A guide to identification of scale insects found primarily on citrus fruit, but also on many other ornamental plants. Names, descriptions, and photographs aid in the identification. Also discussed are control methods and biocontrol at work on the insects.

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The Amateur Entomologists' Society website Key to Adult Insects is a simple dichotomous key (49 couplets) with images of each of the orders. Other links include conservation, biodiversity, and insect fact files. The key is based on the Collins Field Guide to Insects of Britain and Northern Europe by Michael Chinery, as well as the Practical Entomologist by Rick Imes.

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A novel and beautifully done way to identify or learn fly anatomy. Developed by CSIRO Entomology, this atlas uses high resolution digital images of flies to allow users to highlight anatomical parts of a fly to learn the name or click on the part name to identify where it is positioned on the fly. There are four images representing the lower Diptera, lower Brachycera, Acalyptrate and Calyptrate with a dragable lens that allows 1X, 2x and 3X magnification of the regions. Users can click the parts on the image or click on the part name, broken into regions of the fly. The selected part is highlighted in blue to aid easy study. There is a useful help section to guide in the use of this tool. This is an excellent tool for those looking for definitions of Diptera anatomical terms and fly anatomy.

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Part of the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology's Animal Diversity Web, this site gives a general overview of the class Insecta targeted at college students. The site is organized into five tabs: Information, Pictures, Specimens, Sounds and Classification. Resources include images of live insects and pinned specimens, and sound recordings. Some pictures are only labeled with scientific genus and species names, making it difficult for novice users to understand what Order they are looking at, but many also have common names. Photos and sound bytes are good quality and easy to view and download. A very good resource for teachers needing lecture materials.

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A comprehensive bibliography of bees. Over 25,000 references and 8,000 authors are included. Navigation is unclear until one clicks on the Alphabetical Author Reference Index. The ninth edition was reviewed.

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Over 170 bibliographic references to the Zoraptera (angel insects). References from 1916 to 2005. What little is known about these tiny insects is available through this bibliography. The bright green background is somewhat distracting, but the list of references is extensive and organized, and would be useful to more advanced students who are beginning research on Zoraptera.

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A short video demonstrating the procedures of beetle and moth collecting using a blacklight. Dr. Edward Riley gives tips for successful blacklighting including site selection, ideal times and weather conditions along with a brief outline of which conditions are conducive to which order of insect discussed. 320 x 240 resolution, available in video formats for both Windows and Mac platforms (see main menu for video options).

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A well illustrated database featuring the world's cockroach species. Includes phylogeny, distribution, and keys for many of the groups.

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BugGuide is devoted to identification and natural history of insects through imagery. The images are uploaded and examined by amateur volunteers, and the site is hosted by Iowa State University. All of the insect orders and several non-insect arthropods are included in the database. There also is an interactive Lucid key available. Attempts are made to follow current taxonomic efforts. The site is easy to navigable through and has some very nice photos. (Not all photos were reviewed for taxonomic accuracy.)

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An interactive connection to a scanning electron microscope viewing insects. Participants are encouraged to arrange a time and send in specimens to be viewed via the internet. Website sections include the science behind microscopy, and classification of insects. Not all sections are complete at time of writing.

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Excellent photographic resource for identifying immature Lepidoptera of eastern forests of the U.S. and Canada arranged by family. Each photo includes a text description as well as a list of host plants. Other sections include photography tips, and species list.

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A short video demonstrating which type of net to use for collecting and the appropriate techniques for sweeping and successfully collecting the caught insects. Dr Noel Troxclair gives clear and concise instruction on the finer points of sweep netting. 320 x 240 resolution, available in video formats for both Windows and Mac platforms (see main menu for video options).

