Insect Taxonomy and Classification. Insect Identifier

Transcription

1 Insect Taxonomy and Classification Carl Linnaeus In the 1750's suggested a method of naming things that could be used by scientists all over the world. He introduced binomial nomenclature, which means two names. Both were in Latin. The first name identifies the genus and the second the species, such as Homo sapien. Such names follow a specific format. Because the names are Latin, they often appear in italics. Only the first name is capitalized. The science of naming things is called taxonomy and though it can become quite complicated the basics are easy to understand. All the living things are divided into a series of sets and subsets depending on how closely related they are. Insect Identifier Identification of insects is not fundamentally different from the identification of birds, fish, mammals, flowers, trees or any other form of life. It is simply a matter of knowing what to look for and being able to see it. Insect identification is made difficult by the number of different species. Like all living things, insects are grouped together based on similar characteristics. The Animal Kingdom is divided into Phylum. The Arthropod Phylum contains animals that have an external skeleton. It is divided into four subphylum; the largest is the Insecta, or insects. It divided into twenty-nine orders. The orders are then divided into families, which are divided into genus. There are about 1, insects world-wide. New species are constantly being discovered.

2 The insect orders and the physical characteristics that determine an insect classification. The goal of this Insect Identifier is to provide the novice with a means of classifying a specimen by order. More detailed identification generally requires professional training and an extensive reference library. Even armed with such resources, professionals often disagree over identification and classification. Identification is made by simply following the steps set forth in the key. It begins with selecting the wing type. Keep in mind that their is considerably diversity in the insect world and that some members of an order may have only one wing type, but others have all three wing types. This key takes them all into account and these results in some orders being listed several times.

3 Metamorphosis A remarkable change Change from larval to adult form. Occurs in animals that have indirect development in which young differ in form or life style from adult. Greek word (Meta - beyond, morphe - form) describing the series of changes through which an insect passes in its growth from the egg through the immature stages (nymph or larva and pupa) to the adult. A change of form, used to describe the post embryonic changes in insects as they progress to adulthood. Types of Metamorphosis Ametabolous (no metamorphosis): Little or no change between the immature and adult form except in size and development of the sexual organs. Ametabolous metamorphosis of a silverfish.

4 Gradual (Incomplete) Metamorphosis (immature forms are often called nymphs) Nymphs resemble the adult in form except for being smaller and lacking fully developed wings and sexual organs. Partial change in wing and external genitalia development with each molt. Most adults and nymphs have the same habits and live in the same environment. Life Cycle: Egg --> nymphal instars --> adult Incomplete (gradual) metamorphosis of a dragonfly and grasshopper

5 Complete metamorphosis: Immature forms are called larvae (larva, singular). Larvae are very different in form from the adult. The pupal stage is a transition stage, when the larva is transformed to the adult. Pupa does not eat and movement is very restricted. Great metabolic changes occur. Pupa molts to the adult form. Life Cycle: Egg --> larval instars --> pupa --> adult Complete metamorphosis of beetles

6 Insect Order Collembola - the springtail The springtails are small, primitive wingless insects. Although crawling is their usual method of locomotion, they have a jumping apparatus at the end of their abdomen. They range in length from 1 to 10 mm (0.04 to 0.4 inches). Called a furcula. It permits some mighty leaps, which is the origin of the common name "springtail." There are about 3,500 species. Springtails are found in all types of soil and leaf litter throughout the world, and are one of the most widely distributed insects. Certain springtails known as snow fleas are active at near-freezing temperatures and may appear in large numbers on snow surfaces. Springtails live in soil and on water and feed on decaying vegetable matter, sometimes damaging garden crops and mushrooms. Fossil springtails are among the oldest insect fossils known.

7 Order Thysanura silverfish Small insects with compound eyes and very long, thread-like antennae. Mouthparts for biting and chewing. Tarsi 2-4 segmented. Body often covered with scales. Abdomen with long cerci and a median tail filament. These processes are fringed with bristles. Metamorphosis is slight or wanting, with at least six nymphal stages and often many more. Many members of the Order continue to moult periodically throughout their adult lives. This is unusual because insects normally stop growing and moulting once they reach maturity. The Order contains about 600 known species.

