Spined stilt bug Order: Hemiptera Family: Berytidae Genus and species: Jalysus spinosus (Say) Stilt bugs are delicate, slender, and elongate, and they have long, slender legs and antennae. The antennal have a characteristic apical club. The spined stilt bug is one of...

Bed bugs Order: Hemiptera Family: Cimicidae Genus and species: Cimex lectularius Linnaeus Until recently, few living Americans – including entomologists – had any experience with bed bugs. Although they have been associated with humans for thousands of years, the...

Azalea lace bugs Order: Hemiptera Family: Tingidae Genus and species: Stephanitis pyrioides (Scott) The azalea lace bug is the most damaging lace bug associated with landscape plants. It was introduced from Japan early in the twentieth century and is now found form...

Green coneheaded planthopper Order: Hemiptera Family: Acanaloniidae Genus and species: Acanolonia conica (Say) Acanalonia conica is a beautiful, bright green species less than half an inch long. It is laterally compressed and has triangular fore wings bearing a...

Citrus, or frosted, flatid planthopper Order: Hemiptera Family: Flatidae Genus and species: Metcalfa pruinosa (Say) This species has been called the citrus flatid planthopper, but it actually occurs on a wide variety of woody plants, including many forest and orchard...

A southeastern grass leafhopper Order: Homoptera Family: Cicadellidae Genus and species: Cuerna costalis (Fabricius) The genus Cuerna came into prominence in the 1950s, after it was discovered that species in this and several other genera are economically important as...

Head louse Order: Phthiraptera Family: Pediculidae Genus and species: Pediculus humanus capitis De Geer Head lice are parasitic, blood-sucking insect found on the human head, eyebrows, and eyelashes. They are not known to spread disease. They appear to have achieved a...

Cat flea Order: Siphonaptera Family: Pulicidae Genus and species: Ctenocephalides felis (Bouché) Cat fleas are a common nuisance in homes. When the adults bite and suck blood, they can cause flea allergy dermatitis in humans and other animals. The severity of the...

Human flea Order: Siphonaptera Family: Pulicidae Genus and species: Pulex irritans (Linnaeus) Adult human fleas lack the conspicuous combs of bristles found on or near the head of cat fleas. They suck blood from humans and a number of other animals, causing sometimes...

Prairie mole cricket Order: Orthoptera Family: Gryllotalpidae Genus and species: Gryllotalpa major Saussure Mole crickets are stout, fuzzy, brown insects with short antennae and fossorial front legs reminiscent of those of moles. They burrow in moist soil, often near...