201a (200a). Front legs not raptorial..............................................................................…..............…............202

201b. Front legs raptorial (Figs.A-C)..... A........................................................(Neuroptera) Mantispidae

202a (201a). Fore wing with 2 or more branches of R-s arising from the apparently fused stems

of R-1 and R-s ......................……................................................................................…….........203

202b. Fore wing with all branches of R-s arising from a single sector......................................…….........205

203a (202a). Antennae moniliform in both sexes; ocelli absent; ovipositor not exserted.....….....….....204

203b. Antennae pectinate in males; ocellus-like tubercle present; ovipositor exserted............

…………………………………………………………..................…………….(Neuroptera) Dilaridae

204a (203a). Fore wing with 3 or more branches of R-s present, veins R-4 and R-5 arising

separately, some costal veins forked (Fig.A) (general predators).........................

......................................................................................... A..........…......(Neuroptera) Hemerobiidae

204b. Fore wing with apparently 2 radial sectors (R-s), one of which is R-2+3 and the other R

4+5................................................................................….................…....(Neuroptera) Sympherobiidae

205a (202b). Large moth-like species; costal area of fore wing very broad; the S-c, R-1 and R-s

are closely parallel (Figs.A-B)...................... A.…...................... (Neuroptera) Psychopsidae

205b. Not as previously described...................….................................……..................................................206

206a (205b). Ocelli absent....................................……...................................……..........................................207

206b. Ocelli present (Figs.A-B).......................................... A...…........................(Neuroptera) Osmylidae

207a (206a). Humeral cross vein forming a recurrent vein; discal area of wings distinct from

costal and marginal areas by series of cross veins; S-c and R-1 fused apically (Fig.A)..

…………………………………………………………....A.......…..(Neuroptera) Polystoechotidae

207b. Humeral cross vein not forming a recurrent vein; discal area of wings not differentiated

from marginal area............................................…….....................................……...................................208

208a (207b). Vertex (= top of head) flattened.................…..............................................................……....209

208b. Vertex convex (Fig.A).................................................................. A...............(Neuroptera) Sisyridae

209a (208a). Costal cross veins not forked..........................…........................................................……......210

209b. Costal cross veins forked..............................................…......................................................…….......211

210a (209a). Wings of nearly equal width, fore wing with all branches of R-s arising from a

single sector (Figs.A-E)......................................... A....................(Neuroptera) Chrysopidae

210b. Fore wing distinctly wider than hind wing (Fig.A).........…..........……...(Neuroptera) Apochrysidae

211a (209b). Fore wing with S-c and R fused before wing tip; seed-like scales often present on

wings (Figs.A-B).............................................................… A....................(Neuroptera) Berothidae

211b. Fore wings with S-c and R not fused apically; hairs of body and wing conspicuously

long (Fig.A)..................................................................….................….....(Neuroptera) Trichomatidae

212a (199b). Wings about 1/3rd as wide as long; costal area wide (Fig.A)..........................

......................................................................................….... A.....….... (Neuroptera) Myiodactylidae

212b. Wings much narrower than above...................................................................…….............................213

213a (212b). Antennae quite distinctly club-like or flattened, subcostal cell without cross veins……214

213b. Antennae elongated cylindrical; subcostal area with many cross veins (Figs.A-B)

……………….……………………………………………………..A.......….(Neuroptera) Nymphidae

214a (213a). Antennae about as long as head and thorax........................................…..........…..................215

214b. Antennae longer, slender and strongly clubbed (Figs.A-B)… A......(Neuroptera) Ascalaphidae

215a (214a). Antennae weakly clubbed, knobbed, or flattened apically; abdomen long and

slender; body and wings pubescent (Figs.A-D)........ A.........(Neuroptera) Myrmeleontidae

215b. Antennae strongly clubbed; abdomen and wings shiny. ...........................................

....................................................................................…....................….. (Neuroptera) Stilbopterygidae

216a (195b). Ocelli present (Fig.A).....................................………...... A............(Neuroptera) Raphidiidae

216b. Ocelli absent (Fig.A)..............................................……….................................(Neuroptera) Inocellidae

Major Families of Adult Entomophagous Strepsiptera: (Adults) (Immatures)

Males (for females go to 222)

217a (5a & 73b). Tarsi with fewer than 5 segments and clawless................…….......................................218

217b. Tarsi with 5 segments and clawed (Fig.A).......................……. A.........(Strepsiptera) Mengeidae

218a (217a). Tarsi with 4 segments..............................................................…................................................219

218b. Tarsi with 2-3 segments..............................................................................…........................................221

219a (218a). Antennae with less than 7 segments...............................................….....................................220

219b. Antennae with 7 segments (Fig.A)....................................... A....(Strepsiptera) Myrmecolacidae

220a (219a). Third and 4th antennal segments laterally fan-like..............................

