Entomology (including Insect ID)

Insects are fundamental to the world as we know it. They are pollinators, decomposers, predators, food, and essential in scientific fields, like genetics.

This 3-unit entomology course series will teach you some of the fundamentals of entomology. Each unit builds from the last, though stands independently. Units may be taken together or individually.

Unit 1, Introduction to Insects, focuses on getting to know insects. We will cover a brief evolutionary understanding of where insects come from. Recognizing the basic features of insect anatomy is essential to being able to discuss the importance of these animals to the ecosystem. This unit provides the foundation for exploring insects at a deeper level.

Unit 2, Insects & Their Environments, begins by exploring how insects perceive their world through different types of sensory biology, including vision, hearing, smell, and more. By understanding their physiology, we can begin to recognize what is important in their environments. We then examine how insects interact with their environment in particular habitats, focusing on their ecological benefits and their roles as pests. Finally, we think about insects in society. This includes their own societies and our society—in particular how we view them as food.

Unit 3, Insect Taxonomy & ID, explores the different groups of insects. Insect taxonomy is a basic step to wildlife conservation, genetics, physiology, and more. If you cannot name and categorize insects, you cannot differentiate them and explain a need to conserve one population over another. The unit covers how to identify specific insect groups, including larger groupings, orders, and some families. Learners will be given the tools to be able to identify insects, use a dichotomous key, and participate in valuable citizen science.

By the end of the three units, learners will be able to take an unknown insect and deduce information about its role in nature.

Learn at your own pace (see Online Course Format Chart below for details).

Spring 2027: The first 5 weeks of each unit include instructor support.

Unit 1: January 19 - May 2, 2027

Unit 2: Feb 21 - June 6, 2027.

Unit 3: March 28 - July 11, 2027.

Early bird discount of $75 on Standard, $85 on Premium ends December 20, 2026.

This is a 3-credit course, consisting of three 1-credit units that may be taken together or individually. You may register for 1, 2, or all 3 units. Select the units during registration.

Each unit has 5 weeks of self-paced instruction with instructor support. After the 5-week period ends, learners have access to material on Canvas for an additional 10 weeks.

Introductory biology is recommended. While learners are encouraged to take the three units in sequence, this is not required.

Unit 1: Introduction to Insects

• Recognize key shared attributes of insects

• Identify key external anatomy features

• Explain insect’s internal anatomy and physiology

• Describe the basics of insect development and reproduction

Unit 2: Insects & Their Environments

• Describe the ways insects perceive their environments through their sensory mechanisms

• Connect environmental niches to insects and their beneficial roles within each space

• Summarize how insects are pests to crops and people as vectors

Unit 3: Insect Taxonomy & ID

• Identify broad groups of insects

• Use a dichotomous key

• Participate in citizen science with iNaturalist