Glossary of Entomology and Crop Protection

A list with technical words and terms related to Entomology and Crop Protection

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Abdomen	The posterior of the three body divisions of an insect. The other two body divisions are head and thorax.
Acari	An order in the class Arachnida, including the mites and ticks. They are characterized by an oval, one-part body and a minute to small body size.
Adult	The last, or mature, stage in the life cycle of an insect. It is the reproductive stage.
Aestivation	Dormancy during a warm or dry season which allows insects to survive during periods of extreme heat or drought.
Alatae	Winged forms.
Amber	Fossilized gum (tree sap). It is a hard, sometimes clear, yellowish-brown material, often containing fossilized insects.
Annulated	With ringlike segments or divisions (usually referring to the antennae).
Anoplura	An insect order, including the sucking lice. They are external parasites that feed by sucking blood. They have a flattened, wingless body, sucking mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Ant	Any of various social insects of the family Formicidae (order Hymenoptera). Only the males and fertile females have wings. They are living in colonies that have a complex social organization.
Antenna	A pair of jointed appendages located on the head of an insect above the mouthparts, which are usually used for smelling and feeling (touching), and in some cases for hearing.
Anterior	Front. In front of.
Antlion	A common name for a larva of the family Myrmeleontidae (order Neuroptera). They dig cone-shaped pitfalls in the sand for trapping ants.
Apex	Top ( plural = Apices )
Aphid	Insect belonging to the family Aphididae in the order Hemiptera, suborder Homoptera. Sometimes referred to as "plant louse".
Apical	At the end, tip, or outermost part.
Apices	See Apex.
Apiculture	Bee-keeping.
Apterae	Wingless forms.
Apterous	Without wings. Wingless.
Apterygota	Subclass of the insects including the most primitive orders with no metamorphosis. Except for the size, all larval stages closely resemble the adults (which are wingless).
Aquatic	Living in the water. (see also: Terrestrial)
Arachnida	Class within the phylum Arthropoda. It includes a numbers of orders such as Araneae (Spiders) and Acari (Mites and Ticks).
Araneae	An order belonging to the class Arachnida, comprised of the spiders. They are characterized by two body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen), eight legs, and a pair of fangs (chelicerae).
Araneida	See: Araneae
Arborial	Living on trees and other large plants.
Arista	A large bristle located on the dorsal side of the last antennal segment in the insect order Diptera.
Arthropoda	A phylum within the animal kindom. It includes Crayfish, Millipedes, Centipedes, Spiders, and Insects. Arthropoda have a segmented body with a hard outer skeleton (exoskeleton). Usually the segments are grouped in two or three body regions. The body has a bilateral symmetry and it has paired segmented appendages.
Aspirator	A simple suction device for capturing small insects.
Bacillus thuringiensis	A spore forming bacterium which can be used to control certain insect pests especially caterpillars.
Bait	Usually poisoned foodstuff used to attract and kill insects.
Basal	At the base. Near the point of attachment. ( = opposite to apical )
Beak	Proboscis. The long, protruding mouthpart structures of an insect with piercing-sucking mouthparts. This type of mouthparts can be found in the suborders Heteroptera (true bugs) and Homoptera (cicadas and others).
Bee	Any of several insects of the superfamily Apoidea (order Hymenoptera). Bees are winged, hairy-bodied, usually stinging insects, including both solitary and social species. They are characterized by sucking and chewing mouthparts for gathering nectar and pollen.
Beetle	Any of numerous insects of the order Coleoptera. Beetles have biting mouthparts. Their forewings are modified to form a strong covering that protects the underlying membranous hind wings when at rest.
Biological control	The use of natural enemies such as predators, parasites, and pathogenic micro-organisms or antagonists to control pest populations, diseases or weeds. This can be achieved either through conservation and stimulation of indigenous natural enemies, or by the importation and mass introduction of exotic natural enemies.
Bioluminescence	The ability of certain organisms to produce light. For example in some insects in the orders Collembola, Diptera and Coleoptera.
Brood	All of the individual insects that hatch from the eggs laid by one mother.
Bug	True bugs are insects of the suborder Heteroptera (order Hemiptera). They are wingless or four-winged, with mouthparts adapted for piercing and sucking. The term bug is sometimes used to refer to any insect or similar organisms such as centipedes and mites.
