Education - Union Station

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Table of
Contents
Introduction............................................................................................1
Curriculum Connections..........................................................................2
Activities......................................................................................... 3-26
Anthropod Classification (K-12)................................................. 3-6
Live Crickets in the Classroom (K-12).......................................... 7-9
Plant a Butterfly Garden (K-12).............................................. 10-11
Build a Better Bug Trap! (K-12)............................................... 12-15
The Cycle of Life: Butterflies and Moths (K-4)......................... 16-17
Scent Signals: The Ants Go Marching Together! (K-4).............. 18-19
Can You See Me? (K-8)....................................................... .....20-21
Arachnid Art (5-8) ................................................................. 22-23
Insect Mouthparts (5-12)....................................................... 24-25
Arthropods in the News (9-12).....................................................26
Worksheets................................................................................... 27-44
Arthropod Classification (K-4)................................................ 28-29
Arthropod Classification (5-8)................................................ 30-31
Arthropod Classification Dichotomous Keys (9-12)................. 32-35
Arthropod Classification Answer Key (K-12).................................36
Cricket External Anatomy (K-12)..................................................37
Arthropod Shape Templates (K-8)......................................... 38-40
Insect Mouthparts (5-12)....................................................... 41-44
Education
Guide
Introduction
Xtreme BUGS! takes your students along a journey to view more
than 20 much-larger-than-life animatronic arthropods, from a
crawling centipede and vibrant ladybug to a praying mantis,
an orb weaver spider and a giant scorpion. Surrounding the
animatronic models are over 100 static arthropod models and
flora, creating scenes for students to explore the appearance
and behavior of the many species. Themed areas include bees
pollinating, spiders hunting, cicadas emerging from their pupae,
and ants feasting upon a scorpion.
This educator’s resource has been created to guide teachers and
students through the learning opportunities surrounding Xtreme
BUGS! and to make the most of the field trip. The activities found
throughout the guide are focused on key topics highlighted in
the Xtreme BUGS! experience and cover a broad age range and
multiple curriculum disciplines.
Do not forget to bring the worksheets for the “Arthropod
Classification” and “Insect Mouthparts” activities on your field trip
to Xtreme BUGS!
The arthropods you will encounter during your visit include:
CLASSIFICATION
COMMON NAME (in alphabetical order)
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Arachnids
Insects
tarantula, Chinese earth tiger
spider, golden orb weaver
scorpion, African fat-tailed
vinegaroon, giant
ant, army
ant, leaf-cutter
ant, red harvester
ant, red imported fire
ant, Siafu
beetle, seven-spotted ladybug
bug, black corsair assassin
bug, brown marmorated stink
butterfly, green-veined white
butterfly, Karner blue
butterfly, monarch
butterfly, painted lady
butterfly, plum judy
butterfly, spicebush swallowtail
cicada, periodic
cockroach, Madagascar hissing
honeybee, European
hornet, Japanese giant
dragonfly, Hine’s emerald
katydid, red-eyed devil
mantis, orchid
mantis, praying
moth, Atlas
Haplopelma schmidti
Nephila clavipes
Androctonus australis
Mastigoproctus giganteus
Eciton burchelli
Atta cephalotes
Pogonomyrmex barbatus
Solenopsis invicta
Dorylus emeryi
Coccinella semptempunctata
Melanolestes picipes
Halyomorpha halys
Pieris napi
Lycaeides melissa samuelis
Danaus plexippus
Vanessa cardui
Abisara echerius
Papilio troilus
Magicicada sp.
Gromphadorhina portentosa
Apis mellifera
Vespa mandarinia japonica
Somatochlora hineana
Neobarrettia spinosa
Hymenopus coronatus
Mantis religiosa
Attacus atlas
Chilopods
centipede, Peruvian giant
Scolopendra gigantean
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Curriculum Connections
Arthropod Live Crickets
Plant a
Build a Better The Cycle of Life:
Scent Signals:
Can You Arachnid Insect
Arthropods
Classification in the Classroom Butterfly Garden Bug Trap!
Butterflies The Ants Go
See Me? Art Mouthparts in the News
GRADES K-4
and Moths
Marching Together!
SCIENCE - LIFE SCIENCE
The Characteristics of Organisms
X
X
X
X
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Life Cycles of Organisms
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Organisms and Their Environments
X
X
X
X
MATHEMATICS
X
X
TECHNOLOGY
Technology Communication Tools
Technology Research Tools
X
X
FINE ARTS
Music
X
Dance
X
Theatre
X
Visual Arts
X
X
GRADES 5-8
Structure and Function of Living Systems
X
Reproduction and Heredity
X
X
Regulation and Behavior
X
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X
Populations and Ecosystems
X
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Diversity and Adaptation of Organisms X
X
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MATHEMATICS
X
TECHNOLOGY
X
X
X
FINE ARTS
Music
X
Dance
Theatre
Visual Arts
X
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GRADES 9-12
Biological Evolution
X
X
Interdependence of Organisms
X
X
X
Matter, Energy, and
Organization in Living Systems
Behavior of Organisms
X
X
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MATHEMATICS
TECHNOLOGY
X
X
X
FINE ARTS
Music
X
X
Dance
X
Theatre
X
Visual Arts
X
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Arthropod Classification
Suggested Grade Levels: K to 12
Duration: Duration of Xtreme BUGS! exhibit visit
Activity Description
The Xtreme BUGS! exhibit displays almost 30 species of insects
and other arthropods. While touring the exhibit, students will
learn the characteristics of various arthropods. Older students
will learn to classify the arthropods throughout the experience.
Key Terms
arachnid, arthropod, aquatic, bilateral symmetry, biological and
scientific classification, bug, characteristic, chilopod, crustacean,
dichotomous key, diplopod, DNA, evolutionary relationship,
exoskeleton, insect, nomenclature, organism, phylogenetics,
segmented, taxonomy
Background Information
The term “bug” is often misused to describe insects and other
small many-legged creatures. However, not all insects are bugs,
and not all “bugs” are insects. Insects belong to a group of animals
called arthropods, and scientifically speaking “bugs” are a specific
type of insect.
Arthropods
Arthropods are a group of animals that comprise more than half
of all of the species of animals on the planet. In the arthropod
group are the insects, arachnids (e.g., spiders, scorpions),
diplopods (millipedes), chilopods (centipedes) and crustaceans
(e.g., crabs, krill, lobsters, sow bugs). All arthropods share the
following basic characteristics: stiff outer exoskeleton, segmented
bodies, jointed appendages (e.g., legs, antennae, mouthparts) and
bilateral symmetry (both sides of the body are the same). Since
they have a stiff exoskeleton, some arthropods must periodically
molt (shed) their exoskeleton skins to grow larger.
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K to 1
Characteristics of Some Familiar Arthropod Classes
ARTHROPOD CLASS
CHARACTERISTICS OF THAT CLASS
Insects
• Segmented body divided into three parts: head, thorax, abdomen
• Six legs
• Sense organs that usually include two antennae (feelers)
and two compound (faceted) eyes
• Two pairs of wings (some exceptions with only one pair or none)
Arachnids
• Segmented body divided into two parts
• Eight legs
• No antennae
EXAMPLE ORGANISMS
Ants, beetles, butterflies,
cockroaches, flies, wasps
Spiders, ticks, mites,
scorpions, vinegaroons
Chilopods
• Segmented body, with up to more than a hundred segments
• One pair of legs on each body segment
• Two long antennae
Centipedes
Diplopods
• Segmented body, with 25 to 100 segments
• Two pairs of legs on each body segment
• Two antennae
Millipedes
Crustaceans
• Segmented body
• Many legs (variable numbers)
• Two pairs of antennae (may not be visible)
• Note: most are aquatic
Crabs, krill, lobsters,
shrimp, sow bugs
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Basic Insect External Anatomy
6 legs (3 pairs)
attached to thorax
Moth
(Order Lepidoptera)
2 antennae
(1 pair)
on head
Cockroach
(Order Blattodea)
2 cerci
hind wing
fore wing
note: most adult insects have
4 wings (2 pairs)
head thorax
(hidden
underneath)
abdomen
3 body segments
fore wings
(with membranous
and leathery parts)
Stink Bug
(Order Hempitera)
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armor-like fore wings
(called elytra)
Ladybug Beetle
(Order Coleoptera)
compound eye
hind wings
(hidden underneath)
Basic Arachnid External Anatomy
Spider
(Order Araneae)
8 legs (4 pairs)
attached to cephalothorax
stinger
Scorpion
(Order Scorpiones)
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spinnerets
pedipalps
2 main body segments: abdomen cephalothorax
4
Biological Classification
Scientists name, classify, categorize and group living things
because it helps humans to understand evolutionary
relationships. Biological classification is a method of scientific
taxonomy used to classify organisms into groups based on their
shared characteristics. Taxonomy is the study of defining groups
of biological organisms on the basis of shared characteristics
and giving names to those groups.
Scientists use a single formal system of nomenclature (naming)
for animals, because it allows all researchers around the world to
use the same name for each individual species. All animals are
given two names. The first name is the genus (generic) name,
which is usually used for a group of closely related animals.
The second name, called the species, is specific to that animal.
Beyond the genus and species, each animal is grouped into more
and more inclusive groupings. Learning to classify at least to the
level of order, and learning the characteristics of the different
orders, is a useful first step to learning to classify all animals.
Organisms (living things) are classified based on physical
characteristics. However, current classification also groups animals
by genetic relationships based on their DNA (phylogenetics).
This deeper understanding of relatedness more accurately reflects
evolutionary relationships.
Dichotomous keys are reference tools that help the user to identify
an organism down to a specific name or taxonomic grouping.
This type of tool always gives two mutually exclusive choices at
each step.
