult)
● Thrips are generally small insects (under 3 mm). Most
species feed on plant tissues, but some are predators of mites
and various small insects (including other thrips). Many
species are parthenogenetic 單性生殖. Adults may be
winged or wingless. When present, the wings are slender
and rod-like with a dense fringe of long hairs.

86
 Thysanoptera 纓翅目

Gynaikothrips ficorum 榕管薊馬

Host: Ficus microcarpa, F. benjamina

https://bladmineerders.nl/parasites/animalia/arthropoda/insecta/thysanoptera/t
ubulifera/phlaeothripidae/gynaikothrips/gynaikothrips-ficorum/
 Orthoptera 直翅目

Orthoptera 直翅目
● All these insects have striaght longitudinal veins in both
forewings and hindwings.
● Includes grasshoppers 草蜢, katydids 螽斯, mole crickets 螻
蛄, crickets 蟋蟀.
● Have a pair of strong hindlegs which enable them to hop as
agilely as they fly.
● Have two pairs of wings, thicker and leathery forewings are
called tegmina. The hindwings are membranous and folded
like fans under the forewings
● Crickets are similar to grasshoppers but the head is more
rounded. Compound eyes are small and antennae are longer.

88
Orthoptera 直翅目
Nearpod Questions:
insect types and their orders

11 scales
scales (Hemiptera) 55 thrips
thrips
(Physanoptera)
22 leafhoppers
leafhoppers 6 ants
6 ants
(Hemiptera) (Hymenoptera)
33 Moths
Moths 7
7 Stick
Stick Insect
Insect
(Lepidoptera) (Phasmatodea)
44 termites
termites 8
8 beetles
beetles
(Blattodea, Isoptera) (Coleoptera)

91
 Identification of
Common Insect Problems

92
How to identify common insect problems?

● Plant organ afflicted (leaves, flowers, buds,

trunk, stem, roots)
● Diagnosis (signs and symptoms)
● Feeding habits of insects
● Stage of infection (localized or widespread)
● Rate of advancement over time (fast or slow)
● Presence of other stress factors

93
Distinguish between harmful, neutral or
beneficial

● Harmful: identify the nuisance that may cause

○ Direct damage
○ Excrement: frass, pellets
○ By-product of feeding: sticky honeydew and sooty moulds
● *Neutral or unharmful --- referring to the term cosmetic
or aesthetic because it disfigures the plant but does not
seriously harm plant health; most insects belong to this
category
● Beneficial: those that can attack plant pests and can be used
to manage some insects in the landscape, referring the
biological control insects

94
How to identify common insect problems?

Kinds of damage:
- On living, decaying or dead parts
- Feeding habits: chewing, sucking or boring
damage
- Gall formation

96
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
Chewing of Loss of Skeletonizing
leaves, buds, leaves/ leaf of leaves
flowers, shredding
fruits, seeds
Tunneling Mining Blistering
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
● Chewing of leaves, buds, flowers, fruits, seeds
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
● Loss of leaves/ leaf shredding
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
● Skeletonizing of leaves
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
● Tunneling
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
● Mining (採掘)
 Signs and Symptoms
of chewing damage
● Blistering
 Causes
of chewing damage
Order Common name Stage of life cycle
Coleoptera 鞘翅目 Beetles, weevils Adult or larva (grub)
Dermaptera 革翅 Earwigs蠼螋 Adult and nymph
目
Diptera 雙翅目 Flies Larva (grub or maggot)
Hymenoptera Sawflies, wasps Larva (spitfire or slug)
膜翅目
Lepidoptera Moths and butterflies Larva (leaf-miner,
鱗翅目 lopper caterpillar)
Phasmatodea Stick insects竹節蟲 Adult or nymph
䗛目
白斑大葉蚤 Ophrida scaphoides Odontoptilum angulatum 角翅弄蝶
 Signs and Symptoms
of sucking damage
Mottling Yellowing Wilting
Distortion Death and loss of Marking
leaves, fruits,
stems and shoots
Size reduction Rolling Silvering
Webbing Witches’ broom Malformation of
leaves and shoots
Fruit russeting
 Signs and Symptoms
of sucking damage
● Mottling, Yellowing
 Signs and Symptoms
of sucking damage
● Rolling, Malformation of leaves and shoots
 Signs and Symptoms
of sucking damage
● Fruit russeting變成赤褐色
 Causes
of sucking damage
Order Common name Stage of life cycle
Hemiptera Bugs, aphids, leaf Adult or nymph
半翅目 hoppers,
lerps/psyllids,
mealybugs,
scales, whiteflies
Thysanoptera Thrips Adult or nymph
纓翅目
Acarina Mites Adult or nymph
蜱蟎亞綱
 Signs and Symptoms
of boring damage

Tunneling of Shelling of bark Egg laid in

wood tunnels
Bore into wood Tunneling of
shoots and
fruits
 Signs and Symptoms
of boring damage
● Tunneling of wood
 Signs and Symptoms
of boring damage
● Shelling of bark
 Causes
of boring damage
Order Common name Stage of life cycle
Coleoptera 鞘 Beetles, weevils Larva
翅目
Hymenoptera Wasps Adults and larva
膜翅目
Isoptera Termites adult
等翅下目
Lepidoptera Moths and Larva
鱗翅目 butterflies
 Signs and Symptoms
of gall formation damage

Abnormal cell Gall formation

division
 Signs and Symptoms
of gall formation damage
 Causes
of gall formation damage
Order Common name Stage of life cycle
Diptera 雙翅目 Flies Larva
Hemiptera aphids, psyllids, Adult or nymph
半翅目 scales
Hymenoptera Wasps Larva
膜翅目
Thysanoptera Thrips Adult or nymph
纓翅目