Below are a series of original drawings used some 50 to 60 years ago as teaching aids for entomology at the University of Illinois. They were rescued from Harker Hall, the old Law, then Chemistry, and later Entomology building, during its recent renovation. The original drawings are on canvas, approximately 1.0 by 1.5 meters and were drawn as a WPA project during the Depression. Many of them seem to be based (sometimes closely) on drawings found in "Destructive and Useful Insects" by C.L. Metcalf and W.P. Flint. The images below are mainly overviews of several of the more common insect orders (The taxonomic purist will note that some of the panels contain more than one order as we recognize them today. Errata are listed here). The images you see have been electronically "cleaned". Click on the opened icon (or the order name) to see the full image (or another page of choices). Also included are links to the Tree of Life at the University of Arizona by David and Wayne Maddison for those who want taxonomic information on each of the orders. Click on the tree icon to jump to these sites.

Thanks to Barbara Meyer there are also lots of images available from our lantern slide collection, most of which can be viewed here: Lantern Slides

Thumbnail Tree of Life Order
Image
collembola
Link Collembola (Springtails) and Protura
Image
thysanura
Link Thysanura (Silverfish)
Image
ephemeroptera
Link Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)
Image
odonata
Link Odonata (Dragonflies and damselflies)
Image
plecoptera
Link Plecoptera (Stoneflies)
Image
orthoptera
Link Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Crickets, Katydids)
Image
cockroach
Link Dictyoptera (Cockroaches and Mantids)
Image
isoptera
Link Isoptera (Termites)
Image
dermaptera
Link Dermaptera (Earwigs)
Image
thysanoptera
Link Thysanoptera (Thrips)
Image
hemiptera
Link Hemiptera (Bugs)
Image
leafhopper
Link Homoptera (Cicadas, hoppers, etc.)
Image
anoplura
Link Phthiraptera (Lice)
Image
coleoptera
Link Coleoptera (Beetles)
Image
hymenoptera
Link Hymenoptera (Bees and wasps)
Image
neuroptera
Link Neuroptera (Lacewings, etc)
Image
mecoptera
Link Mecoptera (Scorpionflies)
Image
lepidoptera
Link Lepidoptera (Butterflies and moths)
Image
trichoptera
Link Trichoptera (Caddisflies)
Image
diptera
Link Diptera (Flies)
Image
siphonaptera
Link Siphonaptera (Fleas)