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Comparison of the Biological Classification of a Human and Two Species of Arthropods
HUMAN
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
GOLDEN ORB WEAVER SPIDER
Animalia (animals)
Animalia
Animalia
Phylum
Chordata (vertebrates)
Arthropoda (arthropods)
Arthropoda
Class
Mammalia (mammals)
Insecta (insects)
Arachnida (e.g., spiders, scorpions)
Order
Primates (primates)
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
Araneae (spiders)
Family
Hominidae (humans)
Nymphalidae (brush-footed butterflies)
Nephilidae (golden silk orb weaver spiders)
Danaus (tiger, milkweed, monarch and queen butterflies)
Nephila
plexippus
clavipes
Kingdom
Genus
Homo
Species
sapiens
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Materials
• Classification worksheets (specific to each grade level)
• Grades K-4 “Arthropod Classification” worksheet (page 28)
• Grades 5-8 “Arthropod Classification” worksheet (page 30)
• Grades 9-12 “Arthropod Classification Dichotomous Keys” (page 32)
• Pencils/pens
• Clipboards (not necessary, but a hard surface to write on
is helpful)
• Note for teachers: There is an answer key for all three activities
(page 36)
Procedure
In this activity, students will use the appropriate grade-specific
activity worksheet to classify the arthropods in the
Xtreme BUGS! exhibit.
Prior to the activity, discuss the relevant background information,
talk about the characteristics of arthropods and show students
how to fill in their worksheets.
Discussion/Conclusions
See questions for students at the end of each grade-specific
activity worksheet.
Extensions/Adaptations
For younger students:
• There are many ways to practice classification and often many different ways to classify the same group of objects or images.
• Try classifying a collection of arthropod images or photographs (or even plastic figurines or toys) in different ways, or into different numbers of groups, by looking at the
similarities and differences between the arthropods.
• Try classifying your own live arthropods. For instructions on making arthropod catchers, see the “Build a Better Bug Trap!” activity (page 12).
• Try creating your own key (either dichotomous or in
flow-chart form) to classify a collection of arthropods or
insects in a different way, using different characteristics. Researchers and scientist sometimes debate over classification groupings (taxa), especially when new discoveries are made.
• Make different types of insects and other arthropods using common craft supplies (e.g., pipe cleaners, paper plates, pom •
poms, play dough, paper, drawing supplies, toothpicks, glue and/or tape, thread or string). Create several insects and make an arthropod mobile for the classroom or home.
To demonstrate the bilateral symmetry of arthropods, try making a pressed-paint butterfly. To do this, fold a piece of
paper in half and ask students to dribble paint on one side of the paper, along the folded seam. Fold the paper together to create two pressed “wings.” Add the rest of the details of a butterfly, such as two antennae (pipe cleaners), legs and a body.
For older students:
• Capture your own live arthropods and classify them down to order using the “Arthropod Classification Dichotomous Keys” (page 32). For instructions on making your own arthropod catchers, see the “Build a Better Bug Trap!” activity (page 12).
Resources
• The Tree of Life Web Project is a good place to find information on arthropod classification, taxonomy and the evolution
of species: http://tolweb.org/
• Quote: “The Tree of Life Web Project (ToL) is a collaborative effort
of biologists and nature enthusiasts from around the world. On
more than 10,000 World Wide Web pages, the project provides
information about biodiversity, the characteristics of different
groups of organisms, and their evolutionary history (phylogeny).”
• Bugguide (hosted by Iowa State University Entomology):
http://bugguide.net/
• What’s That Bug? (Daniel Marlos, a.k.a. “The Bugman”):
http://www.whatsthatbug.com/
• Amateur Entomologists’ Society (AES) of the UK:
http://www.amentsoc.org/
• International Society of Arachnology (ISA):
http://www.arachnology.org/
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Live Crickets in the
Classroom
Duration: Daily cricket care and several class periods
Students will observe, record, chart and analyze cricket behavior.
Students can extend the experience by participating in the care
of living creatures or exploring stimuli and variables that may
affect the crickets’ behavior.
Key Terms
behavior, breathing rate, carnivore, dominance, exoskeleton,
molt, omnivore, ovipositor, paurometabolous development
(gradual metamorphosis), sexual maturity, simple
metamorphosis (embryo or egg, nymph, adult), spermatophore,
spiracle, stimuli, stridulation
Live arthropods make very good, low-maintenance classroom
“pets.” Crickets are an excellent choice because they are
inexpensive and easy to acquire (many pet stores carry them).
They give students the opportunity to study the biology and
life cycle of an arthropod with simple metamorphosis. They are
also robust, easy to handle and do not bite. Further, they are
attractive for behavioral studies, because they are very active;
they react to stimuli; they interact with each other; and they
make interesting sounds that can also be very soothing in the
classroom environment.
The cricket life cycle is classified as simple metamorphosis.
Crickets go through the following three life cycle stages:
egg (embryo), nymph (larva) and adult. More specifically,
they undergo paurometabolous development or “gradual”
metamorphosis. This means that the nymphs resemble small
adults, except that the nymphs do not have fully developed
wings. The nymphs also live in the same habitats as the adults (as
opposed to aquatic nymphs developing into terrestrial adults)
and generally eat the same foods. In contrast, butterflies and
moths undergo complete metamorphosis with four life stages
(see “The Cycle of Life: Butterflies and Moths” activity, page 16).
Materials
Materials for habitat setup:
• Live crickets
• Habitat container with well-ventilated lid
• Cricket feed (purchased at a pet store) in a shallow dish or lid, and supplemental fruits and vegetables
• Fresh water in an appropriate shallow dish with a sponge, cotton or gravel
• Shelter (e.g., empty cardboard tubes, paper egg cartons)
• Sources of heat and light
• Thermometer
• Heating pad or strip, or heat lamp
Materials for specific observations:
• Small ventilated containers for close observation of individual crickets
• Hand lenses/Magnifying glasses for closer observation
• Optional: Dissecting microscope
Procedure
Habitat Setup:
A good habitat provides fresh food and water, warmth, shelter
and light.
1. Purchase crickets at a local pet store or order them from a
biological supply company or cricket breeder. The species
usually bred for supply are generally the house cricket
Acheta domesticus, or sometimes the field cricket Gryllus
bimaculatus. Note that if you want to maintain a cricket colony
over time, you will need a roughly even mix of males and females. Females can be easily distinguished from males
by the long ovipositor (egg-laying structure) extending from
the back of each female’s abdomen. About 25 of each sex is a
reasonable starting number. If you do not want to maintain a
colony over time, adult crickets will generally live for a
maximum of two months. Therefore, the younger the crickets,
the longer the window of time for your classroom observations.
2. Choose an appropriate container for the habitat. A large jar
with a ventilated lid makes a good home for a small number
of crickets, but a larger colony will require an aquarium.
3. Place a half inch (1 cm) layer of dry sand or soil at the bottom
of the container.
4. Add objects for the crickets to shelter under, such as
cardboard tubes or egg cartons.
5. Crickets require warmth and natural light, but direct sunlight
is probably too much heat. The ideal range for crickets is
between roughly 70°F to 85°F (roughly 20°C-30°C). The upper
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Grade
2
K to 1
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range is preferred for optimal breeding and reproduction.
If the habitat temperature needs to be raised, a heating pad
or strip can be added under the habitat, or a heat lamp
secured above the habitat. Note that habitat temperatures of
near 95°F (35°C) will begin to kill the crickets.
6. Place a shallow lid or dish of water in the habitat. Make sure
to add a sponge, cotton balls or gravel to the water dish to
prevent the crickets from drowning.
7. Feed the crickets with cricket feed and fresh fruit and
vegetables such as carrots, lettuce or apples. Crickets are
omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plant and animal
matter. Make sure that the crickets are well fed or they may
begin preying on one another.
8. Keep the habitat clean by promptly removing any decaying
or uneaten food, accumulated droppings, dead crickets or
molted exoskeletons. Make sure that the habitat does not
get too humid. Excess humidity will foster mold growth,
which can kill the crickets (they darken and die).
9. If the crickets are well cared for, the females may begin
laying eggs in the damp cotton or the soil (if it is not too dry).
The damp cotton can then be removed and kept damp in a
warm and well-ventilated container. Depending on the
temperature, the eggs will hatch in two to four weeks. As
long as there is sufficient food, the immature and the adult
crickets can be housed together.
Cricket Behavioral Observation
(instructions for students):
1. Observe and record the crickets’ behavior individually or in groups.
2. Record the cricket behavior at specific times of day and then chart the results to look for patterns or rhythms over time.
3. Sample behaviors to observe and record:
a. Eating and drinking: What, when and how are the crickets eating and drinking?
b. Hiding: What do the crickets hide from? Where do they
hide? How long do they stay hidden? Do they adapt to
certain stimuli, or disturbances, over time and hide less or differently?
c. Singing: When, or under what circumstances, do the
crickets chirp or sing? Which crickets sing and how do
they do it?
d. Movement: How do the crickets move around their habitat? Is it possible to measure or map their movement?
e. Other: Can you identify individual crickets? Do males, females or crickets of different ages behave differently?
4. Alter some environmental variables in the crickets’ habitat.
For suggestions, see the “Discussion/Conclusion” section below.
5. Observe how the crickets’ behavior changes in response to changes within their habitat.
Cricket External Anatomy and Physiology Observation (instructions for students):
6. While observing a live or dead cricket individually or in groups:
a. Label the “Cricket External Anatomy” worksheet (page 37).
By comparing your cricket to the image on the worksheet, determine if you have an adult or a larva (nymph), and determine if it is a female or male. Note that you will only be able to determine sex in an adult or a large larva that is close to molting into an adult.
7. Observe a live cricket individually or in groups.
a. Observe and record the breathing rate of the cricket.
The breathing rate can be determined by observing the expansion and contraction of the abdomen. Crickets (and arthropods in general) do not breathe through their mouths. Instead, air is brought in and out through small holes, called spiracles, seen along the sides of the abdomen.
b. Does the breathing rate vary with changes in temperature or activity level?
Cricket behavior, like all other animals, is affected by factors such
as the physical characteristics of the environment, the numbers of
other crickets present and the availability of resources. Below are
some environmental variables that can be altered to observe if
and how the crickets’ behavior alters in response:
• Slightly modify the habitat temperature. This can be done with a heating pad or heat strip that is placed under the habitat, or a heat lamp above the habitat. Note that habitat
temperatures of near 95°F (35°C) will begin to kill the crickets.
• Alter habitat elements (e.g., remove or change shelter elements).
• Alter the number of individuals in the habitat.
• Alter the ratios of males to females.
Effect of Temperature:
Within the comfortable range of 70°F to 85°F (roughly 20°C-30°C)
crickets will go through their complete life cycle. However,
the upper end of the range is optimal for reproduction and
breeding and below normal room temperatures, or about 68°F
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(20°C), the crickets will likely cease singing or chirping and
reproduction activities. Also, at the lower range, the life cycle will
generally progress slightly slower. At the other extreme, habitat
temperatures of near 95°F (35°C) will begin to kill them.