Butterfly	Any of various insects of the order Lepidoptera. Butterflies have slender bodies, knobbed antennae, and four broad, usually colorful wings. Most butterflies are day-flying insects. (see also: Moth)
Cannibalistic	Feeding on other individiuals of the same species.
Carnivorous	Feeding on the flesh of other animals. (see also: Herbivorous).
Caste	A form or type of adult in a social insect colony. For example the soldiers and workers in a colony of termites.
Caterpillar	Larva of an insect belonging to the order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths). Caterpillars usually have a cylindrical body, a distinct head capsule, chewing mouthparts, thoracic legs, and abdominal prolegs. The name caterpillar is also used for larvae of scorpionflies and sawflies.
Caudal	Referring to the tail or rear part of the body.
Cell	An area in the membrane of an insect wing that is partly (open cell) or completely (closed cell) surrounded by veins.
Centipede	Animal belonging to the class Chilopoda. Some characteristics of centipedes are an elongate, flattened, wormlike shape, a hard external skeleton, two body sections (head and many-segmented trunk), 15 to 30 pairs of legs (one pair per trunk segment), a pair of antennae with 14 or more segments, and simple eyes.
Cephalothorax	The body region made up of the head and thorax joined together. For example in spiders.
Cerci	Plural of Cercus.
Cercus	One of a pair of feeler-like appendage located near the tip on an insect's abdomen.
Chemical control	Control of insects with insecticides.
Chilopoda	A class of arthropods. See: Centipedes.
Chitin	A chemical compound (nitrogenous polysaccharide) occuring in the cuticle of insects and other arthropods.
Chrysalis	The pupa of a butterfly.
Class	An animal classification category. A subdivision of a phylum, consisting of a group of related orders. (See: Classification)
Classification	The animal kingdom is divided in phyla, for example the phylum Arthropoda. Each phylum is subdivided in classes, for example the class Hexapoda (= insects). Classes are subdivided into orders, for example the order Coleoptera (= beetles). Orders are divided into families, families into genera (singular: genus), and genera are divided into species.
Clavate	Clubbed or enlarged at the tip. For example a clavate antenna.
Clone	A population of individuals all derived asexually from the same single parent.
Clubbed	With the distal part expanded, enlarged, or swollen. For example a clubbed antenna.
Cocoon	A silken case in which a pupa is formed.
Coleoptera	Insect order containing the beetles. Beetles are characterized by hard front wings that meet in a straight line in the middle of the back, chewing mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Collembola	Primitive insect order containing the springtails. They are characterized by wingless bodies with a spring mechanism, chewing mouthparts, and no metamorphosis.
Colony	A group of individuals of the same species of insects, living together, often in a type of a nest.
Common name	The name of an insect that is used only in a particular region or country (see also: Scientific name).
Complete metamorphosis	A type of development consisting of four distinct stages; egg, larval stages, pupa and adult. A complete metamorphosis is characteristic for insect orders belonging to the endopterygota.
Compound eye	The major insect eye, which is composed of many individual facets or lenses.
Corium	The elongate, usually thickened, basal part of the front wing in members of the suborder Heteroptera (true bugs)
Cornicle	One of a pair of tubular structures extending from the posterior part of the abdomen of aphids (family Aphididae).
Cosmopolitan	Widely distributed over the globe.
Costa	A stout wing vein that usually forms the front edge of the wing.
Coxa	The basal segment of the insect leg.
Crawler	The active first instar of a scale insect.
Cremaster	A hook-like spine located on the posterior end of a Lepidoptera pupa. Its function is to attach the pupa to a surface.
Cricket	Any of various insects of the family Gryllidae (order Orthoptera). Crickets have long antennae and legs adapted for jumping. The males of many species stridulate by rubbing the front wings together. In this way they produce a characteristic shrill chirping sound.
Crochets	The hooked spines at the tip of the prolegs of lepidopterous caterpillars. Caterpillars of sawflies have prolegs without crochets.
Cross vein	A vein connecting adjacent longitudinal veins.
Cultivar	A cultivated variety (genetic strain) of a domesticated crop plant.
Cultural control	A method of crop protection using careful timing and a combination of agronomic practices such as tillage, planting, irrigation, sanitation, mixed cropping and crop rotation, which makes the environment less favourable for the proliferation of certain pests or diseases.
