Insect Identification Key:

Which of the following 4 choices BEST describes the corn insect or related pest?

4) Wingless . . . go to Wingless Arthropod Key A

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Adult Flies Key - Continue to select the best description from below:

Adult Insect Key A- Continue to select the best description from below:

1) Both wings bar-shaped with fringe of hairs ; tiny (less than 1/16 in. long) insects with cone shaped mouth under and well back from front of head . . . go to Thrips
2) Both wings triangular-shaped and covered with scales . . . go to Moth Key A
3) Both wings more or less thin and transparent with at least a few obvious wing veins (membranous):
	a) Body less than 1/8 in. long; oval-shaped with a pair of tubes (cornicles) raising up or backward from near the end of the abdomen . . . go to Aphid Key
	b) Body more than 1/8 in. long; or if not, then not oval-shaped and without cornicles; chewing mouthparts . . . go to Hymenoptera and Neuroptera Key
4) Fore wings thick and shell-like; hind wings membranous, covered by fore wings and folded back under themselves at rest . . . go to Adult Beetle Key A
5) Fore wings leathery at least at base; hind wings membranous and not folded back under themselves at rest . . . go to Adult Insect Key B

Moth Key A- Continue to select the best description from below:

Moth Key B - Continue to select the best description from below:

Note: Moths in this group are often difficult to separate and it is best done by an expert if precise identication is necessary. It is important for moths to be in good condition with a minimum of scales missing to be able to make the most of this key. Refer to diagram below for position of spots mentioned in Moth Key B.

1)  Front wings with reniform spot large and kidney-shaped, orbicular spot round, color variable. Hind wings dirty white with darker veins and margin . . . go to Variegated cutworm

2)  Front wings with black bar between pale orbicular and reniform spots. Hind wings off-white, veins and margins can be light brown . . . go to Granulate cutworm

3)  Reniform spot in front wings has dark lower outline that extends outward from spot toward end of wing giving it a sickle shape. Hind wing dirty white with darker veins and margins . . . go to Black cutworm

4)  Front wings much lighter in color than others in group, usually cream to light yellow brown with orange or green cast, wavy darker band across wings midway between reniform spot and end of wing with brown and white spots on veins. Hind wings creamy with two pale spots in brown margin . . go to Corn ear worm

5)  Front wings light brown to gray marked with dark brown and white scales, round orbicular spot cream colored or with orange center. Hind wings white with brown veins and wing margins . . . go to Beet armyworm

6)  Front wings dark gray to brown with upper half darker than lower half, reniform spot often indistinct with a white spot beneath it, a short white bar extends downward from front margin near end of wing. Ventral surface of thorax is gray. Hind wings translucent white with partial narrow black band . . . go to Fall armyworm

7)  Front wing streaked with cream, gray, light brown and black scales; a short white bar extends upward from back margin near end of wing; reniform spot dark and sometimes with dark bar extending outward to wing margin. Hind wings white with a few dark marks on margin . . . go to Southern armyworm

Aphid Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

1) Cornicles green with black ends and light orange-red at base of cornicles and end of abdomen; bodies of wingless aphids medium green . . . go to Birdcherry oat aphid

2) Cornicles black with green at base of cornicles and end of the abdomen; bodies of wingless aphids light to medium green . . . go to Corn leaf aphid

Hymenoptera and Neuroptera Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

Wasps and Bees Key - Continue to select the best description from below:

1) First thoracic segment with a rounded lobe on each side extending toward base of wing, or area covered with dense hairs:
	a) First segment of tarsi on hind legs as long as or longer then rest of tarsal segments combined and usually broadened or flattened . . . Different types of Bees may be found at times in Florida corn, but they are not covered in this guide
	b) First segment of tarsi on hind legs shorter than the others combined and slender . . . go to Predacious Wasps
2) First thoracic segment different than above and not covered with hairs . . . go to Predacious Wasps

Adult Beetle Key A- Continue to select the best description from below:

Weevils Key - Continue to select the best description from below:

Adult Beetle Key B - Continue to select the best description from below (refer to for selections 1 through 4b):

Leaf Beetle Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

1) Green, oval-shaped body with 12 black spots on elytra; black head and antennae . . . go to Spotted cucumber beetle