Effect of Light:
Although crickets in nature experience regular periods of light
and darkness (day and night), crickets indoors do not seem to
need exposure to these patterns. The crickets will still eat, rest
and reproduce normally.
Life Cycle and Development:
As described above, the cricket life cycle is classified as simple
metamorphosis. Crickets go through the following three life
cycle stages: egg (embryo), nymph (larva) and adult. More
specifically, they undergo paurometabolous development
or “gradual” metamorphosis. This means that the nymphs
resemble small adults, except that the nymphs do not have
fully developed wings. As they grow bigger, nymphs must shed
or molt their skins (exoskeletons) each time the exoskeletons
get too small. After each molt, the cricket will appear white in
coloration, until its newly revealed exoskeleton has a chance to
dry and harden. All of these molts reveal a new larval “instar.”
Crickets go through between eight and ten larval instars (more
at lower temperatures). The final molt reveals a fully developed
adult cricket. For one to two days after this final molt, the adults
are able to fly. After this time, the flight muscles deteriorate and
flight is no longer possible. At about three to four days of age,
adult crickets are sexually mature and able to mate.
Reproduction Behavior (including singing and chirping):
Only adult male crickets chirp or sing, and their songs sound
different for different purposes. They sing to establish territories
and defend against competing males, to attract female attention
and to induce a female to mate. In general, the number of
chirps per minute (the frequency) increases with increased
temperatures, and accurately measured frequencies can be used
to estimate temperature.
Male crickets use a method of sound production, called
stridulation, during which they rub two specialized features on
their wings together. One feature is like a file, the other is like a
scraper, and the thin part of the wing acts to amplify the sound.
Some males chirp using their left wing over the right, and some
chirp with the right over the left. Beyond chirping, males will also
fight to establish dominance. The male that ends up on his back
becomes a less dominant male.
Crickets do not copulate. Sperm is transferred to the female in
a package called a spermatophore.This occurs after the female
mounts (climbs onto the back of ) a male that has been courting
her. The female can store the sperm from the spermatophore
for up to about two weeks. The eggs are fertilized as they travel
through the female’s ovipositor (long, thin tube at the rear of the
female) as she is laying them. She will lay small clusters of 10 to
20 eggs at a time. If the eggs are kept moist and warm, hatchling
larvae will begin to emerge after about two to four weeks. The
eggs are clear to begin and the larvae can be seen as they grow
and darken over time.
• Younger students can explore insect sounds, behavior and communication by creating an “insect orchestra” out of common or recycled materials. For example, use a fine-tooth comb with different scrapers and amplifiers to try to mimic cricket chirps. Research singing insects, such as crickets, katydids and cicadas, to determine how, why and when they sing. Use the created instruments to mimic the songs of the insects that inspired them, or to play the tunes of the students’ favorite songs.
• Other arthropods recommended for the classroom are the
following: cockroaches, ants, termites, mealworms, praying
mantids and assassin bugs.
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Resources
• Online “Cricket Biology Guide for Teachers” (Fluker Farms,
Louisiana; est. 1953): http://reptilehelpdesk.wordpress.com/ (http://www.flukerfarms.com/PDFs/Cricket.pdf)
• The Songs of Insects, by Lang Elliott and Wil Hershberger
(Houghton-Mifflin Company, 2007):
http://www.songsofinsects.com/
Adapted from Backyard Monsters® The World of Insects – A Guide
for Teachers: Information and activities to complement your
exhibit tour. © 1993 Creative Presentations, Inc.
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Plant a Butterfly Garden
Duration: Several class periods
Students will research and select butterflies and/or moths
(both called lepidopterans) that they would like to attract,
and the plants necessary to attract them. Students will
plant and care for their garden and identify the species
that visit.
Key Terms
butterfly, host plant, lepidopteran, moth, nectar and nectar plant
Butterfly gardens provide food and shelter for all stages of a
butterfly’s life cycle. Butterflies depend on plants for food during
two phases of their life cycle: larva or caterpillars eat plants;
and butterflies drink nectar from flowers. Host plants provide a
place for adults to lay eggs and food for the growing caterpillar,
or larval, stage; while nectar plants provide flower nectar as food
for adult butterflies. Fruit feeders can also be included, but they
may attract species, such as skunks or raccoons.
Humans have great capacity to change their environment.
By creating a butterfly garden, students are creating beneficial
habitat for other species and also creating a space for everyone
to enjoy. Humans, whether living in cities or more rural settings,
depend on the natural environment for food and clean water
and air.
Large spaces or a lot of time are not needed to begin creating
a butterfly garden habitat. Planting just a few plants, in only a
few feet of available space, is a great start. The most important
consideration is to determine which local butterflies you want
to attract and to tailor the plant selections to those butterfly
species. Select hardy plants for low maintenance gardens.
Additionally, it is very important that no pesticides (that kill
living creatures) or herbicides (that kill plants) are used on or
near the butterfly garden. Choosing plants that are native to
your local ecosystem is always beneficial.
Keep in mind that butterflies are not the only creatures that may
be attracted to butterfly gardens. Depending on the variety of
plant species chosen, the size and diversity of the habitat created,
you may attract other arthropods (e.g., ants, centipedes, spiders,
moths), birds (e.g., hummingbirds, sparrows), amphibians
(e.g., frogs or toads) or mammals (e.g., chipmunks, raccoons).
Some may come to live in the newly created habitat, some will
just pass through, and others may make it a regular stop in their
daily foraging. Some creatures may come by during the day, and
some nocturnal animals may only be active at night – a butterfly
garden by day, may become a moth garden by night!
Materials
• Appropriate garden site and soil (depends on your chosen plants)
• Seed or seedlings of your chosen plants
• Water source (e.g., rain water collected in barrels, garden hose)
Procedure
Note that steps 1, 2 and 3 are very interdependent and cannot
necessarily be followed in a linear fashion. Much of this research
can be done online (older students can help with this research), but
depending on your level of expertise and the level of complexity of
your garden, you may wish to consult a local greenhouse or garden
center early on.
sted
SuggeLevels
Grade
2
K to 1
1. Choose the location and determine the potential size of your butterfly garden. If there are several potential locations, keep all of these in mind until you have decided on your plant and butterfly species - one garden location may drive your species selection or vice versa.
2. Research the butterfly species that are native to your area and determine which species you would like to attract to your garden.
3. Research and select plant species based on your area’s plant hardiness zone, your garden location and orientation, and the butterflies or moths that you would like to attract.
Important reminders and considerations:
• Do not cut plants back in the winter. You need to maintain the habitat and shelter for any overwintering butterfly eggs.
• Do not use any pesticides or herbicides in the garden.
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10
Have a discussion with your students about the success of the
butterfly garden. You may wish to ask your students some of the
following questions:
• Did the garden habitat attract the intended species?
• Did it attract additional species? Are any of the species seen
at the garden also seen elsewhere in the area?
• What sort of long-term effects may the butterfly garden
habitat have on the ecosystem and the community at large?
Are there any additional advantages for the students
themselves or other people in the area?
• Students can collect a pupa (a moth cocoon or a butterfly
chrysalis) from the garden habitat and watch the adult
emerge. Be sure to keep the pupa attached to any leaf or
branch that it is hanging on. Older students can set up a
camera to record the emergence of the adult, and then present the time-lapse images or edited video.
• Students can get involved in a citizen science activity,
such as a local or national butterfly count (e.g., North
American Butterfly Association Butterfly Counts,
Monarch Watch).
• Create a more diverse and accommodating garden habitat:
• Create shelter for the animals you want to attract
to your garden and your visitors may stay longer.
Butterfly “houses” add places for butterflies to shelter
at night or in cold or inclement weather. Even if these
structures are not used by butterflies, they may be
welcome shelter or nest sites for other guests.
Add piles of rocks, sticks or wood, or look up bee,
invertebrate, toad or “bug” houses online. See the
links below for some detailed plans and instructions
on where to place your shelters.
• To serve all visiting animals, add a variety of water
sources, such as shallow pools on the ground.
• Start a journal for your garden. You can record the species that
grow (and when and where you planted them) and the
species that visit. Don’t forget to include photos and/or illustrations.
• Visit other butterfly garden habitats, a local botanical garden
or indoor butterfly gallery.
• See if you can get your garden certified by the North
American Butterfly Association (NABA) Butterfly Garden
Certification Program.
• Even if you start small, you can expand your garden every year. Someday you may be growing plants for you to eat as well as for the butterflies!
Resources
• The Children’s Butterfly Site: http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/
• Butterflies of America: http://www.butterfliesofamerica.com/
All of the below sites contain information about butterfly gardening:
• North American Butterfly Association (NABA):
• NABA Butterfly Garden and Habitat Program:
http://www.nababutterfly.com/index.html
• NABA Butterfly Counts:
http://www.naba.org/pubs/countpub.html
• Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA):
http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/
• Smithsonian Gardens’ Butterfly Habitat Garden:
http://gardens.si.edu/our-gardens/butterfly-habitat-
garden.html
• Emphasizes natural plant/butterfly partnerships
• Butterfly World’s Bring Back the Butterflies campaign
• Monarch Watch: http://www.monarchwatch.org/
• Annual Monarch Butterfly Migration at Journey North (South): http://www.learner.org/jnorth/
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Build a Better Bug Trap!
Duration: Several class periods
Students will design and build simple tools that can be used
to capture various arthropods. They will explore arthropod
behavior and life history as they discover which capture
methods and tools work best under what circumstances.
After close observation, students will be able to relate the
arthropods’ behavior to its environment.
Key Terms
behavior, biomass, ecosystem, entomologist, food chain,
population, species richness
Tools are used every day by scientists for measuring data,
collecting specimens and making observations. Tools can be
as complex as a scanning electron microscope (SEM) used to
examine specimens on an extremely small scale, or as simple as a
hand magnifying glass used to observe arthropod specimens in
the schoolyard.
Entomologists (scientists who specialize in the study of insects)
use many different tools to collect insects for various studies
including population research and ecosystem studies. These
tools can also be used for arthropods in general.
