ENTOMOLOGY C
See General Rules, Eye Protection & other Policies on [Link] as they apply to every event.
1. DESCRIPTION: Students will be asked to identify insects and selected immature insects by indicated
taxonomy (order, subclass, or family), answer questions about insects, and use or construct a dichotomous
key. All specimens will be representatives of insects found in the Contiguous United States.
A TEAM OF UP TO: 2 APPROXIMATE TIME: 50 minutes
2. EVENT PARAMETERS:
a. Each team may bring one 2” or smaller three-ring binder, as measured by the interior diameter of the
rings, containing information in any form and from any source. Sheet protectors, lamination, tabs, and
labels are permitted. If the event features a rotation through a series of laboratory stations where the
participants interact with samples, specimens, or displays, no material may be removed from the binder
throughout the event.
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b. Each team may also have one commercially produced field guide which may be tabbed or annotated.
c. In addition to their resource binder and field guide, each team may bring one (1) copy of either the 2026
National Entomology List or a State or Regional Entomology List if issued.
d. Each team may bring one hand lens or magnifying glass. The Supervisor will provide dissecting
microscopes, if needed.
3. THE COMPETITION:
a. Teams will be asked to identify an insect's Order, Subclass, Family or common name and answer a
related question(s). Questions are limited to topics below and insects are limited to those listed on the
2026 National Entomology List, which is based on the Insects of North America Princeton Field
Guide (2023).
b. Insect specimens or images (nymph or larva for selected orders and families) will be exhibited so that
students will be able to see pertinent features with the unaided eye or a hand lens. Students may be
asked to use or formulate a simple dichotomous key to identify insects.
c. For each specimen, students will be asked correlated questions that pertain to the insect’s internal and
external anatomy, ecology, economic characteristics, or systematics.
d. Ecological characteristics may include habitats, adaptations to the environment, behavior, relationships
(e.g. symbiosis and competition) with animals, plants, and public health, as well as climate change
impacts.
e. Economic characteristics may include beneficial or detrimental aspects of insects such as sources of
food, medicine, disease, chemicals, nutrients, and insects as nuisance species.
f. State and Nationals Only: For specimens, students may be asked questions that pertain to
management. Such questions may pertain to pest/disease/invasive species concerns, Integrated
Pest Management (IPM), conservation, and urban entomology. (IPM refers to preventing or
suppressing damaging populations of insect pests by application of comprehensive and coordinated
integration of multiple control tactics: chemical, biological, and cultural controls in context of
their economic, environmental, and social consequences.)
4. SCORING:
a. The high score wins.
b. Preselected questions will be used as tiebreakers.
Recommended Resources: The Science Olympiad Store ([Link]) carries a variety of resources to
purchase; other resources are available on the Event Pages at [Link].
©2026 - C32
2026 NATIONAL ENTOMOLOGY LIST
See General Rules, Eye Protection & other Policies on [Link] as they apply to every event.
Specimens will be limited to those on the 2026 National Entomology List, made up of 26 orders, 2
subclasses and 113 families. All specimens will be representatives of insects found in the Contiguous
United States
• Orders or Families marked by an “*” require that the participants be able to recognize
larvae or nymph forms.
• Orders or Families designated in “Italics” are only to be used at the State and National
levels of competition.
• The taxonomic scheme is based upon the Insects of North America Princeton Field
Guide (2023).