8 Order Ephemeroptera mayflies Soft-bodies with short setaceous (bristle-like) antennae and vestigial mouthparts; wings held vertically at rest, hind pair much reduced; intercalary veins and many crossveins present; abdomen with long cerci, and with or without a medial caudal filament; larvae (nymphs) aquatic, campodeiform (elongated and flattened) with tracheal gills of varied form; true adult preceded by a subimago (winged instar).

9 Order Odonata dragonflies Dragonflies have two pairs of almost equally sized long thin membranous wings; both pairs of wings usually have a stigma (a dark or colored patch near the middle of the leading edge) and a mass of cross veins giving them the appearance of being a mesh. Dragonflies can flap or beat their wings independently. This means the front wings can be going down while the back ones are coming up. You can see this happening if you watch closely. Dragonflies are excellent fliers, particularly the Anisopterans and can loop-the-loop, hover and fly backwards quite easily. They flap their wings relatively slowly though, at less than 30 beats per second. Compare this with 200 bps for a hoverfly or 300 bps for a honey bee.

10 Suborder Anisoptera Dragonflies Size 25-89mm Wings held outstretched at rest. Hind wing is broader at base than the forewing. Male has three terminal appendages on abdomen, female only has two. Males and females are frequently colored differently. Details important to identification include face color, eye color, color and markings on the thorax, color and markings on the wings, color of the pterostigma (small colored area near the front edge of the wing), color and markings of the abdomen and shape of the abdomen. Individuals just recently emerged (teneral individuals) are often pale, unmarked, and impossible to identify until they develop the adult color pattern. Some dragonflies change color several times on the way to sexual maturity (within a few days); some change color with temperature and some also change color after death. Additional data useful for identification includes habitat, season, time of day and location.

11 Suborder Zygoptera Damselflies Forewing and hindwing similar size and shape, held at rest above body. Very slender abdomen. Male has four terminal appendages and female has well-developed ovipositor. Males and females are typically different in color, with the male showing more brilliant color, though some female damsels are also brightly colored. In some species females have both a male-form and a female-form color pattern. Identification is made by noting details of markings on head, thorax, and abdomen.

12 Order Dictyoptera Cockroaches and Mantids Dictyoptera are described as variably sized insects with generally filiform (long and thin) antennae usually composed of many small segments. They have mandibulate or biting mouthparts and legs that are roughly similar (except the Mantids which have raptorial forelegs), most have 5 tarsi. Many species are winged and the forewings are generally hardened into a tegmina while the hind wings are often fan-like, the wing buds of the nymphs do not undergo reversal (i.e. the hind wings are not folded back over the forewings). The genitalia of both sexes are generally concealed, behind the 7th abdominal segment in the female and behind the 9th in the male. Cerci are present and males bear a pair of styles as well. No specialized stridulatory organs are present though some Mantids do have a single ear on the metathorax which allows them to hear the sonar of bats. The eggs are laid in an ootheca.

13 Cockroaches Eggs usually contained in ootheca leathery forewings. Male genitalia Symmetrical cerci variable, with one or more segments Under bark, or logs, some are arboreal, some live in caves; others in bathtubs and behind bookcases. Some are omnivores; others eat wood.

14 Praying mantids and their relatives Raptorial forelegs, ultrasound "ear" on metathorax, forewings leathery, male genitalia asymmetrical, eggs in foamy ootheca. About 2300 described species in about 430 genera.