Arthropods are vital to the ecosystems and environments they
are a part of, and often dominate food chains in terms of species
richness and biomass. They are also essential for human survival.
For example, they fill critical roles in agriculture as pollinators
and predators, and without them all agricultural systems
would collapse.
Arthropods can be easily found on plant leaves or flowers, under
rocks and boards, in water and in tall grasses. Arthropods can be
captured using various tools, such as nets (sweep nets and aerial
nets), beat sheets, bait traps and pitfall traps.
Nets:
A sweep net is used to collect arthropods from grass and other
vegetation. The bags on sweep nets are constructed with rugged
material. To collect arthropods using a sweep net, sweep the net
back and forth through tall grasses or other vegetation quickly
turning the opening from side to side in a figure eight pattern.
Aerial nets, or butterfly nets, are used to collect flying arthropods.
These nets are constructed from lightweight mesh to minimize
damage to delicate butterfly wings. A sturdy aerial net or a sweep
net with a mesh section works well to collect aquatic specimens.
Other traps and tools:
Beat or beating sheet traps are used to collect slow moving and
small arthropods as they are dislodged from plants. Bait traps
attract arthropods with food that is selected based on which
arthropod species is desired. For example, rotten meat is used to
attract carrion feeders, such as certain wasps, flies, beetles and
even butterflies. In contrast, other arthropods can be attracted
with sweet foods like honey or rotting fruit. Pitfall traps are useful
for catching ground dwelling arthropods, such as many spiders,
scorpions, centipedes and beetles.
sted
SuggeLevels
Grade
2
K to 1
Whenever possible, you should make your own tools for collecting
arthropods. This will usually reduce the purchasing cost and allow
you to customize the tool to suit your needs.
This activity allows students to get a taste of field biology as they
explore the behavior of local arthropods and learn to identify
them. Ensure that students release any live arthropods after they
have completed their observations.
Materials
General materials:
• Tweezers/Forceps
• Arthropod collection and observation containers
(e.g., film canisters or small containers with lids, jars, other plastic containers with ventilated lids)
• Colanders or kitchen strainers (to strain arthropods from
bait fluids)
• Notepads
• Field guides appropriate for local arthropods
Optional:
• Camera(s)
• Depending on the weather conditions students may
need additional personal supplies, such as sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, umbrellas and rubber boots.
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12
A. Sweep Nets
• Wire coat hanger (you can use two to make the frame stronger)
• Wire cutters
• Pliers
• Pillowcase
• Scissors
• A handle (e.g., dowel, hockey stick or broomstick)
• Two screw/band (worm gear) clamps
• Duct or electrical tape
• Optional: Modify this net for aquatic use by adding a piece of mesh or netting to the end of the net. The mesh allows excess water to flow out of the net.
B. Aerial Nets (Butterfly Nets)
• Netting material [enough to cut four triangles that are about 10 inches (25 cm) at the base and 12 inches (30 cm) high]
• Quilting thread or fishing line
• Bias tape four feet (120 cm) long
• Sewing needle
• Scissors
• Wire coat hanger
• Wire cutters
• Pliers
• A handle (e.g., dowel, hockey stick or broomstick)
• Duct or electrical tape
C. Beat Sheets
• Light-colored umbrella, bed sheet, large paper or large container (to serve as a beat sheet)
D. Bait Traps
• Jar or container, such as a mason jar
• Water
• Brown sugar
• Yeast
E. Pitfall Traps
• Container or pot (e.g., coffee can, yogurt cup)
• Hammer and nail (to make water drainage holes)
• Small shovel or trowel
• Optional: Cover or lid (e.g., piece of wood or plastic) to keep debris out of trap
Procedure
A. Sweep Nets
1. Untwist a wire coat hanger and bend the wire in the form of a round loop. If you want the net frame to be extra strong, double up and use two coat hangers.
2. Cut a hole in the hem at the open end of the pillowcase.
3. Thread the wire coat hanger(s) through the casing of the pillowcase.
4. For the handle, straighten out the ends of the wire that protrude from the pillowcase casing.
5. Use two screw/band (worm gear) clamps to secure the wire ends to the chosen handle.
6. Wrap the area where the wires connect to the handle with duct or electrical tape.
7. Make sure that the net is sturdy enough for sweeping tall grasses and other vegetation. As you walk and sweep, check the net regularly to see what has collected.
8. Optional: Modify this net for use in aquatic environments by cutting off or opening up the bottom of the net and sewing
in a piece of mesh or netting to allow excess water to strain through.
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B. Aerial Nets (Butterfly Nets)
1. Cut four triangles from the netting. Each triangle should be about 10 inches (25 cm) at the base and 12 inches (30 cm) high.
2. Sew all four pieces together with the quilting thread or
fishing line.
3. Sew the bias tape to the netting in order to make a casing around the open end. Do not sew the ends of the casing
closed yet.
4. Untwist a wire coat hanger and bend the wire in the form of
a round loop.
5. Slip the wire through the casing of the net.
Straighten out the ends of the wire for the handle.
6. Tape the ends of the wire to the chosen handle.
7. Collect flying arthropods with care, because they often have very delicate wings.
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13
C. Beat Sheets
1. Place the chosen beat sheet under the desired plant or plants.
2. Shake the arthropods off of the plant(s) onto the beat sheet.
3. Collect the arthropods with tweezers and place them in an
appropriate container for further observation.
D. Bait Traps
1. Prepare the bait by mixing roughly 2 cups (500 ml) of water,
1 cup (250 ml) of brown sugar and 1 packet of yeast in the
selected container.
2. Place the filled (baited) jar or container at the base of a tree.
Check the baited trap after two to three days.
3. Collect the arthropods by dumping the trap contents into a
kitchen strainer. Use tweezers to collect the arthropods from
the strainer and place them in an appropriate container for
further observation. Note that the captured arthropods will
have drowned in the bait liquid.
4. Try using this bait mixture in a pitfall trap to see if it will attract
different ground dwelling arthropods. Also, experiment with
using different types of bait.
E. Pitfall Traps
1. Punch small drainage holes in the bottom of the chosen pitfall
trap container to help drain any rainwater.
2. Choose a location where you would like to sample the ground
dwelling arthropods. Dig a whole in the ground big enough to accommodate the pitfall trap container.
3. Place the pitfall trap container in the hole. The top of the trap should be level with the ground surface.
4. Optional: Shelter the top of the pitfall trap with something
(e.g., piece of wood) to help keep debris and rain from falling
into the trap. It is usually best to camouflage the cover into
the natural environment. Make sure that the cover is
supported above the ground on short legs (e.g., small stones
or sticks) so that arthropods are still able to crawl under.
5. Check the trap often. Observe and collect arthropods. Release
any live arthropods after you have completed your
observations.
6. Try different sizes of trap containers, different types of covers
and different locations for your traps. Also, try using different
types of baits in your pitfall trap to help attract a variety of
arthropods. Does the type, or presence of, plant vegetation
around the trap affect the diversity and number of ground
arthropods? Does the type of soil that the trap is buried in
affect the types of arthropods caught? Do the numbers and types of arthropods captured change in response to the time of day or season?
Field Trip
1. Discuss the importance of arthropods in our ecosystems.
2. Explain to students that they will be using their various nets and traps that they built to trap and look at various arthropods. They will also examine and observe some of the arthropods’ characteristics and how they relate to the environment they were trapped in.
3. Students should conduct some research prior to collecting arthropods so that they have an idea of what arthropods to look for and where to find them. This will also help decide on which trap or net to use.
4. Visit the area chosen to collect arthropods. Allow the students to search and explore the area. Students will use their nets
and traps to gently collect various species. When they find
something of interest they can carefully put it in a container so
that other students can view and photograph it.
a.Observe aquatic specimens in shallow plastic containers filled with water. Look for their adaptations to aquatic life; how do they swim, how do they breathe, do they have gills
or breathe air? What sorts of things do they eat?
b.Examine the terrestrial specimens in a covered container.
Do they have wings? What color are they? Why would they be that color? Look at their mouths. What do they eat?
6. Make sure the students release any live arthropods after they have completed their observations.
• Have older students prepare a presentation about what
they found. This can be in a form of a field guide that can be
created as a class or as individual research reports. Topics to
cover in the write-up can include:
• General information on the types of arthropods caught and
observed
• Capture method of the arthropods caught
• Diet and trophic level in the ecosystem food chain
• Predators (relationship with other organisms)
• Range map (population distribution)
• Pictures or drawings of the species
• Contact a local naturalist group, park staff or scientist to ask if
someone would be willing to accompany the class on the
field trip as an expert.
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• To take a closer look at the arthropods that you’ve
collected under a scanning electron microscope (SEM),
you can send them away to Bugscope
(http://bugscope.beckman.illinois.edu/).
Bugscope will book an online session for you to view your arthropods under their SEM remotely.
• Quote: “The Bugscope project provides free interactive access
to a scanning electron microscope (SEM) so that students
anywhere in the world can explore the microscopic world of
insects. This educational outreach program from the Beckman
Institute’s Imaging Technology Group at the University of
llinois supports K-16 classrooms worldwide.” “How does it work? You sign up, ask your students to find some bugs, and mail them to us. We accept your application, schedule your session, and prepare the bugs for insertion into the electron microscope. When your session time arrives, we put the bug(s) into the microscope and set it up for your classroom. Then you and your students login over the web and control the microscope.
We’ll be there via chat to guide you and answer the kids’ questions.”
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15
The Cycle of Life:
Butterflies and Moths
Duration: 45 to 65 minutes
Students will use dry pasta noodles and other art materials to
illustrate the life cycle of butterflies and moths. Students will also
act out the complete metamorphosis, or life cycle, of
these insects.
Key Terms
chrysalis, egg, larva, life cycle, life stages, metamorphosis, molt,
pupa
As insects progress through their life cycle, they go through a
series of life stages. Insects like butterflies and moths (an order
of insects know as lepidopterans) are no exception. They begin
their life as an egg on or near a source of food (leaves). When the
larva, or caterpillar, hatches out of its egg, it begins to eat. As the
larva grows bigger, it needs to molt (sheds its skin) several times
to make room for its ever-expanding body.