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A series of nine video clips from a cockroach dissection, showing structures of the digestive system (crop, gastric caeca, midgut, Malpighian tubules, hindgut), circulatory system (heart, aorta) and repiratory system (spiracles, tracheae, tracheoles). Ease of use: Text and video are extremely easy to use, although video 1 ("Dissection of a Cockroach Take 2", the title video) is unnecessary, particularly considering loading time. Also, due to differences in browsers and video dimensions, the background image can make it difficult to read the text in a screen that is not resized perfectly, making the site perhaps less user friendly/accessible to, for example, people with visual difficulties. Background necessary: Little if any necessary, although perhaps some additional information in text (e.g., duration of anaesthetization of the cockroach on ice) and pointers (e.g., arrows; such would aid in the circulatory system video, especially) during the videos via some post-video production editing would aid folks that are unfamiliar with the organs (specifically, lower division undergraduates). This should be minimally required though following a single run through by a lab instructor before a lab/video is demonstrated to students; should not be required at all for comparative morphologists. Regarding "core insect principles" below - I have included economic value and environmental services particularly due to the role that bacterial symbionts play in food digestion (as demosntrated in the video), while use of insects in inquiries is checked as cockroaches are excellent models for comparative physiology (e.g., tracheal & open circulatory system vs vertebrate cardiopulmonary system, and MTs vs kidneys). One last additional point is that the author "throws away" the fat body, discounting its very important role in insect biology - comparison at least to the kidney is warranted, particularly in light of its overwhelming presence inside the cockroach when dissected open (surely one student, at least, will ask why there's so much of it yet it's not discussed?).

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A very nicely illustrated key to 46 flea beetles regularly found in North Dakota. The key is a lucid style key, and the images are carefully produced. A beautiful photo gallery and list of common flea beetles is also included.

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A list of of morphological definitions and word roots useful to Entomology students and teachers. The list contains concise and easily understandable definitions for a number of morphological and physiological terms and specifies where on the insect these terms apply. A good reference for students in introductory entomology or insect morphology classes. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader or equivalent software to read .pdf documents.

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Texas A & M University general entomology page that has frequently asked questions and links to fact sheets about fire ants, honeybees, termites, and more. There is also considerable information about vegetable IPM, and management of other pests. Links to extension sites in other states, insect identification resources, and a picture gallery round out the site.

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This resource (for and by college students) is meant to be a taxonomic reference for all life. This section of the site focuses on the Insecta. The database is lucid key driven and includes valuable diagnostic and behavioral information about many insect groups as well as bibliographic references. This NSF-sponsored project includes work from the University of Guelph and Animal Diversity Web at the University of Michigan. Much of the site is considered a "skeleton" awaiting further contributions.

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This is the tick section of the Discoverlife.org website which includes an excellent insect database as well as databases for many other organisms. These pages are well illustrated, and in the case of the ticks, with many SEMs, as well as a lucid key. Top notch, easily navigated website.

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With almost 5000 entries this compendium of common names of Australian insects is one of the most thorough identification tools available online. Most of the pages include images and ranges as well as descriptions of the taxon.

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Interactive grasshopper anatomy lessons. Mouthparts, legs, abdomen, various sutures are all featured, as well as well as more general discussions about the types of insect antennae,wings, legs, and mouthparts. An excellent flash demonstration of mouthpart modifications is also featured.

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Two tutorials introduce common butterflies of Florida, including the cloudless sulphur, giant swallowtail, Gulf fritillary, longtailed skipper, zebra longwing, black swallowtail, monarch, viceroy, European cabbage butterfly and Florida atala. Covers both caterpillars and adults. Requires Microsoft Windows. $15.

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FORMIS is a composite of several ant literature databases. It contains citations for a large fraction of the world's ant literature (about 38,000 references). FORMIS contains all known ant taxonomic literature (through 1996). It also contains comprehensive bibliographies of leaf-cutting ants, fire ants, and Russian wood ants. FORMIS is also the only database which covers ant literature before the 1970s. For further details please see contributions and credits. This database is designed to allow convenient searches of titles, keywords and abstracts when available (online searches or downloads). Citations from this database can be exported to create specialty databases or personal reprint indexes. FORMIS is only updated every year or two, so it is not a source for the most recent ant literature.

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**WRONG LINK - GOES TO MAIN MENU** A video mainly demonstrating D-net sweeping for aquatic arthropods. Dr Nancy McIntyre touches on a few other techniques and discusses the need to think about using the right sampling technique when targeting specific aquatic Arthropods. Also discussed are techniques and considerations for different types of water bodies. There a four video types available in 320 x 240 resolution.