15 Order Orthoptera grasshoppers and crickets Orthoptera are hemimetabolous (having nymphs that look like small adults and no pupa) medium or large insects that are usually winged as adults but may be apterous (wingless). They have a large pronotum (the plate covering the first thoracic segment or prothorax) and enlarged (often greatly so) hind femur which are used for jumping. In the winged forms the fore wings are toughened and strengthened to form tegmina, the hind wings are membraneous and folded fan like. They normally have large well developed compound eyes as well as three ocelli, their cerci are normally short and one segmented and their mouthparts are designed for biting. Females usually have well developed ovipositor; this is more obvious in the Crickets and Bush-crickets. Their antennae are long and filiform in the Ensifera consisting of a large numbers segments, but short consisting of less than 30 segments in the Caelifera. It is considered by most scientists that the Orthoptera arose in the late Upper Carboniferous more than 300 million years ago.

16 Characteristics of Orthoptera include: Hind legs long, modified for jumping forewings (tegmina) hardened, leathery, spread in flight, covering membranous hindwings at rest cerci (appendages at tip of abdomen) unsegmented pronotum usually with large descending lobes on sides hind coxae small and well-separated hind tibiae with two dorsal rows of teeth. Two major taxonomic divisions: Caelifera - Grasshoppers and related families Ensifera - Long-horned Orthoptera, includes crickets and katydids Orthoptera: grasshoppers, crickets, and katydids A. may be winged or wingless; winged species have four wings. Forewing usually a tegmen; hindwing membranous, often pleated. B. Body elongate, shield-like pronotum, cerci well developed. Suborder 1 : Caelifera الجراد المهاجر Locusta migratoria Family : Acrididae Schistocerca gregaria خطا! الجراد الصحراوي

17 Suborder 2 :Ensifera Family:Gryllotalpida الحفار Gryllotalpa gryllotalpa Family:Gryllidae صرصورالغيط Gryllus bimaculatus Reference: geocities.com

18 Hemiptera The defining feature of hemipterans is their possession of mouthparts where the mandibles and maxillae have evolved into a proboscis, sheathed within a modified labium to form a "beak" or "rostrum" which is capable of piercing tissues (usually plant tissues) and sucking out the liquids typically sap. The name "Hemiptera" is from the Greek hemi ("half") and pteron ("wing"), referring to the forewings of many hemipterans which are hardened near the base, but membranous at the ends. These wings are termed hemelytra (singular: hemelytron), by analogy with the completely hardened elytra of beetles. They may be held "roofwise" over the body, or held flat on the back, with the ends overlapping. The hindwings are entirely membranous and are usually shorter than the forewings. The antennae in Hemiptera are typically five-segmented, although they can still be quite long, and the tarsi of the legs are threesegmented or shorter. Although hemipterans vary widely in their overall form, their mouthparts (formed into a "rostrum") are quite distinctive; the only orders with mouthparts modified in a similar manner are the Thysanoptera and some Phthiraptera, and these are generally easy to recognize as non-hemipteran for other reasons. Aside from the mouthparts, various insects can be confused with hemipterans, including cockroaches and psocids, both of which have longer manysegmented antennae, and some beetles, but these have fully-hardened forewings which do not overlap. Classification The present members of the order Hemiptera were historically placed into two orders, Homoptera and Heteroptera/Hemiptera, based on the differences in wing structure and the position of the rostrum. These two orders were then combined into the single order Hemiptera by many authorities, with Homoptera and Heteroptera classified as suborders. The order is presently more usually divided into four or more suborders, after it was established that the families grouped together as "Homoptera" are not as closely related as had previously been thought (see paraphyly). Auchenorrhyncha contains the cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, planthoppers, and

19 froghoppers. The 12,500 species in the suborder Sternorrhyncha are the aphids, whiteflies and scale insects. The suborder Coleorrhyncha (comprising the single family Peloridiidae), contains fewer than 30 species of Gondwana-distributed bugs, and is sometimes grouped with the Heteroptera (to form the suborder Prosorrhyncha). Heteroptera itself is a group of 25,000 species of relatively large bugs, including the shield bugs, seed bugs, assassin bugs, flower bugs and the water bugs (see below). The closest relatives of hemipterans are the thrips and lice, which collectively form the "Hemipteroid Assemblage" within the Exopterygota subclass of the Class Insecta. True bugs Most people tend to call anything with lots of legs a "bug." However, to an entomologist, a "bug" is one of the 35,000 or so species of the order Hemiptera. Hemiptera means "half wing" and refers to the fact that part of the first pair of wings is toughened and hard, while the rest of the first pair and the second pair are membranous. Hemipterans also have modified piercing and sucking mouthparts;