When it is big enough, the larva becomes a pupa, which
is encased in a chrysalis (for butterflies) or a cocoon (for
some moths). During this transformative pupal stage, a lot
is happening to the pupa inside. For example, the chewing
mouthparts of the larva are turning into the sucking mouthparts
of the adult, and the wings are forming. After this stage, the adult
butterfly or moth emerges. When the butterfly or moth first
emerges its wings are soft and crumpled. The insect must pump
fluid into its wings to make them strong and stiff. Once the
wings are fully expanded and dry, the adult butterfly exercises its
flight muscles and then flies away to begin its new life feeding
on nectar. Eventually, the new adults come together to lay
another generation of eggs.
Butterflies and moths have a complete life cycle, or undergo
complete metamorphosis. They go through four separate life
stages: 1) egg, 2) caterpillar (or larva), 3) chrysalis/cocoon (or
pupa), and 4) adult (or imago). Each stage looks different and
serves a different purpose in the life of these insects. Different
species of butterflies and moths also spend different amounts of
time in each stage. In places where it gets cold or dry in the winter,
different species of butterflies or moths may overwinter in any of
the four stages.
Materials (enough for at least one of each per student)
• Four different types of pasta: couscous (or small round seeds), rotini (or a corkscrew type pasta), shells, bowties
• Paper plates or paper
• Glue
• Pens, pencils or markers
• Optional: wiggle eyes, pipe cleaners
Procedure
Introduction for both activities:
1. Ask the students what they know about butterflies and
moths. Do they know the life cycle of a butterfly?
Have they ever watched a caterpillar molt?
Have they ever seen a butterfly coming out of its chrysalis?
2. Explain the various life stages of a butterfly and moth.
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SuggeLevels
Grade
K to 4
Page
16
A. Life cycle of a butterfly art activity
Ask students to perform the following steps:
3. Using a pencil or marker, divide the paper plate into four equal parts, and number the sections from 1 to 4.
4. Draw one or more leaf shapes in sections one and two of
the plate. Draw a small branch in section three.
5. On top of the leaf in section one, glue a few pieces of
couscous. These should look like butterfly eggs on a leaf.
6. Glue a piece of rotini on top of the leaf in section two.
This is a caterpillar.
7. Glue a piece of shell pasta so it looks like it is hanging off
the branch in section three. This is a chrysalis.
8. Glue the bowtie pasta in section four. This is an adult
butterfly. The butterfly metamorphosis is now complete!
9. Optional: The caterpillar, chrysalis and butterfly can be
painted or colored with markers. Students can also add
wiggle eyes to the butterfly and caterpillar, and add pipe
cleaners for butterfly antennae.
B. Acting out the life cycle of a butterfly
Ask students to perform the following steps:
3. To act out the butterfly life cycle, begin as an egg
(sit in a tight ball).
4. Then hatch into a larva and start eating leaves (wriggle out of
your egg and begin chewing and making eating sounds)
5. You have eaten so much that you have grown and your skin
feels tight. Molt your skin, so that you can eat more and grow
bigger (wriggle around and then continue eating).
6. Molt your skin and become a pupa (wriggle around).
7. As a pupa you must spin a chrysalis around you
(safely spin around a few times and then wrap your arms
around yourself ).
8. Now you are ready to emerge as a butterfly (wriggle out
and begin pumping your wings to make them strong).
9. Fly away (flap your arms)!
• Read and discuss the book The Very Hungry Caterpillar
by Eric Carle.
• Look up other butterfly songs, poems and finger plays.
• Students can get involved in a citizen science activity such as
a local or national butterfly count (e.g., North American
Butterfly Association Butterfly Counts, Monarch Watch).
Through this, they will learn more about the species of
butterflies in their area and the life history of these species.
The information that they collect also helps research scientists
studying these insects.
• To see the life cycle of butterflies up close, try the following
activities:
1. “Plant a Butterfly Garden” (page 10) or visit a local
butterfly garden habitat, botanical garden or indoor
butterfly gallery.
2. Make aerial insect nets (butterfly nets) to catch and
release wild butterflies using the “Build a Better Bug Trap!”
activity (page 12)
• To compare and contrast the complete life cycle of butterflies
and moths to an insect with simple metamorphosis, try the
“Live Crickets in the Classroom” activity (page 7).
Life:
f
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The C tterflies
Bu d
an
Moths
Resources
• The Children’s Butterfly Site: http://www.kidsbutterfly.org/
• North American Butterfly Association (NABA) Counts:
http://www.naba.org/pubs/countpub.html
• Monarch Watch: http://www.monarchwatch.org/
• Annual Monarch Butterfly Migration at Journey North (South):
http://www.learner.org/jnorth
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17
Scent Signals:
The Ants Go
Marching Together
Duration: 45 minutes
Students will use their sense of smell to find other “ants” in their
“colony,” and explore how ants use different smells
(called pheromones) to communicate.
Key Terms
ant, colony (colonial), communication, pheromone, senses
Ants live and work together in colonies and need to
communicate with one another to identify each other, build
their nests, raise their young and find food. Ants use different
senses to communicate. They communicate by touch, sound and
scent. To recognize members of their own colony, these insects
use scents, called pheromones.
Pheromones are chemicals that send information to other
organisms of the same species via scent. Ants use their long,
mobile antennae to “smell” these pheromones. The antennae can
even tell the ant from which direction the pheromone came.
Ants use different chemical pheromones to communicate
different messages. For example, if an ant is injured or hurt it
releases a specific scent or alarm pheromone that alerts others to
the danger, and may act as a call to attack the source of that danger.
Ants that forage together also use scent or pheromone signals to
mark paths back from good food sources. As each subsequent ant
returns from the food source, it adds to and reinforces the trail of
scent.
Materials
• Small containers with lids (alternately, scents could be dabbed on cardstock)
• Cotton balls
• Four or more food-grade scents/flavorings
(e.g., banana, vanilla, peppermint, orange)
Procedure
Ahead of time:
1. Pre-scent and mark paired containers with their lids
(place a drop of scent on a cotton ball and shake it around
inside the container), or paired pieces of card stock.
Make sure to inconspicuously mark the matching containers
and lids or pieces of card stock, so that you can easily verify
the scent pairings.
Activities with students:
2. Introduce the concept of scent communication by insects,
and especially by colonial insects. Tell students that
they are going to have the challenge of pairing themselves
with a buddy in the class. Ask them for ideas about how they
can find their buddies. Remind them that they cannot use their
voice or other sounds to find their buddy.
3. Hand out one of the pre-scented items to each student.
4. Ask the students to locate a buddy with a matching scent
(if using containers and lids, ask students to match a lid to
container). Explain that their buddy is like a fellow “ant” in
their colony.
5. After the students pair themselves with a buddy, challenge
them to find others of their “colony” who have the same scents.
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Grade
K to 4
Page
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Ask the students the following questions:
• How difficult was it to find others with the same scent?
• Do you think that the use of pheromones is a good method
for ants to communicate?
• What are other ways that humans can communicate, without using words?
Resources
• For extremely detailed information and photographs of ants
from around the world visit AntWeb:
http://www.antweb.org/
• Quote: “AntWeb is the world’s largest online database of images, specimen records, and natural history information on ants.
It is community driven and open to contribution from anyone with specimen records, natural history comments, or images.”
• Explore live ant behavior by setting up an ant colony in the classroom.
• Observe colonial insects in their natural environments.
For example, look for ant colonies near home or school.
Adapted from Backyard Monsters® The World of Insects – A Guide
for Teachers: Information and activities to complement your
exhibit tour. © 1993 Creative Presentations, Inc.
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19
Can You See Me?
Students will explore the function and importance of arthropod
coloration and patterning that either helps the animal to hide
or to stand out in its natural environment.
Key Terms
aposematic coloration (warning colors), camouflage, cryptic
coloration, environment, eyespot, habitat, mimicry, prey,
predator
Arthropod species display a wide variety of colors and patterns.
These colors and patterns have one of two general functions
for these animals. Some arthropods protect themselves from
predators by having camouflage that causes them to blend into
their environment. Others stand out with contrasting colors
that generally warn predators that they are not desirable prey
(aposematic coloration).
Camouflage Coloration / Blending In:
You may walk right past many arthropods that are in clear
sight, because they blend so well into their natural habitat.
Camouflage, protective or cryptic coloration, is used by
arthropods for a variety of purposes. First, arthropods that
are frequently preyed upon may use camouflage to hide
from predators and to avoid being eaten. For example, many
grasshoppers may be green or brown to look like the coloration
of live or dead foliage, respectively. Camouflage has evolved
into mimicry where some species of butterflies have “eyespots”
on their wings that look like the eyes of much larger animals.
The eyespots serve to scare away potential predators, and/or
provide pecking birds with a target that is close to the edge of
the wing and far from the actual body of the butterfly.
Other arthropods may use camouflage to be better predators.
For a predator, the ability to sneak close to an unsuspecting
prey gives it a substantial advantage, since it saves the predator
valuable time and energy. For example, praying mantises are
usually green or brown to blend into the foliage while they
patiently wait to ambush or carefully stalk their prey.
Since predatory arthropods, like mantises, are still relatively small
animals, their camouflage also helps them to hide from larger
predators, such as birds.
Aposematic Coloration / Standing Out:
An opposite strategy to cryptic coloration and camouflage is to
display contrasting colors that cause an arthropod to stand out
against its natural environment. These colors may have evolved to
be a warning to other animals or to attract mates. Bright warning
colors, referred to as “aposematic” coloration, have evolved
in many species that have an obnoxious quality to potential
predators, such as a powerful sting, or a bad taste or smell.
For example, black and yellow stinging wasps, bitter-tasting
black and red ladybugs, or unpalatable brightly colored monarch
butterflies. Some arthropods derive protection because they have
evolved to look like the species with the obnoxious quality.
This is called mimicry. Arthropods that use bright colors or
noticeable patterns to attract mates, must also deal with
unwanted predatory attention that these display colors may bring.
sted
SuggeLevels
Grade
K to 8
Materials (per student)
• Two matching 8.5 x 11-inch pieces of patterned gift wrap paper
Note: Select four or more different colors of patterned paper for the
class. Paper with smaller repeating patterns may work better.
• Arthropod shape templates (page 38)
• Marker/Pencil
• Scissors
Procedure
Ahead of time:
1. Print out the arthropod shape templates (page 38)
and be sure to have one template per student.
2. Give each student two pieces of patterned paper – one to
cut out their arthropod template, and one to place their cutout
arthropod template on to investigate camouflage.