Cuticle	The noncellular outer layer of the body wall of an arthropod (see: Chitin)
Damselfly	Any of various insects of the suborder Zygoptera (order Odonata). Damselflies are often brightly colored, predatory insects. They have a long slender body and elongated membranous wings that fold together when the insect is at rest.
Dayfly	See: Mayfly.
Dead heart	A symptom of insect damage in which the central shoot of the plant dies.
Dentate	Toothed
Dermaptera	Insect order, made up of the earwigs. They are characterized by short, hardened wing covers, chewing mouthparts, pincerlike abdominal cerci, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Diapause	A period of dormancy during which the development of the insect is arrested. In the life cycle of many insects, this period of suspended growth and reduced metabolism will make them more resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions such as low temperatures.
Dichotomous key	An identification tool to assist a person in identifying an insect (or other organism). It uses paired statements or questions to guide the user to the solution.
Dictyoptera	Insect order containing the cockroaches and mantids.
Diplopoda	A class of arthropods. See Millipedes.
Diptera	Insect order containing flies (gnats, mosquitoes, true flies). They are characterized by a single pair of membranous wings, a pair of halters (instead of the hind wings), sucking mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Distal	Near or towards the end of an appendage.
Distribution	The geographical area inhabited by a species.
Diurnal	Active during the daytime.
Dormancy	A condition of quiescence or inactivity.
Dorsal	Top or uppermost. Referring to the back or upper side.
Dragonfly	Any of various insects of the suborder Anisoptera (order Odonata). Dragonflies are large insects with a long slender body and two pairs of narrow, net-veined wings. Usually the wings are held outstretched while resting. They feed as predators on small flying insects. Sometimes they are referred to as "mosquito hawk" or "snake doctor".
Drone	A male bee.
Dung	Animal excrement.
Dust	An insecticide (or pesticide) which is formulated to be used as a dry powder.
Earwig	Any of various insects of the order Dermaptera. Earwigs have an elongate body with a pair of pincerlike appendages protruding from the rear of the abdomen.
Ecdysis	Molting. The process of shedding the exoskeleton. (See: Molt)
Ectoparasite	A parasite that lives on the outside of its host
Elytron	A thickened, leathery or hard front wing. Present in insects belonging to the orders Coleoptera (beetles) and Dermaptera (earwigs).
Embioptera	Insect order, made up of the webspinners. They are characterized by slender bodies, wings absent or membranous, chewing mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Emergence	The process of the adult insect leaving the pupal case or the last nymphal skin.
Endemic species	A species that occurs only in one very restricted area, such as an island or a mountain range.
Endoparasite	A parasite that lives inside its host.
Endopterygota	Subclass of the insects including the orders with a complete metamorphosis. In these insects the external (and internal) changes during the life history are the greatest. The eggs hatch into larvae which feed actively during the different instars. The larvae may or may not have legs. The development of wings is not visible during the larval stages. After several molts a pupa is formed. A pupa is an inactive stage, it does not feed and it does not move. Sometimes the pupa is protected by a cocoon of silk, or it is found in an earthen cell in the soil. During this pupal stage big changes take place internally. After the pupal stage, a highly active winged adult appears. Often, the larvae and the adults live in different types of habitat and use different types of food.
Entomologist	A person who studies the biology of insects.
Entomology	The study of insects.
Entomophagous	Feeding on insects.
Ephemeroptera	Insect order, made up of the mayflies. They are characterized by membranous wings, nonfunctional mouthparts, two or three abdominal cerci, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Exopterygota	Subclass of the insects including the orders with a simple or incomplete metamorphosis. In molting from egg, via the nymphal stages to an adult, there is a gradual change in the external appearance. The late nymphal stages already show the development of wing pads. But only in the last molt functional wings are developed. The nymphs usually have the same feeding habits as the adults.
Exoskeleton	A skeleton or supporting structure on the outside of the body. Present in all members of the Arthropoda.
Extension	All methods, techniques and activities aimed at the dissemination and proliferation of agricultural information in rural communities, which make such information more easily accessible to desired target groups such as small farmers, pest control operators, and agricultural students.
Exuviae	The cast skin of an arthropod.
Family	A subdivision of an order, containing a group of related genera. Family names always end in "idae", for example Meloidae.
Fauna	All of the animals found in a given area.
Femur	The third leg segment, located between the trochanter and the tibia.
Filiform	Hairlike or threadlike (often referring to the antennae).
