Orthopteroid Families

Gylloblattaria (rock crawlers) (not required)

Grylloblattidae (see Order Fact Sheet)

Phasmida (Walkingsticks)

Heteronemiidae (Common walkingsticks) (see Order Fact Sheet)

Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets)

Suborder: Caelifera

1. Antennae relatively short
2. Tarsi with three or fewer segments
3. Tympana on first abdominal segment

Acrididae (short-horned grasshoppers)

Characteristics
1. Antennae shorter than body
2. Tarsi three-segmented
3. Ovipositor short
Biology
1. Single generation (some may even require more than one year in colder regions).
2. Overwinter in the egg stage
3. Oviposition usually in soil
4. Soil particle adhere to eggs to form an egg pod of 3 to 50 eggs
5. Five instars (females occasionally have one or two more instars than the males).
6. Several species are brachypterous or apterous as adults

Cyrtacanthacridinae (spurthroated grasshoppers)

1. Prosternum with median spine or tubercle (Fig. 14-6A)

Acridinae (slant-faced grasshoppers)

1. Face usually slanting backward
2. Pronotum flat or with low median ridge, caudal margin truncate or rounded, not produced backward (Fig. 14-6)

Oedipodiane (band-wing grasshoppers)

1. Face vertical
2. Pronotum with median ridge, caudal margin produced backward
3. Hind wings usually colored

Tridactylidae (pygmy mole crickets)

Characteristics
1. Very small (4-10 mm)
2. Two-segmented fore and midtarsi
3. Short, rounded pronotum
4. Fore legs modified for digging
Biology
1. Sandy areas
2. Burrows
3. Can swim (several species have the hind tibiae modified for paddling)
4. Overwinter as nymphs

Suborder: Encifera

1. Antennae relatively long (as long or longer than body)
2. Tarsi with three or four segments
3. Tympana on front tibiae
4. Ovipositor long and slender, sometimes as long or longer than the body.

Tettigoniidae (long-horned grasshoppers)

Characteristics
1. Long filamentuous antennae
2. Tympana on fore tibiae
3. Tarsi four-segmented
4. Blade-like ovipositor
5. Characteristic song
Biology
1. Most single generation but with a trend toward bivoltinism in sourthern U.S.
2. Overwinter as eggs
3. Often specific in oviposition behavior (soil, grasses, crevices of bark, surface or edge of leaves or stems of woody plants).
4. Many feed on a variety of host plants while others are species specific (e.g., creosote bush, baldcypress, juniper, mesquite)

Copiphorinae (cone-headed grasshoppers)

1. Anterior portion of vertex conical, extending well beyond the base of the antennae.
2. Prosternal spine usually present.
3. Front wings about as long as hind wings.

Phaneropterinae (katydids)

1. Prosternal spine absent.
2. Hind wings longer than front wings.

Pseudophyllinae (true katydids)

1. Front wings oval and convex.
2. Prosternal spine present.
3. Green

Conocephalinae (meadow grasshoppers)

1. Anterior portion of vertex at least half as wide as basal antennal segment.
2. No spines on dorsal surface of front tibiae.

Gryllidae

Characteristics
1. Long tapering antennae
2. Tympana on fore tibiae
3. Not more than three tarsal segments
4. Needle-like or cylindrical ovipositor
5. Characteristic song
6. Stridulating organs on front wings of male
Biology
1. Most single generation
2. Overwinter as eggs
3. Many feed on a variety of host plants while others are species specific (e.g., spagnum moss or pine trees)

Oecanthinae (tree crickets)

1. Hind tibiae with small teeth between spines
2. Usually pale green
3. Ocelli absent

Gryllinae (house and field crickets)

1. Hind tibiae without small teeth between spines
2. Ocelli present

Gryllotalpidae (mole crickets)

Characteristics
1. Fore legs conspicuoulsy modified for digging
2. Brownish, very pubescent
3. Short antennae
4. Tympana on fore tibiae
Biology
1. Single generation
2. Burrow in ground
3. Not often found but sometimes come to light

Mantodea (Praying mantids)

Mantidae (see Order Fact Sheet)

Blattaria (Cockroaches)

Blattidae

Blatta orientalis Linnaeus {oriental}
Periplaneta americana (Linnaeus) {american}

Blatellidae

Supella longipalpa (Fabricius) {brown-banded} Blattella germanica (Linnaeus) {german}

Key to the Species of Household Cockroaches (from Arnett 1985, American Insects)