Activities with students:
3. Introduce the activity by discussing the background material
with the students.
•You may wish to introduce the topic with the
following questions:
•Why might arthropods need to use camouflage?
•Do humans ever use camouflage?
4. Ask students to trace their arthropod shape template onto
one sheet of patterned paper, and to cut the resulting
arthropod shape out of that piece of patterned paper.
Page
20
5. Place the patterned paper arthropod shape over top of the
uncut sheet of patterned paper. Try to line up, or match,
the pattern of the cut out arthropod shape to the pattern
on the uncut sheet.
Questions for students:
•Is it difficult to see the outline of the arthropod shape
when the patterns match up?
•Does it make a difference if you step back a bit from
the papers?
•What happens if you misalign the patterns?
6. Ask students to find a classmate with a different patterned
paper and to try placing their arthropod shapes on top
the non-matching pattern.
Questions for students:
•If this arthropod was real, and living on this new piece of patterned paper, would it be easy or hard for the
arthropod to hide in this environment?
Ask the students the following questions:
• Why may arthropods have trouble surviving in the wild if they
are born with unusual coloration? Could certain colorations
be an advantage?
blending in. For example, Art Wolfe’s “Vanishing Act”
nature photography project that depicts animals so perfectly
camouflaged that they nearly vanish into their surroundings.
• Students may enjoy learning about some other human
camouflage artists such as:
•“The Invisible Man,” Liu Bolin, who has himself
photographed after being painted into various
backgrounds.
•Desiree Palmen, who designs a new camouflage suit
for each camouflage photograph.
•Beverly Doolittle, who uses camouflage to hide layers of
natural elements and images in her paintings.
• Students can attempt their own “vanishing acts” by
camouflaging themselves into various background
environments. They can use painted, patterned or colored
fabrics. Alternatively, they can play a game of arthropod
“charades” where they dress up and have their classmates guess
what they are trying to communicate and to whom.
See
u
o
Y
Can e?
M
• To test the effect of a simple black and white pattern, newspaper can be substituted for the colored gift wrap paper.
• Students can also color or decorate their own arthropod
•
•
•
shapes, or shapes can be cut out of plain paper.
Students can try to decorate their arthropod shapes in
a way that makes them stand out or to blend into various
indoor or outdoor environments. Students can play a game
of hide-and-seek by trying to hide their arthropod creations
from their classmates. They can also play “I Spy” with the
hidden arthropod images.
Spread a collection of colored toothpicks, paper clips or
BINGO chips on various backgrounds, such as plain colors, patterns or photographs of different outdoor environments.
Time students to see how quickly they can pick up the
toothpicks one at a time. How many of each color do they pick
up? Were the majority of the collected toothpicks of a
contrasting color to the background they were on?
Ask students to look at images of arthropods in their natural
environments. Do these arthropods blend in or stand out?
Some photographers and artists create artwork to illustrate
Page
21
Arachnid Art
Students will learn about the various types and uses of spider
silk. They will also collect and preserve spider webs and
showcase their art pieces for the whole school to see.
Key Terms
capture-spiral silk, dragline silk, egg cocoon silk, spider silk, spider
web, spinnerets
Spider silk is a protein fiber spun by all spiders. The liquid silk
is produced by silk glands and squeezed out of spinnerets like
toothpaste from a tube. The liquid threads harden as they exit
the spinnerets. Spider silk has a unique combination of elasticity
and extreme tensile strength.
Different types of silks are produced with specific properties to
serve different purposes. In general, silks are used for housing,
web construction, defense, capturing prey, egg protection and
mobility. Egg cocoon silk is used for creating protective egg sacs.
Species that create webs often use different types of silks within
each web. For example, dragline silk is used for the web’s outer
rim and spokes, and for a lifeline. Capture-spiral silk, which is
sticky and extremely stretchy, is used for the capturing lines of
the web. Other silks are used for temporary scaffolding during
web construction, to wrap and secure prey and to form bonds
between separate threads.
Due to the sticky nature of spider webs, they attract debris and
dust and get less effective as a tool for catching prey. Many
spiders eat their old webs so as to recycle the proteins, and some
spiders create a new web each day. Even though many of the
spider webs’ strands are very sticky, spiders do not get stuck in
their own webs. This is because they have leg hairs that make it
difficult for strands to stick as well as non-stick coatings on the
leg hairs. Spiders also step and move very carefully.
Spiders play very important roles in ecosystems. They control the
populations of innumerable insects. The weight of insects eaten
by spiders every year is greater than the total weight of the entire
human population. Correspondingly, spiders are an extremely
important food source for many animals and other arthropods,
and spider silk is an essential component for the nests of many
bird species.
From a human perspective, spider webs are beautiful and complex
creations. Early fall is a good time to search for webs, especially
early in the morning when they are covered with dew. Gardens are
a great place to start looking, because some of the most beautiful
webs to collect are the orb webs spun every night by spiders
commonly found in gardens.
Materials • Spider webs
• Black construction paper (one for each web that you
want to preserve)
• Aerosol hairspray or spray glue
• Silver or gold spray paint
• Clear spray varnish
• Cardboard box bigger than the sheet of construction paper
• Optional: Gloves (one or more for each student)
Procedure
1.Find a spider web that is in good condition. Make sure the
spider is not near its web.
2. Hold the box behind the spider web. Spray the web with
the spray paint to completely cover the web. Be careful
not to damage the web during this process. Note that you
may want to practice using the spray paint ahead of time.
The box will protect the surrounding environment from
the chemicals used during the collection process.
To get good coverage, you may want to repeat this process
several times.
3. Step away from the spider web for a moment to let the
paint dry.
4. Place a piece of black construction paper in the box and
spray it with hairspray or spray glue.
5. Move quickly to sweep the spray-painted spider web onto
the black construction paper before the hairspray or glue
dries. Note that collecting spider webs properly takes
practice. It may take several tries before you can collect and preserve a spider web effectively.
sted
SuggeLevels
Grade
K to 8
Page
22
6. Place the sheet of black construction paper in the box and
spray it with the clear varnish. This will help to protect
the preserved spider web.
You may wish to discuss the following questions
with the students:
• As you practiced, did you develop any particular technique that helped you preserve the webs more effectively?
• Research the species of spiders in the local area, and try to determine which spider made each of the preserved webs.
• Why is it important to make sure that the spider is away from the web before you preserve it?
• Metallic silver or gold paint make the web stand out against
the black background, making it a work of art. Organize an art
show in your school and display the preserved spider webs to
teachers, other students and parents.
• Explore artists who preserve spider webs:
•Emil “Rocky” Fiore preserves spider webs and mounts
them on colored glass.
•Michael Anthony Simon invites spiders into his art
studio, then immortalizes their webs with layers of
misted lacquer until they are strong enough to color
and display.
Resources
• About spiders: http://www.spiderroom.info/index.html
nid
Arach
Page
Art
23
Insect Mouthparts
Suggested Grade Levels: 5 to 12
Duration: 30 - 65 minutes
Students will learn about insect mouthparts and feeding
behaviors. In the classroom, students will match photos of real
insects to mouthparts simulated by common objects. During
their visit to Xtreme BUGS!, students will classify the exhibit
insects as either chewing, siphoning, piercing and sucking or
sponging insects.
Key Terms
mandibles, mouthpart types (chewing, siphoning, sponging,
piercing and sucking), proboscis, rostrum, stylets
A variety of insect mouthparts have evolved for each species’
type of feeding behavior. The earliest insects had chewing
mouthparts. Over time, specially adapted mouthparts evolved
to allow for many types of feeding behaviors. For example,
butterflies have a long tube (proboscis) to siphon nectar,
mosquito mouthparts allow them to pierce the flesh and suck
on the blood of animals, while aphids pierce into plants to suck
on their fluids. Honeybees have mixed mouthparts adapted to
chew, gather pollen and lap nectar.
Chewing insects:
Insects with chewing mouthparts have jaws (mandibles) that
cut, chew, pinch and crush food. Some insects also use their
mandibles for defense. Insects that chew their food include
dragonflies, grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, ants and termites.
Some insects have chewing mouthparts as larvae but not as
adults, such as moths and butterflies.
Dragonfly nymphs (aquatic larvae) have a greatly enlarged lower
lip that is armed with a pair of hooks. This whole apparatus is
extensible and can be shot out in front of the head to seize
prey and bring it toward the mouth. As adults, dragonflies have
chewing mouthparts.
Predatory beetles, such as ladybugs, have pincer-like mandibles
that capture, kill and hold prey while the beetle feeds on it. Some
jaws are lined with spines and bristles to more securely grasp
struggling prey.
Siphoning insects:
Siphoning insects have a proboscis, which is comprised of long,
thin tubes used to suck up liquid food. The proboscis is not used
to pierce, and it is kept coiled up when not in use. If you carefully
watch a butterfly or moth, you can often see it uncoil its proboscis
to drink. However, note that some moths, such as the Atlas moth,
have no mouthparts as adults.
Piercing and sucking insects:
Many insects have mouthparts that are used to both pierce food
items as well as to suck up the internal fluids. Some, such as aphids
and cicadas, only feed on plants while others, such as assassin
bugs, feed on other animals.
Assassin bugs have a piercing mouthpart called a rostrum.
Saliva is injected through the rostrum into the prey, and the prey’s
liquefied insides are then sucked out.
sted
SuggeLevels
Grade
2
5 to 1
Female mosquitoes have a highly modified piercing proboscis.
A narrow tube is formed by needle-like stylets that are serrated at
the tip to pierce skin.
Sponging insects:
Houseflies are typical sponging insects. They have a feeding
apparatus that consists of a short sucking proboscis, which is
expanded at the end into a sponge-like organ that is used to mop
up liquid food. When a fly lands on solid food, it may regurgitate
a small amount of digestive enzymes, before sponging up the
resulting liquid residue.
Page
24
Summary of Insect Feeding Behaviors and Associated
Mouthpart Types
FEEDING
BEHAVIOR
Chewing
EXAMPLE INSECT(S) AND
MOUTHPART TYPE
Ants, beetles, crickets, dragonflies,
grasshoppers, mantids and termites:
chewing mandibles
Siphoning
Most butterflies and moths:
siphoning proboscis
Piercing and sucking
Assassin bug: Piercing rostrum
that injects liquefying saliva
Mosquito female: Piercing
proboscis with serrated needlelike stylets
Sponging
Housefly: Short sucking proboscis
with expanded sponge-like organ
at tip
Materials (enough for students to work individually or in groups)
• For images of the below insects, see the “Insect Mouthparts” worksheets (page 41).
