A Student’s Guide to Insect A Student’s Guide to Insect Identification Software on the WebIdentification Software on the Web

Maggie Tai TuckerMaggie Tai Tucker

Zoology 445 (honors project)Zoology 445 (honors project)

Spring 2003Spring 2003

Why look at web software?Why look at web software?

Several potential advantages:Several potential advantages: Databases searchable in many different Databases searchable in many different

ways (by characters, by descriptions, by ways (by characters, by descriptions, by family, etc.)family, etc.)

Can offer couplet choices one at a time, Can offer couplet choices one at a time, less confusing for beginners.less confusing for beginners.

Can link to more detailed information, Can link to more detailed information, photos, illustrations. Essentially no space photos, illustrations. Essentially no space limitations.limitations.

Potential shortcomingsPotential shortcomings

If students can find info on the web, they If students can find info on the web, they may not learn to use a written key, which may not learn to use a written key, which remains the standard.remains the standard.

Free public keys tend to specialize in one Free public keys tend to specialize in one topic or in one area, based on who topic or in one area, based on who sponsored the project.sponsored the project.

May be very shallow, e.g. only to order. May be very shallow, e.g. only to order. Creating a key is a huge undertaking – Creating a key is a huge undertaking – both building the database and making both building the database and making the links to guide users through it.the links to guide users through it.

Criteria used in this reviewCriteria used in this review

# of taxa (# of taxa (as a point of comparison, the as a point of comparison, the written key used in our class – Bland 1978 written key used in our class – Bland 1978 – includes 3200+ taxa)– includes 3200+ taxa)

Level of expertise needed to useLevel of expertise needed to use Quality of photos or illustrationsQuality of photos or illustrations Availability/accessibilityAvailability/accessibility CostCost

Programs reviewedPrograms reviewed

Bug-Net (UK) – simple, accurate IDs to orderBug-Net (UK) – simple, accurate IDs to order City Bug (Berkeley) – most suitable for childrenCity Bug (Berkeley) – most suitable for children COMTESA (Oregon State Univ.) – the most COMTESA (Oregon State Univ.) – the most

detailed of the online keys, but limited coveragedetailed of the online keys, but limited coverage DAISY (UK/Costa Rica/US) – an automated ID DAISY (UK/Costa Rica/US) – an automated ID

project for conservation use, included here only project for conservation use, included here only to let students know what a key might look like to let students know what a key might look like far in the futurefar in the future

WoodyBug 2.0 (Univ. of Florida) – not a key, but WoodyBug 2.0 (Univ. of Florida) – not a key, but photos, text, and links on some common families; photos, text, and links on some common families; strong on biology and insect life historystrong on biology and insect life history

Bug-Net: SummaryBug-Net: Summary

Web site created by a Web site created by a senior at Univ. of senior at Univ. of HertfordshireHertfordshire

Focus is on UK spp.Focus is on UK spp. Series of couplet Series of couplet

choices directs users choices directs users to correct orderto correct order

Web links to more info Web links to more info on orders, suborders.on orders, suborders.

http://www.bug-net.co.uk/index.html

Bug-Net: Best couplet interfaceBug-Net: Best couplet interface

Bug-Net FeaturesBug-Net Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES

# of taxa# of taxa 19 orders19 orders Several examples Several examples per order; focus is per order; focus is on UK insectson UK insects

Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise

LowLow

Quality of Quality of photos, illos.photos, illos.

ExcellentExcellent Photos, slides, Photos, slides, drawingsdrawings

Availability/ Availability/ accessibilityaccessibility

MediumMedium Works only with Works only with NetscapeNetscape

CostCost FreeFree

Interface designInterface design ExcellentExcellent

City Bug: DescriptionCity Bug: Description Joint project of Joint project of

Oakland Schools and Oakland Schools and UC BerkeleyUC Berkeley

Aim: To educate kids Aim: To educate kids K-12 and the publicK-12 and the public

One of its search tools One of its search tools lets you check off lets you check off known features of the known features of the insect such as habitat insect such as habitat and body typeand body type

Users can e-mail Users can e-mail queries to UC queries to UC entomologistsentomologists http://www.cnr.berkeley.edu/citybugs/main.htm

City Bug FeaturesCity Bug Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES

# of taxa# of taxa 36 orders36 orders Common names Common names used; focus is on used; focus is on SF Bay taxaSF Bay taxa

Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise

LowLow

Quality of Quality of photos/drawingsphotos/drawings

__ None available None available yetyet

AvailabilityAvailability __ Most areas not Most areas not yet completedyet completed

CostCost FreeFree

Interface designInterface design GoodGood Appropriate for Appropriate for childrenchildren

COMTESA: DescriptionCOMTESA: Description

Computer Taxonomy and Ecology of Soil AnimalsComputer Taxonomy and Ecology of Soil Animals Covers mainly soil animals found in Pacific NW: Covers mainly soil animals found in Pacific NW:

Coleoptera, Isopoda, Acari, Collembola, a few Coleoptera, Isopoda, Acari, Collembola, a few HymenopteraHymenoptera

Includes some dichotomous, some synoptic keysIncludes some dichotomous, some synoptic keys Original Mac Hypercard version was designed so Original Mac Hypercard version was designed so

researchers could tailor ID process to local researchers could tailor ID process to local species. (BSA has a copy of this.)species. (BSA has a copy of this.)

