Name: _______________________________________________
Due Date OCTOBER 19, 2012
INSECT COLLECTION – Pre-AP Biology
Insects are the dominant group of animals on the earth today. They are the most
numerous terrestrial animals and are found practically everywhere. Many insects are
extremely valuable to humans and society could not exist in its present form without them.
Insects are important because of their pollinating activities, production of commercial
products—such as honey, silk, and beeswax, their position in the food chain, their services
as scavengers and decomposers, and their usefulness in medicine and scientific research. One
of the best ways to learn about insects is to go out and collect them!!!
OBJECTIVE:
1. Identify the characteristics of Insects.
2. Collect a minimum of 35 insects from at least 10 different orders.
3. Identify structural adaptations that insects have for surviving in harsh
conditions.
4. Understand the system used for classifying insects.
MATERIALS NEEDED:
1. Kill jar – A jar with a lid, cotton ball soaked in fingernail polish remover.
Optional- cut a piece of cardboard to fit in the jar on top of the soaked
cotton, this protects the delicate insects from getting their wings wet
(especially butterflies).
2. Straight pins/Insect pins- The pins will be used for mounting you insects;
preferably pins without plastic balls on the ends.
3. Box(es)- With a lid for storing and presenting the insect collection; plastic
container with foam board on the bottom works well.
4. Styrofoam or thick box board- for pinning insects on.
5. Labels- For identifying insects; typing these on a computer and reducing
the font is the best idea. The label will be pinned directly
underneath each insect on the same pin. Label will contain:
Insect order
Common Name
Date Collected
First initial/your last name
EX: Lepidoptera
Monarch
9/15/12
M. Gabrysch
Catching and Preserving Insects:
1. To find insects look EVERYWHERE---- under rocks and boards, in rotten wood,
loose bark, around porch lights and street lights, in and around water, in cow dung
(yes, I mean cow patties) and anywhere else you can think of.
2. Once you have caught the insect, place it in the kill jar. Allow sufficient time for the
insect to die. Certain insects will take a little longer to die, especially some of the
beetles and wasps. They may take up to a day or so. Another thing you need to watch
is the number of insects you place in the kill jar at a time because certain insects will
eat or damage other ones. You may find it beneficial to have 2 0r 3 kill jars. Insects
can also be killed by putting them directly in the freezer --- your mom might not like
this method though.
3. After the insect dies, it should be ―pinned‖ very soon (in a day or 2) because its’
exoskeleton will become dry and brittle. It will be easily damaged when you are
trying to pin them if you wait too long. Insects in your collection should be in good
condition. If a leg or wing breaks off, try gluing it back on (use a toothpick to dab the
glue on). Pin all insects through the thorax (middle section) except beetles and true
bugs; these should be pinned through the abdomen. SEE PICUTRES BELOW. When
pinning an insect, push the pin all the way through the insect until it is almost at the
top of the pin. This placement on the pin allows the insect to be observed better.
Insects are to be pinned with regular straight pins or special insect pins that can be
purchased at a college bookstore or from a scientific products catalog. Below are
examples of where different types of insects should be pinned.
Proper ways to pin different types of insects.
Insects included in the Order Lepidoptera ---- Moths and Butterflies, have to be handled
more delicately and must be pinned with their wings spread open. These insects will take a
little more time and a little more effort to pin than the other insects. The illustrations
below show the steps in spreading a butterfly/moth. Butterflies and moths must have
their wings spread soon (1-2 days after they die because their wings will become dry and
brittle and will break if you wait too long to spread them. Thin strips of card board or
index cards can be used as spreading boards. Once the insect wings have been properly
spread, leave the insect for 3 or 4 days so the wings will dry out and will remain spread
out (as if the insect is flying). You can remove the strips of cardboard when ready to put
the insect in your collection. You may find it easier to pin the insect through the thorax
first and then attempt to spread the wings. See illustration below for spreading butterflies
and moths.
4. Tiny insects like fleas, ants, or mosquitoes should be ―pointed‖. This involves the
insects being glued to the long pointed end of a small triangular-shaped piece of index
card. The pin should be placed through the paper in the middle of the widest end of
the
triangular-shaped piece of index
card. Below is
an illustration of how to “point”
insects.
Insect identification:
1. Insect identification books are available in the school library.
2. In this packet, you are provided with a Key to some Common Orders of insects to
help you identify them.
3. The internet is also a good tool to help you with identification of your insects.
4. You are responsible for identifying insects in your collection by order and common
name. Since insects may have more than one common name but just include one of
them. For example a June bug is also known as a May beetle so either name is
acceptable for the common name.
Example: (Order)
Coleoptera
(Common name)
June bug
Types of Insects Required:
Your collection must include insects from each of the following orders:
ORDER NAME
# REQUIRED
Coleoptera (beetles)
6
Diptera (Flies, mosquitoes, gnats)
5
Hemiptera (true bugs-stink bugs)
5
Hymenoptera (bees, wasps, ants)
4
Lepidoptera (moths & butterflies)
5
Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies)
2
Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets & katydids) 5
PLUS: You must also have 1 insect from any 3 of the following orders (these are not as
common as the Orders above):
ORDER NAME:
Isoptera (termites)
Siphonoptera (fleas)
Neuroptera (lacewing, ant lions)
Homoptera (cicada, leafhoopers, Treehoppers)
Dermaptera (earwigs)
Thysanura (silverfish)
Ephemeroptera (Mayfly)
Trichoptera (caddisfly)
ORDER NAME:
Psocoptera (booklice, barklices)
Phthiraptera (suckinglice)
Thysanoptera (thrips)
Mecoptera (scorpionflies)
Blattaria (cockroaches)
Mantodea (mantids or preying mantids)
Phasmida (walking sticks)
Collembola (springtails)
You need a total of 35 insects from the orders above for your insect collection. 3 insects can
be from any order above to make the total 35.
*****Insects are to be grouped together by order in your collection when you turn them in!!!
Grading your Collection:
Your insect collection will be graded based on:
1. the number of required insects your collection includes
2. neatness
3. labels
4. correct identification
You should have at least 35 insects in your collection. You can get BONUS POINTS for
having extra insects from different orders.
Your insect collection will count as 2 TEST GRADES for the 2nd six weeks.
HELPFUL HINT…..LEAVE YOUR PORCH LIGHT ON AT NIGHT AND SEE
WHAT HAPPENS…..