................................................................................….........................(Strepsiptera) Callipharixenidae

220b. Only 3rd antennal segment laterally fan-like (Figs.A-C)..….... A.........(Strepsiptera) Stylopidae

221a (218b). Tarsi with 2 segments; antennae with 4 segments (Figs.A-B).....................

.................................................................................…..... A...................... (Strepsiptera) Elenchidae

221b. Tarsi with 3 segments; antennae with 7 segments (Figs.A-D)............................

.....................................................................................................….......(Strepsiptera) Halictophagidae

222a (58a & 76a). Adult stage partially endoparasitic, without legs, antennae or eyes.......…..............223

222b. Adult stage free-living, with legs, antennae and eyes (Figs.A-B). A.(Strepsiptera) Mengeidae

Females

223a (222a). Cephalothorax (= head + thorax) without hook-like projections behind spiracles......…..224

223b. Cephalothorax with hook-like projections behind spiracles.....…(Strepsiptera) . Stichotrematidae

224a (223a). Cephalothorax with single pair of spiracles; thoracic segments not well defined…....….225

224b. Cephalothorax greatly elongated, with 2 pairs of spiracles, or with head and thoracic

segments distinct.................................................………....................(Strepsiptera) Callipharixenidae

225a (224a). Parasitoids of Homoptera or Gryllidae..........................….............…......................................226

225b. Parasitoids of Hymenoptera.........................................…...............…...........(Strepsiptera) Stylopidae

226a (225a). Brood-passage opening a narrow, linear or oblong slit; thorax prominent

...............................................................................….................….......(Strepsiptera) Halictophagidae

226b. Brood-passage opening broad and semicircular; thorax reduced and ring-like in back of

brood-passage opening..................................................………....................(Strepsiptera) Elenchidae

Major Families of Adult Entomophagous Lepidoptera:

227a (10a, 38a, 48a & 80a). Antennae simple or modified, but usually not swollen apically;

hind wing with frenulum (= bristle or group of bristles arising at humeral angle);

ocelli often present ...........................................................(Lepidoptera) (Heterocera)…..............228

227b. Antennae knobbed at tip; hind wing without a frenulum; ocelli absent (Figs.A-D)

………………………………………………A.…............(Lepidoptera) (Rhopalocera) Lycaenidae

228a (227a). Wings absent or greatly reduced in size.....................................…….....................................229

228b. Wings normally developed....................................................................……........................................231

229a (228a). Moth does not develop in a sac constructed by the larva.............…...................................230

229b. Moth develops in and often never leaves sac constructed by the larva (Fig.A) (also see

couplets 233, 235 & 236)...................................... A………..........................(Lepidoptera) Psychidae

230a (229a). Proboscis absent or vestigial (Figs.A-B) (also see couplet 238)

..................................................................................…….................. A.....(Lepidoptera) Pyralididae

230b. Proboscis present (Figs.A-D) (also see couplets 237 & 238)…..........…....(Lepidoptera) Noctuidae

231a (228b). Hind wing with 3 anal veins; fore wing usually with 1st anal vein reaching wing

margin...............................................................................................…………...............................232

231b. Hind wing with 2 anal veins, rarely with 1.................................................……..................................236

232a (231a). Hind wing with veins S-c+R-1 and R-s widely separate beyond discal cell....……..........233

232b. Hind wing with veins S-c+R-1 and R-s fused or closely parallel between discal cell and

wing tip...……...........................................................................................................................…............238

233a (232a). Fore wings with radial (accessory) cell.............................................……................................234

233b. Fore wings without radial cell (Fig.229b-A) (also see couplets 229, 235 & 236)

....................................................................................……........... A............(Lepidoptera) Psychidae

234a (233a). Proboscis vestigial.................................................................................……..............................235

234b. Mouth parts usually developed, with scaled proboscis................................................…...............239

235a (234a). Tibial spurs short or absent (Fig.A)...............…............. A.......(Lepidoptera) Epipyropidae

235b. Hind tibia with 2 pairs of spurs (Fig.229b-A) (also see couplets 229, 233 & 236)

......................................................................................…............................... (Lepidoptera) Psychidae

236a (231b). Fore wing with single complete anal vein.............................……............................................237

236b. Fore wing with anal veins almost fused or connected by a crossvein so as to end as a

single vein (Fig.229b-A) (also see couplets 229, 233 & 235)…… A.…...(Lepidoptera) Psychidae

237a (236a). Shaft of antennae tapering evenly from base to tip................……........................................238

237b. Antennae thickened before tip, usually ending in a down curved hook

(Figs.230b-A-D) (also see couplets 230 & 238)...............……. A..........(Lepidoptera) Noctuidae

238a (232b & 237a). Hind wing with S-c usually free from R-s along the cell, though

sometimes approaching it (also see couplet 230)…(Lepidoptera) Pyralidae (Chrysauginae,

……………………………………………………………………............……Phycitinae, Pyraustinae)