20 some suck plant juices and are plant pests, while others can bite painfully. The Hemiptera or True Bugs The Hemiptera is the largest and by far the most sucessful of the Hemimetabolic insects (having young that look like wingless adults and a sort of metamorphosis that does not involve a pupa). There are at least named species and probably many more. about named species occur in North America, from Australia and 1

21 600 from the UK. Traditionally they are divided into two groups the Heteroptera and the Homoptera (Sternorrhyncha, and Auchenorrhyncha) based basically on wing stucture but now they are the order is divided into three suborders, Sternorrhyncha, Auchenorrhyncha and Heteroptera with the Auchenorrhyncha now belived to be more closely related to the Heteroptera than the Sternorrhyncha. The hemiptera range from 1 mm to 11 cm in length, their antennae usually only have 4 or 5 segments. Two or 3 ocelli are usual and their compound eyes are normally well developed. The main feature of the group is the mouthparts which are of the piercing/sucking type. the mandibles and maxillae form 2 pairs of piercing stylets and are contained in a flexible sheath derived from the labium. All the Homopterans and many of the Heteropterans feed on plant juices, though many of the Heteroptera are predatory and some are useful as controllers of plant pests. The 2 groups can often be distinguished easily as the Heteropterans have a large pronotum and a relatively small mesonotum and metonotumu whereas most Homopterans have a small pronotum and a large mesonotum and slightly smaller metanotum. Further to this the wings of the Heteropterans are usually held flat over the body and the forewings which are hard and stiff almost like beetle elytra have the end part soft and membranous; therefore Heteropteran forewings are referred to as 'hemi-elytra'. Homopterans usually hold their wings over the body like a tent and the forewings are entirely sclerotised with no membraneuos tip. Taxonomy of the Order Hemiptera SubOrder Coleorrhyncha Family Peloridiidae SubOrder Heteroptera InfraOrder Pentatomorpha Superfamily Aradoidea Superfamily Pentatomoidea Superfamily Idiostoloidea Superfamily Piesmatoidea Superfamily Lygaeoidea Superfamily Pyrrhocoroidea Superfamily Coreoidea InfraOrder Cimicomorpha Superfamily Thaumastocoroidea Superfamily Joppeicoidae Superfamily Tingoidea

22 Superfamily Miroidea Superfamily Cimicoidea Superfamily Reduvioidea InfraOrder Leptopodomorpha InfraOrder Dipsocoromorpha InfraOrder Gerromorpha InfraOrder Nepomorpha InfraOrder Enicocephalomorpha SubOrder Auchenorryncha InfraOrder Fulgoromorpha InfraOrder Cicadomorpha Superfamily Cercopoidea Superfamily Cicadoidea Superfamily Cicadelloidea Superfamily Membracoidea Suborder Sternorrhyncha Superfamily Psylloidea Superfamily Aleyrodoidea Superfamily Adelgoidea Superfamily Aphidoidea Superfamily Coccoidea True bug eggs and 1st instars The insects in Order Hemiptera are extremely diverse in size, shape and colour. They have one common characteristic: their sucking mouths. They are incomplete metamorphosis and their young, the nymphs, look much the same as their adults except smaller and wingless. True Bugs are in Suborder Heteroptera. They usually have flat and soft bodies. Their forewings are toughen on the base area and with a

23 membranous tip part. Their antennae are well developed with up to five segments. Most of them are from small to medium size. Most species of true bugs have stink glands. These glands usually give off a foul odor when the insect is disturbed. All of them suck juice from plants or other insects. True bug 1st instars When bugs just hatched from eggs as 1st instars, they usually stay around their eggs cases. In general the1st instars nymph bugs do not feed when they first emerge. They spend some time ingesting bacteria which the female deposited on the eggs when she laid them. The bug have to liquefy the food with saliva first before they can feed on it. Classification : There are about a hundreds families in the Suborder Heteroptera. We manage to find some and listed as follows; Family Gerridae - Water Striders Bugs in this family are long legs and skate rapidly on water surface. They are predators of other insects. Family Gelastocoridae - Toad Bugs Bugs in this family are known as Toad Bugs. They live near the water. They have widen femur of front legs which make it a good swimmer. Toad bugs are predacious. They hop but cannot fly. Family Miridae - Mirid Bugs Some bugs in this family feed on plants only while many others feed on small soft body insects and insect eggs.

