Insects of Economic Importance to Canada and British Columbia

Although the links from this page all deal with arthropods that are of economic importance in Canada not all of the organisms are present in British Columbia. The sheets and graphics are provided primarily as an aid to identification and to provide background biology which are crucial components in developing Integrated Pest Management protocols.

Links to Fact Sheets on This Site

Basic insect classification

How to make your own sticky traps (for carrot rust fly-- but they'll work for other things, too)

Acarina (mites and ticks)
Panonychus spp. Common names: citrus red mite, and european red mitei
Epitrimerus pyri common name: pear rust mite
Tetranychus urticae common names: two-spotted spider mite, strawberry spider mite, pacific spider mite)
Petrobia latens common name: brown wheat mite
Dermacentor andersoni common name: rocky mountain wood tick

Coleoptera (beetles)
Acanthoscelides obtectus common name: bean weevil
Epicauta oregona common name: blister beetles. Meloe montanus
Neochlamisus cribripennis common name: blueberry casebeetle
Tenebroides mauritanicus common name: cadelle
Phyllotreta albionicaCommon name: cabbage flea beetle
Tribolium confusum common name: confused flour beetle
Leptinotarsa decemlineata common name: colorado potato beetle
Oulema melanopus common name: cereal leaf beetle
Acalymma vittata common name: striped cucumber beetle
Xanthogaleruca (= pyrrhalta) luteola common name: elm leaf beetle
Ahasverus advena common name: foreign grain beetle
Sitophilus granarius common name: granary weevil
Popillia japonica common name: japanese beetle
Phyllophaga spp. Common name: june beetle
Tenebrio molitor common name: yellow meal worm
Oryzaephilus surinamensis common name: merchant grain beetle
Sitona lineata common name: pea leaf weevil
Bruchus pisorum common name: pea weevil
Tribolium castaneum common name: red flour beetle
Diabrotica longicornis common name: northern corn rootworm
Cryptolestes ferrugineus common name: rusty grain beetle
Oryzaephilus mercator common name: sawtooth grain beetle
Phyllophaga errans common name: june, ten-lined may, or dung beetles, chafers; white grubs
Criocerus duodecimpunctata common name: spotted asparagus beetle
Zygogramma exclamatlonls Common name: sunflower beetle
Sitona cylindricollis common name: sweetclover weevil
Epitrix tuberis common name: tuber flea beetle, potato flea beetle; tobacco flea beetle
Entomoscelis americana common name: red turnip beetle
Plagiodera versicolora common name: imported willow leaf beetle
Ctenicera destructor common name: click beetles,wire-worms,wireworms

Dermaptera (earwigs)
Forficula auricularia common name: european earwig

Diptera (flies)
Calliphorid flies, common names: blow flies,blue-bottle flies, blue bottle flies
Oestrid flies, common names: botfly,warble flies, screw worm
Delia (=hylemya) brassicae common name: cabbage maggot
Musca autumnalis common names: face fly, cluster fly, attic fly
Psila rosae common name: carrot rust fly
Drosophila melanogaster common name: pomace flies; small fruit flies
common name: mosquitoes
Delia (=hylemya) antiqua common name: onion maggot
Delia platura common name: seedcorn maggot
Pegomya hyoscyami common name: spinach leaf miner
Tetanops myopaeformis common name: sugar beet root maggot
Delia (=hylemya) floralis common name: turnip maggot

Homoptera and Hemiptera (sucking insects and bugs)
Blissus leucopterous common name: chinch bug
Lygus lineolaris Common name: tarnished plant bug
Acyrthosiphon pisum common name: pea aphid
Brachycorynella (brachycolus) asparagi common name: asparagus aphid
Myzus persicae common name: green peach aphid
Daktulosphaira vitifoliae common name: grape phylloxera
Erythoneura variabilis common name: varigated leafhopper, white apple, rose
Parthenolecanium (=lecanium) corni common name: european fruit lecanium
Nasonovia ribisnigri common name: lettuce aphid
Lepidosaphes ulmi common name: oystershell scale
Psylla pyricola common name: pear psylla
Dysaphis plantaginea common name: rosy apple aphid
Quadraspidiotus perniciosus common name: san jose scale
Cercopidae common name: spittlebug

Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps and sawflies)
Camponotus spp. Common name: carpenter ants
Cephus cinctus norton common name: wheat stem sawfly
Yellowjackets
Carpenterbees

Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)
Autographa californica common name: alfalfa caterpillar
Pseudaletia unipuncta common name: armyworm
Actebia fennica common name: black army cutworm
Loxostege sticticalis common name: beet webworm
Mamestra configurata common name: bertha armyworm
Agrotis ipsilon common name: black cutworm, roughskinned cutworm (athetis mindara)
Spilonota ocellana common name: eye spotted budmoth
Trichoplusia ni common name: cabbage looper
Alsophila pometaria common name: fall cankerworm
Argyresthia spp. Common name: cedar leaf miner
Tyria jacobaeae. Common name: cinnabar moth
Actebia fennica, Peridroma saucia And Mamestra configurata common name: (climbing cutworms) black, variegated and bertha armyworms
Cydia pomonella common name: codling moth
Peridroma saucia common name: variegated cutworm, red-backed, dark-sided, black
Plutella xylostella (= maculipennis) common name: diamondback moth, diamondback caterpillar
Spodoptera frugiperda common name: fall army worm
Plodia interpunctella common name: (flour moths) indian meal moth, meal moth)
Malacosoma disstria common name: forest tent caterpillar
Lithophane antennata common name: green fruitworm
Lymantria dispar common name: gypsy moth
Helicoverpa zea common name: tomato fruit worm, cotton boll worm, corn ear worm
Pieris (=artogeia) rapae common name: imported cabbage worm
Macronoctua onusta common name: iris borer
Platynota stultana common name: omnivorous leaf roller
Grapholitha molesta Common name: oriental fruit moth
Agrotis orthogonia common name: pale western cutworm
Synanthedon pictipes common name: lesser peach tree borer
Synanthedon (=sanninoidea) exitiosa common name: peach tree borer
Anarsia lineatella common name: peach twig borer
Cydia (=laspeyresia) nigricana common name: pea moth
Vanessa cardui common name: painted lady caterpillar
Euxoa ochrogaster common name: red-backed cutworm
Argyrotaenia velutinana common name: red banded leaf roller
Thymelicus lineola common name: european skipper
Phyllonorycter (=lithocolletis) blancardella common name: spotted tentiform leafminer
Amphipoea interoceanica common name: strawberry cutworm
Homeosoma electellum common name: sunflower moth
common name: tent caterpillar
Manduca quinquemaculata common name: tomato hornworm

Orthoptera (grasshoppers)
Melanoplus bivittatus common name: 2-striped grasshopper, two-striped grasshopper
Camnula pellucida common name: clear-winged grasshopper,clear winged grasshopper, clearwinged grasshopper
Melanoplus femurrubrum common name: red-legged grasshopper
Melanoplus packardii common name: packard's grasshopper

miscellaneous
insect pathogenic viruses
Deroceras reticulatum common name: grey garden slug
Scutigerella immaculata common name: symphylan
Thrips Spp. Common name: onion thrips, western flower thrips
indoor plant pests

Turf weeds

Beneficial insects

Aphids

Aphids (ICM)
Tuber flea beetle
Loopers and cutworms
Carrot rust fly
Caterpillars

Household pests

Fleas

Carpenter ants

Yellowjackets

Bats

Rats and mice

Aquatic insects

Least toxic pest controls for the garden

Links to Pamphlets and Manuals on the BC Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection Server

A Guide to The Biological Control Of Greenhouse Aphids
Integrated Pest Management Manual For Home and Garden Pests in British Columbia
Integrated Pest Management Manual For Structural Pests in British Columbia
Integrated Pest Management Manual For Landscape and Turf Pests in British Columbia