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A ten module online entomology course highlighting importance of insects, taxonomy, anatomy, growth and development, internal anatomy and physiology, behavior, ecology, and IPM. Each module includes learning objectives, well illustrated reading material, lab information, review and quiz materials, and audio slide shows. This is probably the finest online entomology course available to date.

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Another of Dr. John Meyer's excellent webpages devoted to teaching general entomology. This page includes five links that take you to "spot ID" characters for insect orders and some families. This page has some excellent photographs detailing the significant characteristics and an interactive phylogenetic tree. A second link takes you to a summary by family of important characteristics. Further links show old tests and quizzes for study reference.

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Excellent powerpoint presentations of bee genera in two separate files both on this site. Illustrated with full color photographs and morphological details where necessary.

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This web page describes current research about insect flight dynamics. It focuses on the work of biologist R. McNeill Alexander of the University of Leeds, whose research team has built large-scale models of insects to test their flight aerodynamics in wind tunnels. At the bottom of the page is a small (160 x 120) QuickTime video of a Morpho butterfly (Order Lepidoptera, Family Nymphalidae) with detailed views of its wing scales. It is an excerpt from the Alien Empire miniseries of the Public Broadcasting Service's Nature series. The video requires QuickTime and may not be accessible to those with older or slow computers. The link to the "enhanced multimedia video clip" did not work at the time of this review.

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An excellent ideas video for where and how to collect insects for teachers in a variety of video types. Dr Jeff Tomberlin demonstrates to viewers a wide variety of easily assessable arthropod habitats, ranging from living and dead vegetation, to leaf litter and soil sampling, carrion, and even dung, along with the tools needed to examine them. 320 x 240 resolution, available in formats for both Windows and Mac platforms (see main menu for video options).

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This Flash animation is part of a lecture series on insect physiology and biochemistry by Dr. Larry Keeley, Professor Emeritus of Entomology at Texas A&M University. Topics covered include prevention of water loss, tanning, and the role of wax. Although unenthusiastic, the voiceover is clear and animation is used well to highlight areas being discussed. Requires Flash. The full version costs $10 to download, but a watermarked demo version can be viewed for free.

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This site provides a set of about 20 insect illustrations, originally drawn on canvas as a WPA project during the Depression and made available by the Department of Entomology at the University of Illinois. The illustrations are primarily overviews of some of the more common insect orders. The size of the original illustrations was ca. 1.0 x 1.5 m, and some of the scanned versions on this site are small and, therefore, lacking in details. Each illustration also has a link to the Tree of Life to provide taxonomic information. The site is of particular value from a historical perspective. Of even more historical value and interest is the associated link to the Department's wonderful lantern slide collection, showing entomologists in profile and in action, along with old pictures of insects and entomological situations in field and laboratory. Those interested in teaching the history of entomology would benefit from the link to the lantern slides.

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This Flash animation is part of a lecture series on insect physiology and biochemistry by Dr. Larry Keeley, Professor Emeritus of Entomology at Texas A&M University. The major aspects of insect morphology are covered. Subjects include external body plan, fat body, flight muscles, and the respiratory, nervous, endocrine, circulatory, digestive and reproductive systems. Although unenthusiastic, the voiceover is clear and animation is used well to highlight areas being discussed. Requires Flash. The full version costs $10 to download, but a watermarked demo version can be viewed for free.

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The compound eye is explained in this animation with voiceover by Dr. Larry Keeley of Texas A&M University. Topics include lens and photoreceptor formation, function of pigment cells, and the mosaic view of insect eyes with different numbers of ommatidia per unit area. Voiceover is unenthusiastic but accurate, but the animation is used appropriately to highlight the narration. Requires Flash. Demo version is full-length but has watermark. The forward and reverse arrows for the animation did not work when tested on several web browsers for Mac OSX, but all other features functioned properly.

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Dichotomous key to an extensive number of insect orders as well as a key for classes of Arthropods. Easy to use dichotomous keys with good initial explanation on how to use one. Many black and white and color sketches and color photographs to aid identification. URL - http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/choate/insect_orders_06b.pdf

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This is a great site to get photographs, range information, seasonal abundance and checklists of dragonflies and damselflies that occur in Iowa. When you navigate to a particular species you not only find information and photos, but also a flight season calendar. The site also includes a section of Species of Concern. One neat feature is the option to display English or Latin names - this can come in handy to teachers and students learning scientific nomenclature.