24 Some species feed on both. They are usually yellow, green brown or black in colors, though some are colourful. Some are ant mimics. Family Tingidae - Lace Bugs We found one species in this family. The bug was introduced into Australia to control the Lantana weeds. Family Reduviidae - Assassin Bugs All Assassin bugs are predators. They prey on all small animal such as snails, insects including caterpillars, spiders and other arthropods. Their bit can be painful. The antennae of Assassin Bugs are four segmented and about the same length as the body. Their legs are very long. Superfamily LYGAEOIDEA Family Rhyparochromidae We found one species in this family. The bug is mimicking the black ant. Family Lygaeidae - Seed Bugs, Milkweed Bugs, Chinch Bugs Members in his family have their forewings with 4-5 veins. The front section of their forewings is slightly harden and the back section membranous. They are usually brown to red in colour. They are from 4 to 20mm long, with oval shape and flattened body. Their antennae are four segmented. Family Oxycarenidae - Coon Bugs We found one species in this family. The bugs are small in size. Their back is triangular-patterned in black and white colours. We found them on our hibiscus plants on early spring. The nymphs are black in color with blood-red abdomens. Family Largidae - Largid Bugs

25 This is a very small bugs family. Largid bugs are general feeders, sucking juices from a variety of plants. They are close to family Lygaeidae. They are from 4 to 20mm long, with oval shape and flattened body. We only found one species in this family. Family Pyrrhocoridae - Cotton Stainers Bugs in this family mainly feed on Malvaceae, including cotton. We found only one species in this family. They have the red and black head, red eyes and pink to orange body, with a small black dot on each forewing. Superfamily COREOIDEA Most coreoids have a series of longitudinal parallel veins in the membrane of the fore wings and have ocelli, which distinguish them from lygaeids above. Family Coreidae - Tip Wilter, Leaf Footed Bugs, Squash Bugs Quite a number of bugs in this family can easily be found in Brisbane. They look similar and some are hard to be identified. They are mostly from 10 to 25mm in body length. Their forewings have many veins and their heads are narrower and most often shorter than pronotum. Their antennae are four segmented. Family Alydidae - Broad Headed Bugs Alydids have large broad triangular head, nearly as wide as the thorax. Their bodies are relatively slender. They have long antenna and long legs. Some of them feed on fallen pods from Acacia trees and pods of other trees. Some species their nymph mimic ants. Family Rhopalidae - Leptocoris bugs We only found one species in this family. The bug has bright red eyes and red abdomen. Its thorax and front wing covers are reddish-brown in colour. Its legs and antenna are black in colour. The last instars looks similar to the adult bugs except their wings are not fully developed.

26 Superfamily PENTATOMOIDEA Family Pentatomidae - Stink Bugs Bugs in this family will emit a pungent, evil-smelling liquid if disturbed. Their antennae are 5-segmented. Their body are usually in shield-shaped. Stink bugs are distinguished from other bugs by their triangular scutellum which is well extended to cover half of their back. Their legs are thin and with no spines. Family Scutelleridae - Shield Backed Bugs Bugs in this family are usually colourful with metallic colour of spots. Shield-backed bugs are plant suckers. They can be distinguished from other bugs by their scutellum completely covered the whole abdomen and wings. This family are closely related to stink bugs and also produce offensive odors when disturbed. Family Tessaratomidae Family Tessaratomidae is a small family very close to Family Pentatomidae. All members in this family look like pentatomid except they are large and with very small head. Like the Stink Bugs, they will also will emit a pungent, evil-smelling liquid if disturbed. We only found one species in this family. Family Gerridae This page contains pictures and information about Water Strider that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.

