Insects surround us! They are big and small -- from showy swallowtails and darner dragonflies to minute parasitoids and leaf litter critters. Some insects are colorful and charismatic, and others are drab and obscure.
Insects are broadly subdivided into orders. The five largest orders include: Hymenoptera (sawflies, ants, bees, & wasps), Coleoptera (beetles), Lepidoptera (moths & butterflies), Diptera (flies, gnats, mosquitoes), and Hemiptera (stink bugs, aphids, cicadas, etc.). At Cornell, you can find representatives of 24 out of the 28 orders of insects!
Header photo: winter stonefly (order Plecoptera, family Capniidae). This adult insect is about a quarter of an inch long and can be found walking on the snow! Stoneflies are a sign of a healthy stream. At Cornell, a winter stonefly may be encountered near Fall Creek or Cascadilla Creek. Look for them in late January into February while on your walk around campus. photo taken by E. Murray in late January 2017