Flea	Any of various insects of the order Siphonaptera. Fleas are small, wingless, bloodsucking insects that have legs adapted for jumping. They are parasitic on warm-blooded animals.
Flea beetle	Any of various beetles of the subfamily Alticinae (family Chrysomelidae, order Coleoptera). They are small leaf-feeding beetles that have hind legs adapted for jumping.
Flora	All of the plants found in a given area.
Fly	Any of numerous two-winged insects of the order Diptera, especially any of the family Muscidae. Examples of true flies are the house fly and the tsetse fly. The true flies (order Diptera) should not be confused with other insects that are called "flies", such as caddisfly, butterfly, and dragonfly, that belong to other insect orders.
Frass	Plant fragments made by plant-feeding insects, usually mixed with excrement.
Frenulum	A bristle or group of bristles on the hind wings of certain moths and butterflies that holds the forewings and hind wings together during flight.
Fruit fly	Any of various small flies of the family Drosophilidae (order Diptera). The larvae feed on ripening or fermenting fruits and vegetables or Any of various flies of the family Tephritidae (order Diptera).The larvae hatch in plant tissue.
Gall	An abnormal growth (tumor) of plant tissues caused by the stimulus of certain insects.
Gaster	The rounded part of the abdomen behind the nodelike segment or segments (in ants).
Genus	A group of closely related species. Subdivision of a family. Genus names are written with a capital and should be printed either in italics or underlined.
Gonopore	The external opening of the reproductive organs.
Gramineae	A family of plants. Grasses (including cereals).
Granule	Particle of inert material which is mixed or impregnated with a pesticide.
Grasshopper	Any of numerous insects of the families Acrididae and Tettigoniidae (order Orthoptera). Grasshoppers usually have long, powerful hind legs adapted for jumping.
Greenbug	The common name for certain species of aphids that feed on crop plants.
Gregarious	Living in groups.
Grub	A thick-bodied larva of a beetle with thoracic legs and a well developed head. The body is curved, C-shaped.
Grylloblattodea	Insect order containing the rock crawlers.
Halter	A small knob-like balancing organ located in place of the hindwing in the order Diptera (true flies).
Hatch	To break out of the egg.
Head	The frontal body region, which bears the antennae, eyes, and mouthparts.
Hemelytron	Front wing with a thickened basal part and a membranous tip.
Hemiptera	In some classifications this is an insect order containing two suborders; Heteroptera and Homoptera. Other classifications consider the Heteroptera and the Homoptera as seperate orders.
Herbivorous	Feeding on plants (see also: phytophagous and carnivorous).
Heteroptera	Order of insects containing the bugs.
Hexapoda	Insects. A class within the phylum Arthropoda
Hibernation	A type of dormancy that occurs during the winter.
Homoptera	Order of insects containing cicadas, hoppers, psyllids, whiteflies, aphids and scale insects. They are characterized by uniformly leathery or uniformly membranous forewings, sucking mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Honeydew	A liquid discharged by certain insects that is high in sugar content (aphids, scale insects, mealybugs).
Host	The plant on which an insect feeds. The organism in or on which a parasite lives.
Hymenoptera	Insect order containing bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies. They are characterized by membranous wings, chewing or chewing-lapping mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Hyperparasite	A parasite whose host is another parasite.
Imago	The adult stage of an insect. The reproductive stage.
Inchworm	See: Looper.
Incomplete metamorphosis	A moderately complex type of insect development with three distinct stages; egg, nymphal stages, and adult. An incomplete metamorphosis is characteristic for insect orders belonging to the exopterygota.
Insect	Insects are animals belonging to the class Hexapoda. They have a segmented body with three distinct regions; the head, the thorax, and the abdomen. The head bears one pair of antennae, compound eyes, and the mouthparts. The thorax bears three pairs of legs (one on each of the three thoracic segments). The thorax bears often one or two pairs of wings (on the second and/or third thoracic segments). A gonopore is present at the posterior end of the abdomen.
Insecticide	Chemical substance used for killing insects.
Insectivorous	Feeding on insects.
Instar	The insect between two successive molts. The first instar is the larva which hatches from the egg.
Integrated Pest Management	(Abbreviation: IPM) Sometimes referred to as Integrated Pest Control. A pest management system that, in the context of the associated environment and the population dynamics of the pest species, utilizes all suitable techniques and methods in as compatible a manner as possible and maintains the pest population at levels below those causing economic injury. Often, the term IPM includes all elements contributing to an effective, safe, sustainable and economically sound crop protection system.