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Page is in French. Beautiful images as well as excellent information about behavior, classification, morphology, parasitism, and good Quebec specific lists of expected genera and species.

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Page is in French. Beautiful images as well as excellent information about behavior, classification, morphology, parasitism, and good Quebec specific lists of expected genera and species.

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This is an excellent animated resource for introducing teachers and students to Entomology. The interactive Flash animation covers classification, basic anatomy, beneficial vs. pest insects, and life cycles. The dialogue is engaging, clear, and accurate at the elementary level. After completing the animation students have additional activities and exercises available to them. The links at the top of the page are particularly helpful. Users can access an index of the Flash animation slides, as well as a Teacher's Guide that includes example classroom activities and statewide learning standards for 3rd - 5th grades. Available in English and Spanish. Also available on CD.

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A preK-4th grade level observational exercise for the classroom focusing on life stages of insects, as well as metamorphosis. Students are provided mealworms to rear, and are asked to observe several other insects to identify their life stages.

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Narrated Slide show well detailing University of Georgia's physical research on light reflection of beetle exoskeletons. Possible uses for various paints, and reflective surfaces are discussed.

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A comprehensive listing of all insect orders with general, bibliographic, key, worker, and museum links. This is a very practical tool for any student or teacher looking for information on any of the insect orders.

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The Orthoptera Species File (Version 2.0/3.1) is a taxonomic database of the world's Orthoptera. It contains full synonymic and taxonomic information for more than 25,000 valid species and more than 39,000 taxonomic names, and has more than 140,000 citations to references Users can also access images and sound recordings for many species. The "Education Exercises" link has tools (in both English and Spanish) to learn about synonymic lists, the taxonomic history of a generic and specific name, type specimens, and valid names. There also are interactive keys for identifying and diagnosing species of Orthoptera and teaching users about the Linnaean hierarchy. Another useful resource on the home page is the list of experts and their contact information. The OSF is useful for professionals, students, educators and users with a general interest in Orthoptera. It stands out as excellent because it is well-documented, has many "help" features to guide users, and is associated with a well-respected group, the Orthopterists' Society. If you are not sure where to start looking, or if you are interested in how the database is constructed, use the home page links listed under "Other Places to Start".

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The Phasmida Species File (PSF) is a taxonomic database of the world's Phasmida (stick and leaf insects, known as walking sticks and walking leaves in the U.S.). It provides useful and accessible information for professional taxonomists and systematists, such as full synonymic and taxonomic information for over 2,700 valid species and 3,900 taxonomic names (all ranks, valid and not valid), and over 11,000 citations to references. The PSF home page also lists phasmid specialists by geographic location, so users can email them with questions. What makes the PSF stand out as excellent is the substantial amount of documentation and "help" features to guide users. This makes the site easily-accessible to professionals as well as students and educators with more general interests (e.g., rearing records and photographs). If you are not sure where to start looking, or if you are interested in how the database is constructed, use the home page links listed under "Other Places to Start". For information and statistics about the current status of the database (as of October 2006), click on the "About this website and the underlying database" link on the home page.

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from editor: this table doesn't have any link back to the webpage it is linked to, which puts the reader at a dead end and doesn't give the context of the parent site. They should just submit the parent webpage instead of the lists of terms and Orders separately. I already approved the .pdf list of terms, but we should consider just posting the parent site instead: http://entnemdept.ifas.ufl.edu/choate/insecpdf.htm.

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A very good video demonstrating how to use pitfalls to collect ground dwelling insects. Dr. Nancy McIntyre gives clear and concise instructions on type and construction of pitfall trap to use and how to place in the ground. She also gives tips on killing agents and how to retrieve those arthropods caught in the trap. 320 x 240 resolution, available in video formats for both Windows and Mac platforms (see main menu for video options).