27 Bugs in this family are long legs and skate rapidly on water surface. They are predators of other insects. They are common on slow-flowing creeks and small ponds. The adults of this species have two forms, fully winged and wingless. Mirid Bugs - Family Miridae Mirid Bugs are common in Australia, the largest family of the Heteroptera. However, we do not have many photos and information on them for most of them are very small, 2-6mm in body length, and well camouflaged.

28 Some bugs in this family feed on plants only while many others feed on small soft body insects and insect eggs. Some species feed on both. They are usually yellow, green brown or black in colors, though some are colorful. Some are ant mimics. Red Mirid Bug? Helopeltis sp., body length 10mm We found this bug once in Yugarapul Park on Oct The bug has Reddish-brown wings and orange-yellow head. Its antenna and legs are long and black. The bottom and sides of its abdomen is white in color. The color patterns make it look like a Braconid Wasp, which could be its mimic model.

29 Brown Mirid Bug? Helopeltis sp., body length 10mm We found this bug in Mt Coot-tha during lat summer March The bug was brown to dark brown in color with creamy white abdomen. The bug has the punching sharp mouth and is predator of small soft body insect. The bug was found near the nest of a Crab Spider, with spiderlings wandering around. The bug may preying on those spiderlings. Two Red-spotted Mirid Bug

30 Assassin Bugs - Family Reduviidae This page contains pictures and information about Assassin Bugs that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia. Common Assassin Bug and its strong piercing-sucking mouthparts All Assassin bugs are predators. They prey on all small animals such as snails, insects including caterpillars, spiders and other arthropods. They can be distinguished from other bugs by their elongated head and short curved proboscis. All other plant-feeding bugs have their proboscis flat against under their head when not in use. Assassin Bugs' proboscis is curved outwards from the head. To catch prey, Assassin Bugs swing their proboscis forwards to attack.

31 Assassin Bugs feed on their prey by puncturing them with sharp stylets in their proboscis, and then inject saliva which will paralyses the prey, and then suck up the body fluids. As some other bugs, Assassin Bugs are slow moving. However, their bit can be painful. The antennae of Assassin Bugs are four segmented and about the same length as the body. The legs are very long and this extended the longer attack distance. Subfamily Harpactorinae - Long legs Assassin Bugs Assassin bugs in this subfamily are usually long-legged and hunting on plants. They usually active during the day time. Common Assassin Bug, Bee Killer Pristhesancus plagipennis, nymph body length 15mm, adult 20mm We found the Nymph Common Assassin Bug when it was chasing a small Flower Spider on the Hibiscus plants in our backyard in a mid autumn night. We only saw them once in our backyard. As most Assassin Bugs, it is bright orange in color with black legs and long antenna. The adult Common Assassin Bug was found on a oak tree in Wishart in mid-winter. They have their distinct neck between thorax and head. They are predators of other small insects and spiders. Most Assassin Bugs will give a very painful bite, so don't touch them. More information on the Common Assassin Bugs page. Orange Assassin Bug, Red Assassin Bug

32 Gminatus wallengreni or Gminatus australis, body Length 17mm This assassin bugs look similar to the Common Assassin Bugs but the colour is different. The body is orange red in colour with black legs and black wings. We took the first picture in Wishart Bushland in early winter. Later in early summer we found a pair of the Red Assassin Bugs wandering near a Stingless Bee nest. They seem looking for chances to hunt some bees. Spiny-legs Assassin Bug Scipinia arenacea, body length 15mm Although this Red Assassin Bug is small in size, its fore legs are very strong and spiny. The bug is orange-red in color with black wings. Its legs are orange-red too. The picture shows the bug feeding ladybird larvae on a Milkweed plant. Ants Killer Assassin Bug Catasphactes sp., body length 15mm