Invertebrate	Animals, not having a backbone or spinal column (molluscs, arthropods, worms, etc.)
Isoptera	Insect order containing termites. They are characterized by membranous wings (or wingless), beadlike antennae, chewing mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Joint	The articulation between two segments, body parts, or appendages.
Larva	The immature stage between egg and pupa of insects with a complete metamorphosis. (see also: Nymph)
Lateral	Reffering to the side (left side or right side).
Leaf miner	An insect that lives between the lower and upper surface of a leaf feeding on the leaf cells.
Leaf roller	Any of several moths of the family Tortricidae (order Lepidoptera). The caterpillars make nests of rolled leaves and silk.
Lepidoptera	Insect order containing butterflies and moths. They are characterized by scale-covered wings, coiled siphoning mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Lice	Plural of louse.
Life cycle	The sequence events in the development of an insect that occur from birth (hatching of the egg) to reproduction (mating and egg laying).
Locust	Any of numerous grasshoppers of the family Acrididae (order Orthoptera). Locusts are often migrating in huge swarms that consume vegetation and crops.
Longitudinal	Lengthwise of the body or of an appendage (leg, wing, antenna, etc.)
Looper	A caterpillar belonging to the family Geometridae. Loopers have only one pair of abdominal prolegs (besides the terminal claspers). They move with a characteristic looping of the body. Other common names for loopers are Measuringworm or Inchworm.
Louse	Any of numerous insects of the orders Mallophaga or Anoplura. Lice are small, flat-bodied, wingless biting or sucking insects. Many species are external parasites on various animals, including human beings.
Maggot	Larva of Diptera. They are legless, soft-bodied, and do not have a distinct head capsule. Often they are found in decaying matter.
Malaise trap	A tent-like trap made out of netting used to catch flying insects.
Malaria	A human disease caused by a single-celled protozoan parasite called Plasmodium. This disease is carried and spread by mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles. (See: Vector)
Mallophaga	Insect order, made up of the chewing lice. They are characterized by flattened, wingless bodies, chewing mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Mandible	Jaw. One of the anterior pair of paired mouthpart structures. Mandibles are clearly visible in insects with chewing mouthparts, such as grasshoppers, cockroaches, beetles and ants.
Manejo Integrado de Plagas	(Abbreviation: MIP) This is the Spanish equivalent of Integrated Pest Management (IPM).
Mantid	Insect belonging to the family Mantidae (order Dictyoptera). Mantids are large, elongate insects with enlarged front legs that are adapted for grasping their prey (other insects). They have an incomplete metamorphosis.
Mayfly	Any of various insects of the order Ephemeroptera. Mayflies are fragile winged insects that develop from aquatic nymphs. In the adult stage they live no longer than a few days. Sometimes they are called "dayfly".
Mealworm	Common name for the slender larvae of the beetle family Tenebrionidae (Darkling beetles). They are generally found in grains and cereals.
Mealybug	Any of various insects of the family Pseudococcidae (suborder Homoptera; order Hemiptera). These are small wingless insects that have the body covered with a white powdery waxy substance.
Measuringworm	See: Looper
Mecoptera	Insect order, made up of the scorpionflies. They are characterized by membranous wings, elongate faces with chewing mouthparts, a scorpion-shaped abdomen (male only), and a complete metamorphosis.
Membranous	Like a membrane. Often referring to thin, mostly transparent, insect wings.
Mesothorax	The middle, or second, segment of the thorax.
Metamorphosis	A change in form during the development. After hatching from the egg, an insect grows by a series of molts. After shedding the old skin they expand into a new larger one. This molting continues until the adult stage is reached. At each molt, some externally visible changes occur. This type of growing is called metamorphosis. The division of insects into apterygota, exopterygota and endopterygota is mainly based on differences in the type of metamorphosis. (see also: Complete metamorphosis, Incomplete metamorphosis)
Metathorax	The posterior, or third, segment of the thorax.
Millipedes	Animal belonging to the class Diplopoda. Some characteristics of millipeds are, a cylindrical, two-parted body (head and many-segmented trunk), one pair of antennae and the trunk segments each bearing two pairs of legs.
Mimicry	The resemblance of an insect to its natural surroundings, providing some protection from enemies.
Mine	Tunnel inside a leaf.