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Comprehensive database of information on scale insects (Homoptera: Coccoidea), an important pest of greenhouses and fruit trees. Topics include general information, economic importance, life histories, distribution, ecology and classification. Users can query the database for information like valid names, distributions, hosts, references, synonymy, and remarks for a particular taxon. The bibliography goes back to 1758. Last updated December 2006.

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A summary of the Mecoptera, including a key to North American adults.

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The "Sharpshooter leafhoppers of the World" site has general information about leafhoppers, with specific instruction on the sharpshooter group (Hemiptera: Cidadellidae: Cicadellinae). Pages include classification, history, specimen depository, and an interactive key (not completed at time of this writing). A photographic gallery arranged by geographic region is especially useful and very beautifully done. The "Who Described the Species" link gives interesting historical accounts of some of the more prolific leafhopper taxonomists.

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Another of Dr. John Meyer's excellent entomology teaching pages. This one is a narrated slide show dealing with the insect orders. Twenty-six orders of adult insects are covered, and each one is highlighted with the distinctive characteristics for identification.

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A collection of colored scanning electron microscope images of insects (and a few spiders) by Dennis Kunkel Microscopy, Inc. The images are arranged as FBI-style rap sheets, each one containing the scientific name and facts about that species. There are two different “12 most wanted bugs” pages: Bug Mugs (head shots) and Bug Bodies. Several species appear on both pages. The images are clear and the fact sheets are easy to read (although no references are provided). Also check out the "Zoom In!" link at the top of the page for more insect images.

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Some 39 genera of bees, illustrated with full habitus photos, are included in this online article. Information about nests, behavior, floral relationships, as well as conservation are thoroughly covered. Includes an extensive references section.

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External anatomy of the cockroach, presented from various angles with body parts clearly labeled on photographs rather than diagrams. The user can navigate their way through different views of the head, thorax and abdomen sections. There are also close-up views of the legs. The user can download each image. The internal anatomy section is under construction.

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Facts and Theories on the Insect Head, Part 1. Audio recording accompanied by illustrated transcripts of lecture given in 1960 by seminal insect morphologist Robert E. Snodgrass. This lecture series covers the morphology and evolution of the insect head in two parts. Part I discusses the structures of the head and mouthparts, and begins to address the evolution of segmentation (continued in Part II). The web page is clear and easy to follow. The transcribed text makes it possible to follow along with the entire lecture even though parts of the audio file are difficult to hear. The text is clearly annotated to tell the reader when Snodgrass is using a figure, and those figures are labeled accurately and placed properly throughout the text. This is an excellent supplemental resource for anyone taking or teaching an insect morphology class. The lecture was moderated by William Bickley and transcribed by Jeffrey W. Shultz, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland.

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Facts and Theories on the Insect Head, Part 2. Audio recording accompanied by illustrated transcripts of lecture given in 1960 by seminal insect morphologist Robert E. Snodgrass. This lecture series covers the morphology and evolution of the insect head in two parts. Part I discusses the structures of the head and mouthparts, and begins to address the evolution of segmentation (continued in Part II). The web page is clear and easy to follow. The transcribed text makes it possible to follow along with the entire lecture even though parts of the audio file are difficult to hear. The text is clearly annotated to tell the reader when Snodgrass is using a figure, and those figures are labeled accurately and placed properly throughout the text. This is an excellent supplemental resource for anyone taking or teaching an insect morphology class. The lecture was moderated by William Bickley and transcribed by Jeffrey W. Shultz, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland.

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Evolution of the Arthropods. Audio recording accompanied by illustrated transcripts of lecture given in 1960 by seminal insect morphologist Robert E. Snodgrass. In this 3rd lecture of the series Dr. Snodgrass discusses the evolution of the arthropod body plan from a phylogenetic perspective. The lecture also covers the phylogeny of Hexapoda and the diversity and evolution of insect appendages compared to those of ancestral arthropods. The web page is clear and easy to follow. The transcribed text makes it possible to follow along with the entire lecture even though parts of the audio file are difficult to hear. The text is clearly annotated to tell the reader when Snodgrass is using a figure, and those figures are labeled accurately and placed properly throughout the text. This is an excellent supplemental resource for anyone taking or teaching an insect morphology class. The lecture was moderated by William Bickley and transcribed by Jeffrey W. Shultz, Department of Entomology, University of Maryland.

