Online Identification Resources and Keys
2024-09-28: Moved from my Profile to its own Journal Post.
Meta (Guides to Guides)
Note that the Vermont Atlas of Life has an extensive list of identification guides, both online and printed, for all taxa.
Insects
https://cjai.biologicalsurvey.ca/taxonomic-index/
,
Canadian Journal of Arthropod Identification. Extensive list of keys, indexed to Family level. Some are limited to Canada.
Diptera, flies
https://sites.google.com/view/flyguide
Eristalis, drone flies
https://sites.google.com/view/flyguide/species-guides/syrphidae/eristalini/key-to-eristalis
Syrphus
https://www.inaturalist.org/posts/61745-key-to-the-syrphus-of-north-america
Hemiptera
Aphididae
- https://www.aphidsonworldsplants.info/ - By host plant!
- http://aphid.aphidnet.org/
Hoppers (Auchenorrhyncha)
Phymata
Taxonomic revision of the Nearctic erosa species group of Phymata Latreille, 1802 (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Phymatinae). Paul Masonick, Christiane Weirauch. 2020.
Visual key with annotated photographs calling out distinguishing features.
Hymenoptera
Anthophila, bees
- https://www.sharpeatmanguides.com/wild-bee-id-guide-new-york - Guide to Wild Bees of New York State, Paula Sharp and Ross Eatman.
- https://val.vtecostudies.org/projects/vtbees/all-genera/ - For wild bees in Vermont. Applicable to New England, New York state, and adjacent Canada.
- A Shutterbee Guide to the Bees of St. Louis - Photographic key to distinguishing groups of bees
- Andrena
Vespidae, vespid wasps
https://cjai.biologicalsurvey.ca/bmc_05/keys.html
- Key-based, not visual
Ichneumoids of North America
Plants
New England
https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/ - For plants found in the wild in New England, northeastern U.S., and adjacent areas, such as New York state.
Viola, violets
https://people.ohio.edu/ballardh/vgpena/
https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/dkey/viola-key-for-chasmogamous-flowering-material/