Molt	Ecdysis. The process of shedding the exoskeleton. To shed the exoskeleton.
Moniliform	Beadlike, with rounded segments. (often referring to antennae)
Mosquito	Any of various two-winged insects of the family Culicidae (order Diptera). In most species the female is distinguished by a long proboscis for sucking blood. Some species of mosquitos are vectors of diseases such as malaria and yellow fever.
Mosquito hawk	See: Dragonfly.
Mosquito net	A fine net or screen used to keep out mosquitoes.
Moth	Any of numerous insects of the order Lepidoptera. Moths are generally distinguished from butterflies by their nocturnal activity, hairlike or feathery antennae, stout bodies, and the frenulum that holds the front and back wings together. (See also: Butterfly)
Myriapods	Arthropods with many legs, such as the centipedes and millipedes.
Neuroptera	Insect order, containing the dobsonflies, fishflies, alderflies, owlflies, snakeflies, antlions, and lacewings. They are characterized by membranous wings, chewing mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Nit	The egg of a louse, which is glued to the hair of its host.
Nocturnal	Active at night.
Notum	The dorsal or top surface of a body segment (often referring to the segments of the thorax).
Nymph	An immature stage of an insect that does not have a pupal stage. (See also: Incomplete metamorphosis)
Ocellus	A simple eye of an insect or other arthropod.
Odonata	Insect order, including the dragonflies and damselflies. They are characterized by membranous wings, bristlelike antennae, long, slender bodies, chewing mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Ommatidium	A single unit or visual section of a compound eye.
Ootheca	The covering or case of an egg mass of certain insects in the orders Orthoptera (grasshoppers) and Dictyoptera (cockroaches, mantids).
Order	A subdivision of a class containing a group of related families; the class Hexapoda (insects) contains about 30 different orders.
Orthoptera	Insect order containing grasshoppers and crickets. They are characterized by leathery forewings, chewing mouthparts, and a gradual metamorphosis. Usually the hindlegs are enlarged and adapted for jumping.
Oviparous	Reproduction by laying eggs.
Oviposit	To lay or deposit eggs.
Ovipositor	The external genitalia of a female insect, used for laying eggs.
Parasite	An animal that lives in or on the body of another living animal (the host) at least during a part of its life cycle. It feeds on the tissues of the host. Entomophagous insect parasites usually kill their host in the end.
Parthenogenesis	Development of the eggs without fertilization.
Pathogen	A disease-causing microorganism; a bacterium or virus.
Pedicel	The second segment of an insects' antenna. The stem of the abdomen, between the thorax and the gaster (in ants).
Pest	An animal causing damage or annoyance to man, his animals, crops or possessions, such as insects, mites, nematodes, rodents, birds. In phrases such as 'integrated pest management' and 'pest control', the term is used in a broader sense to mean all harmful organisms including fungi, bacteria, viruses and virus-like organisms, and weeds.
Pest insect	An insect causing damage to man's crops, domestic animals or possessions. (See: Pest)
Petiole	Stalk or stem. The stalk or stem by which the abdomen is attached to the thorax (wasps and ants).
Phasmida	Insect order, made up of the walking sticks and leaf insects, characterized by short leathery wings (or wings absent), chewing mouthparts, slender body, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Pheromone	Chemical(s) used for communication between individuals of a given species.
Pheromone trap	An insect trap in which dispensers with insect pheromones are used as an attractant. Usually the inside surface of the traps is covered with glue to prevent escape.
Phylum	Major subdivision of the animal kingdom. (plural = Phyla). Some examples of animal phyla are; Protozoa (single-celled animals) Nemathelminthes (roundworms) Arthropoda (crayfish, millipedes, centipedes, spiders, and insects) Chordata (fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals)
Phytophagous	Feeding on plants. Herbivorous.
Phytotoxic	A material which causes damage to plants.
Pitfall trap	A trap for catching ground crawling insects. Usually it is made out of a cuplike container buried in the ground into which insects fall. The beaker contains a liquid (water with soap; alcohol) or glue to prevent escape.
Plant louse	See: Aphid.
Plecoptera	Insect order, made up of the stoneflies. They are characterized by membranous wings, chewing mouthparts, two short abdominal cerci, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Posterior	Hind or rear.
Predator	An animal that attacks and feeds on other animals (the prey). The prey is killed and usually mostly or entirely eaten.
