How can I identify my insects?

The study of entomology can get as involved as one really wants to get, but most of the time 4-H collections are confined to identification of insects to ORDER and to common name. This can be done using most of the commonly available keys in bookstores. Petersen's field guides are the standard which Entomologists and other Cooperative Extension Service personnel in the Southern Region use as the key for insect identification. The Audubon series on insects is also a good inexpensive source of picture keys. The method mostly used by 4-Hers is 'picture comparison.' Any key with a good set of plates which shows the most common families and species of insects works to help get identification of the specimens. Some readily identifiable characteristics can also be used to separate and identify insects. Most of the written keys branch into obvious characters leading to a single end. By learning the characteristics of specific insects and then looking for those characters on collected specimens, entomologists can be fairly certain that they are in the ball park on their identification. Most professional entomologists will submit specimens to museums for taxonomic verification if they require identification to Genus and species.