| Uniramia |
| --Centipedes |
| --Hexapoda 1 (insects) |
| --Hexapoda 2 (insects) |
| --Hexapoda 3 (insects) |
--Identification to order level |
| --Insect orders |
| ----Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths) |
| ----Ephemeroptera (mayflies) |
| ----Hemiptera (bugs, cicadas) |
| ----Hymenoptera (bees, ants, wasps & saw flies) |
| ------Bumblebees |
| ----Coleoptera (beetles) |
| ----Dictyoptera (mantids, cockroaches) |
| ----Diptera (true flies) |
| ----Neuroptera (lacewings, ant lions) |
| ----Orthoptera (crickets, locusts) |
| ----Thysanura (bristletails, silver fish) |
| ----Strepsiptera (stylops) |
| ----Thysanoptera (thrips) |
| ----Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies) |
| ----Trichoptera (caddis flies) |
| ----Siphonaptera (fleas) |
| ----Isoptera (termites) |
| ----Phasmida (stick & leaf insects) |
| ----Dermaptera (earwigs) |
| ----Anoplura/siphunculata (sucking lice) |
| ----Mallophaga (biting lice, bird lice) |
| ----Psocoptera (book, bark, dust lice) |
| ----Mecoptera (scorpion flies) |
| ----Collembola (springtail) |
| ----Embioptera (web spinners) |
| ----Plecoptera (stone flies) |
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This identification key works for adult insects found in Europe. It may also work for insects found in other parts of the world. All you have to do is click on the right choice in each box. This will take you to the next box, or to the page dealing with that order of insects.
Box 23
Insects with very hairy wings. Go to Box 24.
Insects whose wings are not hairy, or have just a few hairs. Go to Box 25. |
Box 24
Insects whose 4 wings are all of a similar shape and size. The tarsi of the front legs are swollen (see the drawing below). Go to Embioptera the web spinners.
Insects whose hind wings are broader than their front wings, and do not have swollen tarsi. Go to Trichoptera, the caddis flies.
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Box 25
Insects whose tarsus has 4 or 5 segments. Go to Box 26.
Insects whose tarsus has 1 - 3 segments. Go to Box 27. |
Box 26
Insects who have all 4 wings the same size and shape. Go to Isoptera, the termites.
Insects where the front wings are much larger than the hind wings (the hind wings may be zipped to the front wings, so look closely). Go to Hymenoptera, the bees, wasps, ants and saw flies. |
Box 27
Insects whose hind wings are similar, but slightly larger than the front wings, and the abdomen ends in two cerci (see the photograph below). Go to Plecoptera, the stoneflies.
Insects whose hind wings are smaller than the front wings, and the abdomen does not end in cerci. Go to Box 28. |
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![[]](http://m3.moostik.net/img/?pseudo=bumblebeepages&cpt=IDiptera&option=invisible)