Moved onto the Web in 2002.Moved onto the Web in 2002.

http://www.ent.orst.edu/comtesa/http://www.ent.orst.edu/comtesa/

COMTESA: Primitive but clear illustrationsCOMTESA: Primitive but clear illustrations

COMTESA: Most detailed list of charactersCOMTESA: Most detailed list of characters

Comtessa FeaturesComtessa Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES

# of taxa# of taxa ~ 200~ 200 Can be used to Can be used to ID to speciesID to species

Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise

HighHigh No explanations No explanations of charactersof characters

Quality of Quality of photos/illos.photos/illos.

PoorPoor

AvailabilityAvailability GoodGood

CostCost FreeFree

Interface designInterface design Clunky, but it Clunky, but it worksworks

DAISY DescriptionDAISY Description Project to develop Project to develop

automated insect ID automated insect ID software (image from a software (image from a special camera is special camera is analyzed)analyzed)

Aim: For non-specialists to Aim: For non-specialists to be able to ID insect species be able to ID insect species as a means of assessing as a means of assessing status of a local ecosystemstatus of a local ecosystem

Intended to help Intended to help implement Convention on implement Convention on Biological diversityBiological diversity

Target group is Ophioninae Target group is Ophioninae (a suborder of (a suborder of Ichneumonidae)Ichneumonidae)

Joint effort by researchers Joint effort by researchers in UK-Costa Rica-USin UK-Costa Rica-US

http://chasseur.usc.edu/pups/projects/daisy.html

DAISY FeaturesDAISY Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES

# of taxa# of taxa 300+300+ Still in pilot Still in pilot stagestage

Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise

LowLow

Quality of Quality of photos/drawingphotos/drawingss

__ It takes a photo It takes a photo and compares and compares to referenceto reference

AvailabilityAvailability __ Commercial Commercial unit in unit in developmentdevelopment

CostCost Likely to be Likely to be highhigh

Need camera Need camera unit & softwareunit & software

Interface designInterface design Likely to be Likely to be simplesimple

Designed for Designed for field conditionsfield conditions

Univ. of Florida: SummaryUniv. of Florida: Summary Not a true key, it claims to Not a true key, it claims to

be a “knowledgebase”be a “knowledgebase” Central directory photos Central directory photos

function as a simplified keyfunction as a simplified key Available both as CD-ROM Available both as CD-ROM

and on a department web and on a department web site (web site hard to find!)site (web site hard to find!)

Aim: to educate both the Aim: to educate both the general public and general public and students of pest students of pest managementmanagement

Other databases in the Other databases in the series: Bees & Wasps, Mole series: Bees & Wasps, Mole Crickets, and a Butterfly Crickets, and a Butterfly Tutorial.Tutorial. http://woodypest.ifas.ufl.edu/insect.htm

Univ. of Fla. FeaturesUniv. of Fla. Features CATEGORYCATEGORY FEATURESFEATURES NOTESNOTES

# of taxa# of taxa ~ 75~ 75 Focus is on SE spp. Focus is on SE spp. e.g. cotton aphide.g. cotton aphid

Level of user Level of user expertiseexpertise

LowLow Many terms defined; Many terms defined; links to glossarylinks to glossary

Quality of Quality of photos/illos.photos/illos.

ExcellentExcellent Photos of host plants, Photos of host plants, biocontrol spp., toobiocontrol spp., too

AvailabilityAvailability MediumMedium Site not findable by Site not findable by search enginesearch engine

CostCost CD: $10CD: $10

Web site: freeWeb site: free

Interface designInterface design CD: poorCD: poor

Web site: goodWeb site: goodMust click on Must click on Insect.htm file to Insect.htm file to begin using CD; it’s begin using CD; it’s not obviousnot obvious

A word on specialty web sitesA word on specialty web sites

As useful and in some cases more useful As useful and in some cases more useful than these keys are the many web sites than these keys are the many web sites devoted to a particular family or subfamily devoted to a particular family or subfamily of insect.of insect.

For example, if trying to key out a For example, if trying to key out a Coccinellid beetle with 7 spots, try typing Coccinellid beetle with 7 spots, try typing “7 spot lady beetle” into a search engine.“7 spot lady beetle” into a search engine.

Nearly 50 links appear, most providing the Nearly 50 links appear, most providing the scientific species name and some scientific species name and some providing photos or illustrationsproviding photos or illustrations

Example of a good specialty siteExample of a good specialty site

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~samarsha/lady-beetles.htmhttp://www.uoguelph.ca/~samarsha/lady-beetles.htm

ConclusionsConclusions No software key is currently as thorough as a No software key is currently as thorough as a

written general key, or as detailed as a written written general key, or as detailed as a written specialty key on a particular order or suborder.specialty key on a particular order or suborder.

If one comes out that has a comparable level of If one comes out that has a comparable level of detail, it will most likely be from the publisher of a detail, it will most likely be from the publisher of a written key.written key.

COMTESA is the most directly relevant to COMTESA is the most directly relevant to students at the Univ. of Washington, because of students at the Univ. of Washington, because of its level of detail, clear illustrations, and focus on its level of detail, clear illustrations, and focus on species found in the Pacific NWspecies found in the Pacific NW

The Univ. of Florida web sites and CDs are a good The Univ. of Florida web sites and CDs are a good general teaching resource.general teaching resource.