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This US Government site is dedicated to classification, and identification of arthropods of medical importance. Several links take you to keys to medically important sand flies, mosquitoes, scorpions, ticks and fleas. It also hosts a discussion forum, and catalogs of mosquitoes and sand flies (as of this writing not yet functioning).

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Three-dimensional rendering of an ant. This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the orginal models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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The Tree of Life Project is a classification project based on current taxonomic information for all groups of organisms. This is the INSECTA page, which is a portal to the rest of the pages for all insect groups. It includes images, phylogenetic relationships, and extensive references. This is a great start to learning about a new group of insects, or any other life form.

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A short video demonstrating how to use an aspirator to collect small insects. Dr. Noel Troxclair gives clear instruction on technique and the construction of an aspirator. T320 x 240 resolution, available in video formats for both Windows and Mac platforms (see main menu for video options).

Detailed Comments

3D virtual image of a honey bee (Family Apidae *spelled Apiidae in the image caption*). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

Detailed Comments

3D virtual image of a flea (Order Siphonaptera). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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3D virtual image of a blow fly (Family Calliphoridae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

Detailed Comments

3D virtual image of a German Cockroach (Family Blattidae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

Detailed Comments

3D virtual image of a grasshopper (Family Acrididae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

Detailed Comments

This is a 3D virtual reality image of the "Japanese Rhinoceros Beetle," or Allomyrina dichotoma (family Scarabaeidae, subfamily Dynastinae). Menu tools can be used to rotate and/or zoom in on the image. The clarity of the image is excellent, but gets slightly blurry when fully zoomed. This is a high quality resource for teaching, especially for topics involving insect morphology. The Cornell University "Beetle Science" home page (http://www.explore.cornell.edu/scene.cfm?scene=Beetle%20Science) has many more excellent resources for teachers and students. QuickTime 5.0 is required to view it, which possibly could limit users with older or public computers.

Detailed Comments

3D virtual image of a mantis (Family Mantidae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

Detailed Comments

3D virtual image of a mosquito (Family Culicidae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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This is a 3D virtual reality image of the shiny green beetle Chrysophora chrysochlora (family Scarabaeidae). Menu tools can be used to rotate and/or zoom in on the image. The clarity of the image is excellent, but gets slightly blurry when fully zoomed. This is a high quality resource for teaching, especially for topics involving insect morphology. The Cornell University "Beetle Science" home page (http://www.explore.cornell.edu/scene.cfm?scene=Beetle%20Science) has many more excellent resources for teachers and students. QuickTime 5.0 is required to view the image, which possibly could limit users with older or public computers.

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3D image of a stage beetle (Family Lucanidae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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3D virtual image of a termite (Order Isoptera). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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3D virtual image of a water strider (Family Gerridae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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3D virtual image of a yellowjacket wasp (Family Vespidae). This movie is also available as a Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) model. The VRML models are more interactive than the QuickTime versions, but special software may need to be downloaded to open them (read the “Help” page for details). Those people using public computers may be limited from fully accessing the resource. Mozilla Firefox users can view the VRML files directly in their browsers by downloading the Cortona extension (http://www.parallelgraphics.com/products/cortona/download/netscape/). This website is an excellent educational resource for all ages. The Virtual Insects home page (http://www.ento.vt.edu/~sharov/3d/3dinsect.html) has a basic explanation of how virtual reality works, including the Virtual Reality Modeling Language. The "Virtual Images" link takes you to a list of insects that can be viewed as 3D digital reconstructions. The image files would make excellent additions to teaching lectures for introductory classes. Visit the "How to Build Virtual Insects" page to read about how the images were created and how the original models were made more biologically accurate. Also be sure to read the page on how to view the cyber-insects inside a virtual reality "cave".

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From the Chironomidae Research Group a lucid picture selection toward identification of stream insects. Orders covered are the usual array of aquatic insects: Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, Hemiptera, Megaloptera, Neuroptera, Trichoptera, Leipidoptera, Coleoptera, and of course, Diptera. Picture links take you to family level photographs.

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