• The following objects that represent insect mouthparts:
• Syringe/Straw (for assassin bugs or mosquitoes)
• Pliers (for dragonflies)
• Tweezers/Forceps (for ladybugs or other beetles)
• Coiled party favor/Noise-maker (for butterflies)
• Sponge (for houseflies)
• Optional: Plastic figurines or models of the
above insects
For older students:
• Dissecting microscope
• Live insects
Procedure:
During the Xtreme BUGS! exhibit visit:
1. Ask students to fill out the “Insect Mouthparts” worksheets
(page 41).
Classroom activity:
1. Ask students to match the representative mouthpart objects
with the corresponding insect images and record their answers
on the “Insect Mouthparts” worksheets (page 41).
For older students:
1. Refer to the “Build a Better Bug Trap!” activity (page 12) to
collect live insects.
2. Ask students to view their insects’ mouthparts through a
dissecting microscope.
3. Ask students to classify the insects as either chewing, siphoning,
piercing and sucking or sponging insects.
Extensions/Adaptations:
• To take a closer look at arthropod mouthparts under a scanning
electron microscope (SEM), you can send them away to
Bugscope (http://bugscope.beckman.illinois.edu/).
Bugscope will book an online session for you to view your
arthropods under their SEM remotely.
• Quote: “The Bugscope project provides free interactive access to a
scanning electron microscope (SEM) so that students anywhere
in the world can explore the microscopic world of insects.
This educational outreach program from the Beckman Institute’s
Imaging Technology Group at the University of Illinois supports
K-16 classrooms worldwide.” “How does it work? You sign up, ask your students to find some bugs, and mail them to us. We accept
your application, schedule your session, and prepare the bugs for
insertion into the electron microscope. When your session time arrives, we put the bug(s) into the microscope and set it up for your classroom.Then you and your students login over the web
and control the microscope. We’ll be there via chat to guide you
and answer the kids’ questions.”
Insect rts
pa
Mouth
Page
25
Arthropods in the News
Suggested Grade Levels: 9-12
Duration: Two or more class periods
Students will research the role of arthropods in our environment,
focusing on invasive species and present their findings as a
poster, brochure, booklet, song, play, news report, morning
announcement or hall display.
Key Terms
alien species, biodiversity, coevolved, ecosystems, entomophagy,
exotic species, introduced species, invasive species
Invasive species are organisms that have been transported from
other countries or regions. They are often called introduced,
exotic or alien species when they establish themselves outside
of their native habitats or environments. Not all exotic species
are harmful. Only those exotics that disrupt local ecosystems and
have negative effects on society, the environment or economy
are known as invasive species.
Many arthropod species have been transported around the
globe by increasing human activity and have successfully
invaded new regions. Invasive arthropods can have severe
impacts on animal and human health, agriculture and forestry,
and the biodiversity of natural habitats as well as those modified
by humans. The economic and environmental effects of invasion
can be both direct, through feeding and competition, and
indirect, such as the transmission of pathogens.
One of the reasons that invasive species can have so much of an
impact is that they have often been displaced sufficiently distant
from their natural predators or other coevolved population
controls. Species co-evolve to interact with other species in their
native ecosystems, so that ecological balance is achieved. This
means that there will be no excessively large populations in the
ecosystem, which could negatively affect the system as a whole.
For example, an excessive population of insects, such as emerald
ash borers, could put a system out of balance by eliminating a
primary species of tree, thus affecting all other organisms that
rely on those trees.
Some invasive arthropods include Asian tiger mosquitoes,
longhorn beetles and gypsy moths; Africanized honeybees;
emerald ash borers; and various ant species.
Materials
• News resources, such as the Internet, magazines or newspapers
• Materials for the chosen method of presentation or display
Procedure
Introduce the research project as a way for the students to
take what they have learned and teach others about invasive
arthropods.
Students can work individually or in groups to perform the
following steps:
1. Choose an invasive arthropod to study.
2. Research the species in newspaper articles, magazines and
online news sources.
3. Create a product based on the research. Present the findings
by making a poster, brochure, booklet, song, play, news report,
morning announcement or hall display.
• Ask students to research other dilemmas concerning arthropods. These can include, but are not limited to, the following questions:
• Should we try to eliminate all arthropods that carry disease? What effect would this have on the environment? Would this have only positive effects on our health? What effect would this removal have on the ecosystem they are a part of?
• Insects destroy a large percentage of human food resources. Should we increase pesticide use? What are the side-effects of pesticide use for human health, other species, ecosystems and the environment?
• Arthropods are an important source of food for many animals and some human cultures. Should insects become a more prevalent global food source for humans? The practice of eating insects (and other arthropods) is called entomophagy.
Resources
• Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG): http://www.issg.org/
• Quote: “The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) is a global network of scientific and policy experts on invasive species, organized under the auspices of the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).” “The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) aims to reduce threats to natural ecosystems and the native species they contain by increasing awareness of invasive alien species, and of ways to prevent, control or eradicate them.”
sted
SuggeLevels
Grade
2
9 to 1
Page
26
Education
Guide
Page
27
Worksheet (page 1 of 2)
Grade levels K to 4
What am I?Fill in this chart as you visit all of the arthropods in the Xtreme BUGS! exhibit.
Count the number of legs to determine if the arthropod is an insect, arachnid, chilopod or diplopod.
Use the information in your chart to answer the questions that follow.
Exhibit Arthropod
Number of legs?
(6, 8, more)
Insect
(6 legs)
Arachnid
(8 legs)
Chilopod or Diplopod
(more legs)
Madagascar
hissing
cockroach
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
K to 4
Periodic
cicada
Orchid
mantis
Peruvian
giant
centipede
Atlas
moth
Red-eyed
devil katydid
Leaf-cutter
ant
Chinese
earth tiger
tarantula
Page
Seven-spotted
ladybug
European
honeybee
Continues on next page
28
Exhibit Arthropod
Number of legs?
(6, 8, more)
Insect
(6 legs)
Arachnid
(8 legs)
Chilopod or Diplopod
(more legs)
Japanese
giant
hornet
Monarch
butterfly
Black
corsair
assassin bug
African
fat-tailed
scorpion
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
K to 4
Giant
vinegaroon
Siafu
ant
Brown
marmorated
stink bug
Hine’s
emerald
dragonfly
Praying
mantis
Golden
orb weaver
spider
Questions for students:1. Did all of the insects have wings? Yes/No Circle the pictures of the insects with wings.
2. Did any of the arachnids (spiders, scorpions, vinegaroons) have a stinger? Yes/No
If yes, which one?
Page
29
Worksheet
Grade levels 5 to 8
What am I?Fill in this chart as you visit all of the arthropods in the Xtreme BUGS! exhibit.
Use the information from the chart to classify the arthropods you have seen using the key that follows.
Exhibit Arthropod
Number of legs?
(6, 8, more)
Number of body segments?
(2 or 3)
Antennae present?
Wings present?
Classification
(use the key below to
fill in this column)
Madagascar
hissing
cockroach
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
5 to 8
Periodic
cicada
Orchid
mantis
Peruvian
giant
centipede
Atlas
moth
Red-eyed
devil katydid
Leaf-cutter
ant
Chinese
earth tiger
tarantula
Page
Seven-spotted
ladybug
European
honeybee
Continues on next page
30
Exhibit Arthropod
Number of legs?
(6, 8, more)
Number of body segments?
(2 or 3)
Antennae present?
Wings present?
Classification
(use the key below to
fill in this column)
Japanese
giant hornet
Monarch
butterfly
Black corsair
assassin bug
African
fat-tailed
scorpion
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
Giant
vinegaroon
5 to 8
Siafu ant
Brown
marmorated
stink bug
Hine’s
emerald
dragonfly
Praying
mantis
Golden
orb weaver
spider
Classify the above arthropods from the Xtreme BUGS! exhibit using the key below. Start with number 1 and follow the instructions.
What to do:
What to look for:
Question / WHAT IS IT?
1. Look at the head
Does it have antennae (feelers)?
No
Yes
2. Count the legs
How many legs?
It’s an insect!
Six legs?
More than six legs?
Go to number 3.
3. Count the antennae
How many antennae?
Four
Two
4. Count the legs
How many legs on each segment?
Two legs (one pair)?
Four legs (two pairs)?
It’s an arachnid!
Go to number 2.
Page
It’s a crustacean!
Go to number 4.
It’s a centipede!
It’s a millipede!
31
Dichotomous Keys
Grade levels 9 to 12
Use this dichotomous key to determine whether the animal you are looking at is an insect or an arachnid.
Start with question 1 and determine which statements are true for your animal.
Notes for the below keys: • The below keys are all intended for classifying adult arthropods.
• Not all insect and arachnid orders are outlined in these keys.
Question NO.
Question
Response
1. a
Animal has 8 legs
See Arachnid Key
b
Animal has 6 legs
Go to 2
Insect has wings
See Winged Insects Key
Insect does not have wings
See Wingless Insects Key
2. a
b
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
2
9 to 1
The following two dichotomous keys will help you to determine the order of your winged or wingless insect.
Winged Insects Key
Question NO.
1. a
Question
Response
One pair of wings
Order Diptera (flies, mosquitoes)
Two pairs of wings
Go to 2
Extremely long prothorax (neck)
Go to 3
Regular length or no prothorax
Go to 4
Forelegs (front legs) come together in “praying” position
Order Mantodea (mantids)
Forelegs do not come together in “praying” position
Order Raphidoptera (snakeflies)
Fore (front) wings are armor-like covering hind wings
Order Coleptera (beetles)
b
No armor-like wings
Go to 5
5. a
Wings are triangular
Go to 6
Wings are not triangular
Go to 7
Insect has proboscis (long, sucking mouthparts) and lacks long filaments (threadlike structures) at end of abdomen
Order Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths)
Insect lacks a proboscis and has long filaments at end of abdomen
Order Ephemeroptera (mayflies)
b
2. a
b
3. a
b
4. a
b
6. a
b
Page
Winged Insect Key continues on next page
32
Winged Insects Key continued
Question NO.
