Conclusion

We have covered some of the most common orders and families (Orders and Families 2022)  that are collected by students, especially in northern British Columbia. You should now have a greater understanding of robust and ethical collection and preservation techniques, and the importance of biological collections and collecting data. You should also have an appreciation for the incredible structural, functional, and ecological diversity of insects, including how they influence all ecosystems and human society.

I hope you have also gained some basic skills in identifying common insect orders and families. Remember that the distinguishing characteristics described here may not provide faultless identification of all insect taxa, and should be applied with caution outside this course. Always feel free to consult with an experienced entomologist when a precise identification is important – and do recognize that even they may not be able to give you an exact answer!

Finally, I hope you have enjoyed the course, and that you will continue to find ways to appreciate insect diversity in your careers and in your personal lives.