Insect, Spider and Kin Guide

This guide initially displays common arthropods (insects, arachnids, centipedes/millipedes and crustaceans) of all shapes. Use the selectors below to include rare species, select by shape, or search by name.

Arthropods include several different classes: hexapods, arachnids, myriapods and crustaceans. An arthropod is an invertebrate animal with bilateral symmetry, an external skeleton, a segmented body, and jointed appendages arranged in pairs. In order to grow, arthropods have to molt, shedding their whole exoskeleton all at once.

Insects, which comprise the vast majority of hexopods, all have three basic body parts. The head has compound eyes, mouthparts, and antennae that are used as sensory organs. The thorax or mid-section typically has two pairs of wings, if the insect can fly, and three pairs of legs for a total of six. The abdomen contains the insect’s digestive system, reproductive organs and sting organs, if present.

While spiders make up the largest group of arachnids, others in the class include scorpions, harvestmen, ticks, mites, pseudoscorpions and solifuges. Arachnids have eight legs plus two additional pairs of appendages: chelicerae used for feeding and defense and pedipalps which function as a sensory organ or in reproduction. Arachnids do not have antennae or wings and have two main body parts with the head and thorax fused into one. In addition, they have two different types of eyes for a total of eight.

Centipedes and millipedes make up most of the myriapod species. They are best known for their long, segmented bodies with multiple legs, though far fewer than their names imply. In addition, they have a single pair of antennae, simple eyes, and mouthparts on the underside of their bodies.

Most crustaceans are free-living aquatic animals but a few are terrestrial such as the woodlice. Their bodies are composed of segments that are grouped into three regions: head, thorax and abdomen. Each body segment may have one or more pairs of appendages which serve as antennae, mandibles, maxillae, legs and tail.

Over 80% of all living animal species are arthropods. They occupy all kinds of roles: predators, prey, parasites, hosts, herbivores and decomposers and live in all different types of habitats. Many are particularly adapted to life in a dry environments like that of Southwest. This guide focuses on many of the common arthropods in the greater Los Alamos area. However, please note that insects in the Lepidoptera order are discussed separately in the Butterfly and Moth Guide.

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Showing 1 of 114 insects, spiders and kin.

Photo: Jennifer Macke

Jerusalem Cricket, Nino del la Terra

(Stenopelmatus spp., Stenopelmatidae family)

Order: Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Katydids and Crickets)
Size: 1.8 - 2 in (46 - 51 mm)
Distinguishing Features: very large head with beady black eyes and long striped body

Status: native; uncommon
Habitat: among flowers; often hide under rocks or logs and even in dark places indoors during the hot weather

Jerusalem Crickets are flightless, nocturnal insects that primarily eat dead organic matter and other insects. They are nonvenomous but will bite and produce a foul smell. They are not "true crickets" but similar to them in that Jerusalem Crickets have drumming-like song used during mating.

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Jerusalem Cricket, Nino del la Terra

Mon	10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Tues	CLOSED
Wed	10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Thurs	10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Fri	10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sat	10:00 am - 4:00 pm
Sun	CLOSED