33 This assassin big is golden yellow in colors with black head and thorax. Its wings are membrane part of the wings is black. All its legs are also black. Small Assassin Bug? Catasphactes coprias, body length 10mm We found this Assassin Bug once in Karawatha Forest. This Assassin Bug is relatively small in size. It was resting on leaf. We took off and flied away after we took to photos. Red Tiger Assassin Bug Havinthus rufovarius, adult, nymph, body length 18mm We took those pictures in Karawatha Forest on a gum tree trunk during early October. The Assassin Bug was wandering on the tree trunk. It did not care very much on our approaching and taking those pictures. The bugs were red and black, the strong warning color. As a predator and with strips on body and legs, we call this bug Red Tiger. Long Assassin Bug

34 Australcmena lineativentris, body length 25-30mm This assassin bug is long and has slender body. It is brown in color with find white patterns on body. Its wings and very long legs are dark brown in color. There are the short spins on it thorax. Its has the typical small and long head with long and curved proboscis. Subfamily Peiratinae - Ground Assassin Bugs Bugs in this subfamily are usually robust, ground-living and active during the night. Most are brown or black in colors. Orange Ground Assassin Bug Ectomocoris patricius, female body length 20mm, We found this orange and black Assassin Bug running very fast on forest floor. This bug will bite if handle by bare hand. The insect has very strong front pair legs. All its legs are orange in colour. Its orange colour body with black pattern is the standard assassin bug warning colour. This bug can sometimes be found under loose bark or on ground among plants materials.

35 Brown Ground Assassin Bug Peirates sp., nymph, body length 16mm This bug was found under the fallen bark of a large gum tree during late summer in Alexandra Hill. Notice its wing-buds; this is the last instars of winged male adult. Also notice its mouth-parts and strong front legs. Black Ground Assassin Bug Peirates punctorius or Pirates flavopictus, body length 15mm This ground assassin bug has strong pair of front legs. It is shiny black in colour. There is the creamy white mark between its thorax and abdomen. All its legs are black in colour. Red Ground Assassin Bug Ectomocoris or Peirates sp.,, body length 20mm

36 This Red Ground Assassin Bug was found on Nov 2007 in Karawatha Forest. It was hiding under the bark of a burnt Paper Bark Tree trunk. The bug is wingless, dark red in colour, with two dull white spots on dark blue abdomen. The bug was slow moving. Not running fast as other Ground Assassin Bug. Subfamily Tegeinae There is only one species in this subfamily. Termite Assassin Bug Tegea atropicta, adult body length 18mm, last instars body length 12mm In Australia this is the only one member in this subfamily. This Assassin Bug was found in later summer on a gum tree trunk in Wishart Bushland. This bug is known a specialist predator of termites which are found on trees or fallen logs. Subfamily Ectrichodiinae Night Killer Assassin Bug Mendola puellula, adult body length 15mm Members in this subfamily are active at night, some are predators of millipedes.

37 Family Lygaeidae - Seed Bugs, Milkweed Bugs, Chinch Bugs Bugs on Milkweed plant seedpod This family can be distinguished from the Miridae and Coreidae by their forewings which have 4-5 veins and mostly ocelli absent. The front section of their forewings is slightly harden and the back section membranous. Their hind wings are always membranous. They are usually brown to red in colour. Adults are from 4 to 20mm long, with oval shape and flattened body. Their antennae are four segmented. Most species feed on plant seeds. Some are predaceous. They sometimes present in great numbers. Large Milkweed Bug Spilostethus hospes, subfamily Lygaeinae, body length 15mm

38 The Large Milkweed Bugs are red in colour, with black pattern on wings. This is the warning colour patterns to the predators. Their antennae and legs are all in black colour. They can be found feeding on Milkweed plant seedpods. Small Milkweed Bug Spilostethus sp., subfamily Lygaeinae, body length 12mm We found two red bugs on the Milkweed plant. The Large Milkweed bugs, with black patterns on orange colour, larger in size. And this Small Milkweed Bugs, with no pattern on wings and thorax, a bit smaller in size. Red and Black Seed Bug

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