7. a
b
8. a
b
9. a
b
10. a
b
11. a
b
12. a
b
13. a
b
14. a
b
15. a
b
16. a
b
17. a
b
18. a
b
19. a
b
Question
Response
Head is elongated (snout-like)
Order Mecoptera (scorpionflies)
Head is not elongated
Go to 8
One pair of pincer-like cerci (appendages) at end of abdomen
Order Dermaptera (earwigs)
No pincer-like cerci at end of abdomen
Go to 9
All four wings are similar in size and shape
Go to 10
All four wings are not similar in size or shape
Go to 15
Eyes nearly cover entire head
Order Odonata
(dragonflies and damselflies)
Eyes do not nearly cover entire head
Go to 11
All four wings are finely veined and are almost twice as long as abdomen
Order Isoptera (termites)
All four wings are not finely veined and are not almost twice as long as abdomen
Go to 12
All four wings are transparent with many veins cutting across each other
Order Neuroptera (lacewings)
All four wings are not transparent with many veins cutting across each other
Go to 13
Mouthparts are beak-like and far back beneath head
Order Homoptera (leafhoppers)
Mouthparts are not beak-like and are far back beneath head
Go to 14
Wings fold flat covering much of abdomen
Order Plecoptera (stoneflies)
Hind wings fold to form peak and are wider at base than the fore wings
Order Megaloptera
(alderflies, dobsonflies, fishflies)
Insect has long hind legs and a flat-sided head
Order Orthoptera
(crickets, grasshoppers, katydids)
Insect lacks long hind legs and has a rounded head
Go to 16
Membranous wings have hairs on them; body also has tiny hairs
Order Trichoptera (caddisflies)
Wings lack hair
Go to 17
Fore wings are leathery at base and membranous at tip (note that this
characteristic is not always obvious in cicada wings)
Order Hemiptera (true bugs, cicadas)
Fore wings are uniform in texture
Go to 18
Body is oval and flattened
Order Blattodea (cockroaches)
Body is not oval and flattened
Go to 19
Constricted waist
Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)
Lacks constricted waist
Order Embioptera (web-spinners)
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
2
9 to 1
Page
33
Wingless Insects Key
Question NO.
1. a
Question
Response
Insect found in a cold, icy location
Order Grylloblattodea (ice crawlers)
Insect not found in a cold, icy location
Go to 2
Less than six abdominal segments
Order Collembola (springtails)
More than six abdominal segments
Go to 3
Three or more “tails” at end of abdomen
Go to 4
No “tails”
Go to 5
Eyes meet at top of head
Order Microcorypha (bristletails)
Eyes do not meet at top of head
Order Thysanura (firebrats, silverfish)
Stick-shape body
Order Phasmatodea (stick insects)
Body is not stick-like
Go to 6
Laterally flattened abdomen
Order Siphonatera (fleas)
Not laterally flattened abdomen
Go to 7
Thin waist and bent antennae
Order Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)
No thin waist or bent antennae
Go to 8
Abdomen curls up over back when moving
Order Thysanoptera (thrips)
Abdomen does not curl up over back when moving
Go to 9
9. a
Long antennae
Go to 10
b
Short antennae
Go to 11
Long antennae point forward over head
Order Isoptera (termites)
Long antennae sweep back over body
Order Psocoptera (booklice)
Head is large, or bigger than thorax
Order Mallophaga (bird lice, chewing lice)
Head is smaller than rest of body
Order Anoplura (sucking lice)
b
2. a
b
3. a
b
4. a
b
5. a
b
6. a
b
7. a
b
8. a
b
10. a
b
11. a
b
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
2
9 to 1
Page
34
The following dichotomous key will help you to determine the order of your arachnid.
Arachnid Key
Question NO.
1. a
Question
Response
Has a tail or a stinger
Go to 2
No tail or a stinger
Go to 3
Tail straight and needle-like
Order Uropygi
(vinegaroons, whipscorpions)
Tail curves with a stinger at end
Order Scorpiones (scorpions)
Has enlarged pedipalps (claws or pincers)
Go to 4
Lacks enlarged pedipalps (claws or pincers)
Go to 5
Animal is less than 1/5 inch (5 mm) long & flat
Order Pseudoscorpiones
(bookscorpions, false scorpions)
Animal is 1/3 to 2 inches (8-51 mm) long and spider-like
Order Amblypygi (tailless whipscorpions)
Regular legs
Go to 6
Legs are thin with body low to ground
Order Opiliones (daddy-longlegs, harvestmen)
Body separated into two segments (i.e. cephalothorax and abdomen)
Go to 7
Oval body lacks a waist
Order Acari (mites and ticks)
7. a
Has seven segments on each leg and first pair of legs are same length as other
legs
Order Araneae (spiders)
b
Other than seven segments on each leg and first pair of legs are longer than
the other legs
Order Solifugae
(camel spiders, sun spiders, wind scorpions)
b
2. a
b
3. a
b
4. a
b
5. a
b
6. a
b
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
2
9 to 1
Page
All classification keys were adapted from the Insect Identification.org TM for the casual observer (http://www.insectidentification.org/).
Content © 2005-2013 InsectIdentication.org All Rights Reserved. Business consulting by KyleWilliams.com. Site design by RunawayStudios.com
Keys for winged and wingless insects were also adapted from the Amateur Entomologists’ Society: Key to Adult Insects
(http://www.amentsoc.org/insects/what-bug-is-this/adult-key.html). Copyright © 1997-2013 Amateur Entomologists’ Society
35
Arthropod Classification Activities
Answer Key for Educators
For all grade levels: K to 12
Below is a list of the exhibit arthropods along with their scientific classifications.
Class & Characteristics of Class
Order
Common Name
Scientific Name
(Genus species)
Arachnida
- 8 legs
- 2 body segments
- no antennae
- no wings
Araneae
Chinese earth tiger tarantula
Golden orb weaver spider
Haplopelma schmidti
Nephila clavipes
Scorpiones
African fat-tailed scorpion
Androctonus australis
Uropygi
Giant vinegaroon
Mastigoproctus giganteus
Insecta
- 6 legs
- 3 body segments
- 2 antennae
- 0-4 wings visible
Blattodea
Madagascar hissing cockroach
Gromphadorhina portentosa
Coleptera
Seven-spotted ladybug
Coccinella semptempunctata
Hemiptera
Black corsair assassin bug
Brown marmorated stink bug
Periodic cicada
Melanolestes picipes
Halyomorpha halys
Magicicada sp.
Hymenoptera
Army ant
European honeybee
Japanese giant hornet
Leaf-cutter ant
Red harvester ant
Red imported fire ant
Siafu ant
Eciton burchelli
Apis mellifera
Vespa mandarinia japonica
Atta cephalotes
Pogonomyrmex barbatus
Solenopsis invicta
Dorylus emeryi
Lepidoptera
Atlas moth
Green-veined white butterfly
Karner blue butterfly
Monarch butterfly
Painted lady butterfly
Plum judy butterfly
Spicebush swallowtail butterfly
Attacus atlas
Pieris napi
Lycaeides melissa samuelis
Danaus plexippus
Vanessa cardui
Abisara echerius
Papilio troilus
Mantodea
Orchid mantis
Praying mantis
Hymenopus coronatus
Mantis religiosa
Odonata
Hine’s emerald dragonfly
Somatochlora hineana
Orthoptera
Red-eyed devil katydid
Neobarrettia spinosa
Scolopendromorpha
Peruvian giant centipede
Scolopendra gigantea
Chilopoda
- more than 8 legs
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
2
K to 1
Page
36
Cricket External Anatomy
Worksheet
For all grade levels: K to 12
Label the cricket below, using the list of terms.
Compare your cricket to the diagram to determine if you have an adult or a larva (nymph), and determine if it is a female or male.
Note that you will only be able to determine sex in an adult or a large larva (that is close to molting into an adult).
Adult Female (Acheta domesticus)
External Anatomy Terms:
Head
Antennae
Compound Eyes
Thorax
Legs
Fore Wings
Hind Wings
Abdomen
Spiracles (not visible
in this diagram)
Ovipositor
(females only)
Cerci
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
2
K to 1
(not visible)
(females only)
Geyersberg, Professor emeritus Hans Schneider. License: Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported.
Page
37
Arthropod Shape Templates
(1 of 3)
Grade levels K to 8
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
K to 8
Page
Moth
38
(2 of 3)
Grade levels K to 8
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
K to 8
Page
Scorpion
39
(3 of 3)
Grade levels K to 8
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
K to 8
Page
Tarantula
40
Insect Mouthparts
Worksheet
Grade levels 5 to 12
Fill in this chart as you visit all of the insects in the Xtreme BUGS! exhibit. Use the information in your chart to answer the
questions that follow.
CHEWING MOUTHPARTS
(Example Insect Photos)
INSECT NAME(S)
from Xtreme BUGS! exhibit:
MOUTHPARTS
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
Dragonfly
2
5 to 1
Mandibles
Thomas Shahan / CC BY 2.0
Tiger Beetle
Page
Mandibles
K Kivinen-Newman
41
SIPHONING (SUCKING) MOUTHPARTS
INSECT NAME(S)
Butterfly
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
Proboscis (curled)
2
5 to 1
Richard Bartz / CC BY-SA 2.5
Butterfly
Proboscis
(extended)
Bob Peterson / CC BY-SA 2.0
Page
42
PIERCING AND SUCKING MOUTHPARTS
INSECT NAME(S)
Assassin Bug
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
Rostrum
2
5 to 1
Mosquito
Stylets
Proboscis
Page
James Gathany
43
SPONGING MOUTHPARTS
INSECT NAME(S)
Housefly
vels
e
L
e
d
Gra
Proboscis
2
5 to 1
Labellum
(for sponging)
PiccoloNamek / CC BY-SA 3.0
OTHER (UNUSUAL OR NO MOUTHPARTS)
INSECT NAME(S)
Honeybee
Mandibles
(for chewing)
Other mouthparts
(for lapping up
liquids)
Page
Böhringer Friedrich / CC BY-SA 2.5
Questions for students:1. Did all of the insects have mouthparts? Yes/No If not, which one did not have mouthparts?
2. What type of mouthparts do you think are most effective? Why?
44

Education - Union Station

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