Class Entognatha Family Gelastocoridae - toad bugs
Order Protura - telsontails, proturans Family Gerridae - water striders
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Subclass Collembola - springtails, snow fleas Family Cimicidae - bed bugs
Order Diplura - diplurans Family Miridae - plant bugs
Class Insecta Family Reduviidae - assassin bugs
Order Archaeognatha - bristletails, Family Scutelleridae – metallic shield bugs
Order Zygentoma - silverfish, firebrats Family Tingidae - lace bugs
*Order Ephemeroptera - mayflies Family Lygaeidae - seed bugs
*Order Odonata - dragon/damselflies Family Coreidae - leaf–footed bugs
*Family Aeshnidae – darners Family Pentatomidae - Stink bugs
*Family Gomphidae - clubtails *Family Cicadidae - cicadas
*Family Libellulidae - skimmers Family Membracidae - treehoppers
*Family Lestidae - spread-wing Family Cercopidae - froghoppers, spittlebugs
*Family Coenagrionidae - narrow-winged Family Cicadellidae - leafhoppers
Order Blattodea- cockroaches/termites Family Fulgoridae - fulgorid planthoppers
Family Termitidae – termites Family Aphididae - aphids
Family Blattidae – household roaches *Family Pseudococcidae – mealybug
Family Cryptocercidae – brown-hooded *Family Coccidae – soft scale insect
roaches Order Thysanoptera - thrips
Order Mantodea - mantids *Order Megaloptera - dobsonflies
Order Embioptera - webspinners Order Neuroptera - lacewings, Antlions
Order Dermaptera - earwigs Family Chrysopidae - green lacewings
*Order Plecoptera - stoneflies *Family Myrmeleontidae - antlions
Order Orthoptera - grasshoppers & crickets Order Coleoptera - beetles
Family Tetrigidae - pygmy grasshopper Family Carabidae - ground and tiger beetles
Family Acrididae - short-horned grasshoppers Family Dytiscidae - predaceous diving beetles
Family Tettigoniidae - katydids Family Gyrinidae - whirligig beetles
Family Rhaphidophoridae - camel crickets Family Hydrophilidae - water scavenger
Family Gryllidae - crickets/tree crickets *Family Psephenidae – water penny beetles
Family Gryllotalpidae - mole crickets *Family Elmidae – riffle beetles
Order Phasmatodea - walkingsticks Family Histeridae - hister beetles
Family Diapheromeridae - common Family Staphylinidae - rove beetles
walkingsticks Family Silphidae - carrion beetles
Order Psocodea - Book/Bark Lice Family Lucanidae - stag beetles
Order Hemiptera - true bugs Family Passalidae - bess beetles
Family Corixidae - water boatmen Family Scarabaeidae - dung beetles
Family Notonectidae - backswimmers Family Buprestidae - metallic wood-boring/
Family Belostomatidae - giant water bugs jewel beetles
Family Nepidae - waterscorpions *Family Elateridae - click beetles
©2026 - C33
2026 NATIONAL ENTOMOLOGY LIST (CONT.)
See General Rules, Eye Protection & other Policies on [Link] as they apply to every event.
*Family Lampyridae - fireflies *Family Nymphalidae - brush-footed butterflies
Family Cantharidae - soldier beetles Family Geometridae - geometer moths
Family Lycidae - net-winged beetles *Family Lasiocampidae - tent caterpillar/
Family Cleridae - checkered beetles lappet moths
*Family Coccinellidae - lady-bird beetles Family Pyralidae - snout moths
(ladybugs) Family Saturnidae – Giant Silkworm moths
*Family Tenebrionidae – darkling beetles *Family Sphingidae - sphinx/hawk moths,
Family Meloidae - blister beetles hornworms
*Family Cerambycidae - long-horned beetles *Family Erebidae - tiger/tussock moths
Family Chrysomelidae - leaf beetles Family Noctuidae – owlet moths
Order Hymenoptera - bees/ants/wasps.
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Family Curculionidae - weevils
Family Zopheridae – diabolical ironclad Family Tenthredinidae - common sawflies
beetles Family Siricidae - horntails
*Family Cucujidae – flat bark beetles Family Ichneumonidae - ichneumons
Order Mecoptera - scorpionflies Family Cynipidae - gall wasps
Family Boreidae - snow scorpionflies Family Mutillidae - velvet-ants
Family Panorpidae - common scorpionflies Family Formicidae - ants
Order Raphidioptera - Snakeflies Family Vespidae - paper wasps, hornets,
Family Raphidiidae - Raphidiid Snakeflies yellowjackets
Order Siphonaptera - fleas Family Sphecidae - thread- waisted wasps
Order Diptera - true flies Family Braconidae – braconid wasps
*Family Tipulidae - crane flies Family Halictidae - Sweat bees
*Family Culicidae - mosquitoes Family Megachilidae - leaf cutter bees
*Family Chironomidae - midges Family Apidae - bees
*Family Simuliidae - black flies Non Insect Arthropods
Family Stratiomyidae - soldier flies Subclass Acari - Ticks
Family Tabanidae - horse flies Family Ixodidae – Hardbacked tick
Family Asilidae - robber flies
Family Bombyliidae - bee flies
*Family Syrphidae - hover/flower flies
Family Tephritidae - fruit flies, husk fly
Family Drosophilidae - pomace flies, fruit/
vinegar flies
Family Muscidae - house flies
*Family Calliphoridae - blow flies
Family Tachinidae - tachinid flies
*Family Oestridae - botflies
*Order Trichoptera - caddisflies
Order Lepidoptera - moths and butterflies
Family Sesiidae - clear winged moths
Family Tortricidae - Tortrix moths
Family Hesperiidae - skippers
*Family Papilionidae - swallowtails
Family Pieridae - whites, sulfurs
Family Lycaenidae - hairstreaks, blues
©2026 - C34