Predator control	A predator-prey interaction in which the predator controls population size of the prey; The predator population is the limiting factor for the prey population size.
Prey	The food animal of a predator.
Proboscis	The extended beaklike mouthparts.
Proleg	A fleshy, unjointed, abdominal leg of certain insect larvae (caterpillars).
Pronotum	The dorsal body plate of thefirst section of the thorax, which is frequently enlarged and prolonged in many insects
Prothorax	The anterior of the three thoracic segments. This segment never bears wings.
Protura	Insect order, made up of the proturans. This is a primitive order whose members are characterized by narrow, wingless bodies, sucking mouthparts, and no metamorphosis.
Psocoptera	Insect order, made up of the barklice and booklice. They are characterized by flattened bodies, membranous wings (or wingless), chewing mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Pubescent	Covered with short, downy hairs.
Pupa	The stage between larva and adult in insect with a complete metamorphosis. It is a non feeding and usually inactive stage. (See: Chrysalis, Cocoon)
Puparium	A protective case formed by the hardening of the next to the last larval skin in which the pupa is formed (in the order Diptera).
Quarantine	A period of 40 days. Enforced isolation or restriction of free movement imposed to prevent the spread of pests.
Queen	The primary reproductive female in a colony of social insects (bees, wasps, termites).
Reproductives	The male and female members of a social insect colony, that are capable of reproducing. Males are referred to as drones (bees and wasps) or kings (termites). Females are referred to as queens.
Resistance	With respect to plants: All properties enabling them to fight and overcome, partially or completely, the pathogenic effects of a disease or pest attack. This also includes 'tolerance', the ability of a plant to grow and develop in spite of pest or disease attack. With respect to pests and diseases: The ability of a pest population or disease to survive the poisonous effect of a pesticide.
Scale insect	Any of various small insects of the superfamily Coccoidea (suborder Homoptera, order Hemiptera). Female scale insects secrete a waxy scale. They remain under this scale while sucking the juices of plants.
Scarab	Scarab beetle. Beetle in the family Scarabaeidae (order Coleoptera).
Scavenger	An animal that feeds on the remains of dead plants and animals, decaying materials, or animal wastes.
Scientific name	The internationally recognized Latin name of an animal or plant species. The scientific name consists of two parts, genus and species, followed by the describer (author) of the species. The scientific names (excluding the author's names) are always printed in Italics. The genus name is always capitalized, while the specific name is not capitalized. For example, the scientific name of the honey bee is Apis mellifera L. The L. is an abbreviation for Linnaeus (see also: Common name).
Sclerite	A hardened body wall plate of an insect's exoskeleton, usually separated from other sclerites by a suture or membranous area.
Scutellum	A triangular sclerite, appearing as a more or less triangular segment behind the pronotum. The scutellum is clearly visible in the orders Heteroptera (true bugs) and Coleoptera (beetles), and in some members of the suborder Homoptera (cicadas).
Seed dressing	Seed treatment: mixing seed before sowing with a protectant chemical, often a combination of an insecticide and a fungicide.
Segment	A subdivision of the body or of an appendage, between joints.
Semi-looper	Caterpillars which look like loopers, but they do not belong to the family Geometridae. Usually they have two or three pairs of abdominal prolegs. Like real loopers they move with a looping movement of the body.
Sessile	Attached. Fastened. A sessile insect is unable to move because it is attached directly (without stem or petiole) to an object. For example scale insects.
Seta	A bristle, or stout hair.
Siphonaptera	Insect order, made up of the fleas. They are small insects, characterized by wingless, sideways flattened bodies, jumping legs, sucking mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Snake doctor	See: Dragonfly.
Social insects	Insects that live together in communities, such as ants and termites. (see: Caste)
Soldier	A member of a social insect colony, responsible for protecting the nest. Often the soldiers are equipped with large heads and strong mandibles.
Solitary	Living alone, not in groups. (see: Gregarious)
Species	A group of individuals having some common characteristics which are able to breed with each other but not with other groups of individuals. Division of a genus.
Spiders	Order in the class Arachnida. See: Araneae
Spiracle	Breathing pore. External opening of the tracheal respiratory system.
Sternum	A sclerite on the ventral side (underside) of the body.
Strepsiptera	Insect order, including the twisted-winged parasites. They are characterized by wingless or winged bodies (one twisted pair of forewings), nonfunctional mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Striate	With grooves or depressed lines.