238b. Hind wing with S_c fused with R_s for short distance before the middle of cell .................... Noctuidae

239a (234b). Maxillary palpi straight and extend forward horizontally, or vestigial....….........…............240

239b. Maxillary palpi conspicuous, folded in resting position…..........…......(Lepidoptera) Oinophilidae

240a (239a). Basal segment of antenna simple, though often with scales, hairs, or bristles.….....…....241

240b. Basal segment of antenna enlarged and concave beneath, forming an eyecap (Fig.A)

(also see couplet 247)................................................…….... A.…........(Lepidoptera) Blastobasidae

241a (240a). Hind wing with well-developed anal region; venation almost complete....…….................242

241b. Hind wing narrow-lanceolate or linear; venation often reduced......................…......…..................244

.

242a (241a). Hind wing with anal vein not distally forked......................................…...........…..................243

242b. Hind wing with 3rd anal vein distally forked (Figs A-B)...…… A.........(Lepidoptera) Cyclotornidae

243a (242a). Upper side of hind wing with fringe of long hairs on basal part of Cu..

……………………………………………………………...............(Lepidoptera) Olethreutidae

243b. Hind wing without long hairs on basal part of C-u (Fig.A)... A..........(Lepidoptera) Tortricidae

244a (241b). Fore wing with discal cell formed......................................................................……................245

244b. Fore wing without closed cell (Fig.A) (also see couplet 245……A...(Lepidoptera) Heliodinidae

245a (244a). Hind tarsi without evident groups of bristles...............................................…..........….........246

245b. Hind tarsi with somewhat distinct groups of bristles near the ends of the several segments

(Fig.244b-A) (also see couplet 244).............…………......... A...............(Lepidoptera) Heliodinidae

246a (245a). Fore wing with discal cell set obliquely, the end distinctly closer to the hind margin

than to costa; vein Cu-2 very short and usually extending directly back to wing margin….....…247

246b. Fore wing with discal cell axial and central; vein Cu-2 normally long and continuing

parallel with median veins (also see couplet 247)............................................

.....................................................……......................(Lepidoptera) Lavernidae & Cosmopterygidae

247a (246a). Fore wing with blunt discal cell; veins R-2 and Cu arising from the end of discal

cell (Fig.240b-A) (also see couplet 14).................. A...............(Lepidoptera) Blastobasidae

247b. Fore wing without stigma; vein R-2 arising distinctly before end of discal cell (Fig.A)

(also see couplet 246).....………...........................................................(Lepidoptera) Cosmopterigidae

248. Major Families and Some Subfamilies of Adult Chalcidoidea:

Generalized drawings of Chalcidoidea morphology by Noyes & Valentine (1989) are

presented in Figs.A-G.

For greater detail on specific geographic areas also please refer to regional keys as follows:

World Key (J. S. Noyes) = <noyes.htm>

North America = <nearct-1.key.htm>

Canada = <nearct-2.key.htm>

Neotropics (in Spanish) = <neotro-1.key.htm>

Europe = <palear-3.key.htm>

Czech & Slovak Republics = <palear-4.key.htm>

Southern Africa = <ethiop-1.key.htm>

India & Surroundings = <india-1.key.htm>

Australasia = <austra-1.key.htm> & <austra-3.key.htm>

New Zealand = <austra-2.key.htm>

-------------------------------------------------

248a (123b). Hind femur enlarged, with ventral teeth, either a few large or many small ones

(saw-like) (Fig.A); hind tibia not quite equal to femur and arched; specimens usually 5-15

mm, broad bodied, rarely <1-2 mm........... A.................................................……..............................249

248b. Hind femur not enlarged, ventral teeth, if present, 2 or less, or ventral edge serrated

(Fig. A); hindtibia straight (rarely half length of femur); specimens usually 1-10 mm.,

robust to fragile................................................................................................................….................253

249a (248a). Prepectus reduced or fused (Fig.A), not readily apparent, of if so, not triangular in

outline (Fig.A). .......... A............................................................................…................................ 250

249b. Prepectus in the form of a triangular plate (Fig.A)................................................……......................252

250a (249a). Ovipositor directed horizontally [in most species not extended beyond tip of

abdomen]; tegula almost an oval disc; fore wing not folded longitudinally; posterior gena

with distinct ridge; body often large but not usually metallic (Figs.A-D)..........................

...................................................... A...........................…..Chalcididae......251 [also see fly-par.htm ]

250b. Ovipositor curved upwards over abdomen (Fig.A); male abdomen covered by pitted hard

covering of fused dorsal plates (Fig.A ); tegula narrowly extended forward, spoon-like;

fore wing often folded longitudinally; body large, wasp-like, with fore wing longitudinally

folded as in Vespidae, frequently with black and yellow pattern (Figs.B-D)...................

..........................................................................................................…....................................Leucospidae

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Key continues with <insect6.htm>