Adult Insect Key B- Continue to select the best description from below:

1) Entire length of fore wings leathery; short tube-like mouthparts arising under and well back from front of head ; femora of leg not greatly enlarged; less than 1/2 in. long . . . go to Leafhoppers and Planthoppers Key

3) Base of fore wings leathery, end of fore wings membranous; mouthparts produced into a long tube-like structure held under body at rest . . . go to Hemiptera Key A

Leafhoppers and Planthoppers Key - Continue to select the best description from below:

Crickets and Grasshoppers Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

2) No oval-shaped opening on tibia of front legs, but auditory openings on sides of first abdominal segment; antennae shorter than 1/2 body length; ovipositor usually not visible at rest; cerci at end of abdomen very short if visible . . . go to Grasshoppers

Hemiptera Key A - Continue to select the best description from below:

Hemiptera Key B - Continue to select the best description from below:

4) Not as above . . . Other plant feeding and predacious Hemiptera may be found on Florida corn, but they are not covered in this guide.

Nymphal Key A- Continue to select the best description from below (refer to for selections 1 through 4):

4) Tube-like, sucking mouthparts arising from front or just under front of head; heads narrower than thorax with bead-like eyes; antennae obviously jointed and longer than 1/2 body length . . . go to Hemiptera Key A

Wingless Arthropods Key A- Continue to select the best description from below:

1) Legless; pointed head and rounded or truncated end of abdomen with 2 dark spots on end ; dark, hook-like mouthparts often hidden inside head end of larva; very active crawler; found in soil, leaves or ears  . . . go to Fly Larvae Key
2) Legless with rounded head and end of abdomen ; hardened, external, opposing chewing mouthparts; found in tunnels in corn stem or brace roots . . . go to Weevil Larvae Key
3) With true legs on thorax and prolegs on abdomen . . . go to Moth Larvae Key
4) With true legs on thorax and no prolegs:
	a) Mostly small (less than 1/2 in. long) and soft bodied; found on outside surface of plants; 6 or 8 legs; mouthparts variable, but if chewing mouthparts, then with hard body . . . go to Wingless Arthropods Key B
	b) Found beneath soil or inside plant parts in moist or protected locations; all with 6 legs, chewing mouthparts and elongate body . . . go to Beetle Larvae Key A

Fly Larvae Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

3) Creamy white to pale yellow; found within mines in corn leaves . . . go to Corn blotch leafminer

Weevil Larvae Key - Continue to select the best description from below:

2) Legless, translucent, soft-bodied larvae up to 3/4 in. long with long setae and hard dark brown heads; found in stalks . . . go to Corn stem weevil

Moth Larvae Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

6) Sutures on front of head (face) forming an inverted "V"; feed on foliage mostly by night and hide during the day; curl up tightly when handled . . . go to Cutworms Key

Armyworms and Earworms Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

Cutworms Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

3) Top of back medium gray and lighter below; a row of yellow circular spots runs down back (particularly on third thoracic and first three abdominal segments); cuticle smooth without granulation . . . go to Variegated cutworm

Wingless Arthropods Key B - Continue to select the best description from below:

4) Chewing-like mouth parts modified into strong fangs; body divided into two distinct parts; eight legs; several small tube-like spinnerets beneath abdomen toward end for making silk . . . Spiders - many types of web inhabiting and hunting spiders can be found in corn, but they are not covered in this guide.

Beetle Larvae Key A - Continue to select the best description from below:

1) Found in soil attacking roots or base of plants; 6 legs; head and abdomen variable . . . go to Beetle Larvae Key B:

Beetle Larvae Key B- Continue to select the best description from below:

4) Elongate, wormlike with soft, whitish body and dark head; tiny legs; tooth-like projections at end of abdomen . . . go to Banded cucumber beetle or Spotted cucumber beetle

Larval Neuroptera Key- Continue to select the best description from below:

2) Head and neck area not elongate; abdomen not narrow, but tapering near end; thoracic and abdominal segments have swollen bumps (tubercles) with stiff hairs pointing outward; elongate trumpet-shaped pad (empodium) between claws at ends of legs . . . go to Green lacewings larvae