Stridulate	To make sound by rubbing two body parts together.
Stylet	In sucking mouthparts of insects, one of the piercing needlelike structures.
Subimago	A special type of immature adult, found only in the order Ephemeroptera (mayflies).
Subspecies	A subdivision of a species. Usually a geographic race that varies in size, color, or other characteristics. Within one species the different subspecies are usually not sharply differentiated. They are capable of interbreeding.
Sustainable development	Development that meets the needs and aspirations of the current generation without compromising the ability to meet those of future generations.
Suture	An external linelike groove in the exoskeleton, or a narrow membranous area between sclerites.
Swarm	A large number of insects (especially when in motion). For example a swarm of mosquitoes. or A group of bees with a queen bee while migrating to establish a new colony.
Systemic	Able to move or circulate within a plant. For example, some pesticides are systemic.
Tarsal claw	A claw located at the tip of the last tarsus.
Tarsal formula	The number of tarsal segments on the front, middle, and hind tarsi, respectively. For example 5 - 5 - 4.
Tarsus	The leg segment beyond the tibia, composed of 3 to 5 small segments.
Tegmen	The thickened, leathery forewing of insects belonging to the orders Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets) and Dictyoptera (mantids, cockroaches)
Teneral	Refers to recently molted individuals with a soft, pale-colored skin. A tsetse fly is called a teneral fly from the time it emerges until the taking of its first blood meal.
Tergite	A sclerite of the tergum.
Tergum	The dorsal surface of any body segment.
Terminal	At the end or tip. The last of a series.
Termite	Any of numerous social insects of the order Isoptera. Termites are pale-colored, usually soft-bodied insects that live mostly in warm regions. Many species feed on wood, often destroying trees and wooden structures. Sometimes they are referred to as "white ants".
Terrestrial	Living on land (see also: Aquatic).
Thorax	The body region behind the head which bears the legs and the wings.
Thrips	See: Thysanoptera
Thysanoptera	Insect order containing thrips. They are characterized by fringed wings, rasping mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.
Tibia	The fourth segment of the leg, between the femur and the tarsus.
Tillering	Producing shoots from the lower part of the plant (sometimes caused by insect damage).
Trachea	A tube of the respiratory system, ending externally at the spiracle and terminating internally at the tracheoles.
Tracheoles	Fine terminal branches of the respiratory tubes.
Trichoptera	Insect order, made up of the caddisflies. They are characterized by hairy, mothlike wings, long hairlike antennae, nonfunctional mouthparts, and a complete metamorphosis.
Trochanter	The second segment of the leg, between the coxa and the femur.
Truncate	Cut off square at the end.
Tsetse fly	Any of several flies of the African genus Glossina (order Diptera). These bloodsucking flies are often vectors of pathogenic trypanosomes that cause sleeping sickness in human beings and trypanosomiasis in livestock. Tsetse flies are viviparous.
Tympanum	A vibrating membrane (for sound production) or a membrane for use as an auditory organ (eardrum).
Vector	An insect which is able to transmit viruses or other pathogens. (See: Malaria)
Vein	A thickened line in the wing of an insect.
Ventral	Lower or underneath. Referring to the underside of the body.
Vestigial	Small. Poorly developed. Non-functional.
Viviparous	Giving birth to living young. Not egg-laying. Examples of viviparous insects are aphids and the tsetse fly.
Wasp	Any of numerous insects of the superfamilies Vespoidea and Sphecoidea (order Hymenoptera). Wasps are social or solitary living insects, having a slender body with a constricted abdomen. They have two pairs of membranous wings, and the mouthparts are adapted for biting or sucking. In females the ovipositor is often modified as a sting.
White ant	Common name for termites.
Whitefly	Any of various insects of the family Aleyrodidae (suborder Homoptera, order Hemiptera). Whiteflies are small insects with four long wings and a white waxy body. They are often injurious to plants by sucking the plant juices or as vector of plant diseases.
Window	A small hole in the leaf with one epidermis left intact
Wing pads	The partially developed wings of the nymphs of insects with an incomplete metamorphosis.
Wingspan	The measurement across the wings when they are extended
Workers	The members of a social insect colony, responsible for nest maintenance, food gathering, and care of the brood.
Zoraptera	Insect order, made up of the zorapterans. They are characterized by small, slender bodies, membranous wings (or wings absent), chewing mouthparts, and an incomplete metamorphosis.