4-h motto · 2014. 2. 14. · 4-h motto learn to do by doing. 4-h pledge i pledge my head to...
TRANSCRIPT
4-H MOTTO
Learn to do by doing.
4-H PLEDGE
I pledge
My HEAD to clearer thinking,
My HEART to greater loyalty,
My HANDS to larger service,
My HEALTH to better living,
For my club, my community and my country.
4-H GRACE (Tune of Auld Lang Syne)
We thank thee, Lord, for blessings great
On this, our own fair land.
Teach us to serve thee joyfully,
With head, heart, health and hand.
This project was developed through funds provided by the Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program
(CAAP). No portion of this manual may be reproduced without written permission from the Saskatchewan
4-H Council, phone 306-933-7727, email: [email protected]. Developed January 2013.
Writer: Leanne Schinkel
Table of Contents
Be ‘Bug’ Smart – Stay Safe! ............................................................................................................................ 1
Starting Your Field Notebook ....................................................................................................................... 2
Practicing with a Dichotomous Key ............................................................................................................ 4
Drawing Beetles ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Picturesque Descriptions Game ................................................................................................................... 7
How to Build a Simple Pitfall Trap .............................................................................................................. 9
Matching Mouthparts ...................................................................................................................................... 11
“Winging It” – Matching Wings ................................................................................................................... 12
Catching Insects Using Nets .......................................................................................................................... 13
Building a Butterfly Garden ........................................................................................................................... 15
Building a Food Chain ..................................................................................................................................... 17
Quick Facts! ......................................................................................................................................................... 18
Insect Invasion .................................................................................................................................................... 19
Musical Insects ................................................................................................................................................... 20
Building an Aquatic Trap ................................................................................................................................ 21
“Franken-bugs” ................................................................................................................................................... 25
Ant Kings and Queens – Build Your Own Empire ................................................................................. 27
Drawing Butterflies and Moths .................................................................................................................... 29
Drawing Dragonflies ......................................................................................................................................... 31
Learning about Metamorphosis .................................................................................................................. 33
There’s No Place Like Home – Identifying Habitats ............................................................................. 35
Building a Home for a Caddisfly Larva ...................................................................................................... 37
A World of Insects ............................................................................................................................................. 39
1
Ento
mo
logy
Be ‘Bug’ Smart – Stay Safe!
Time: One to two hours
What you will learn
The importance of staying safe while observing insects.
An overview of which insect species to observe from a safe distance.
What you need
Insect field guide
Websites
Instructions
Insects have many ways of defending themselves from predators, including stinging or
biting. The more you know about biting or stinging insects in your area before going out
and exploring, the less likely you will be to have an unfortunate encounter with an insect
who thinks you are a predator and has no choice but to defend itself.
Find images and make your own descriptions of what you think are the top five most
common biting or stinging insects in your area. Be prepared to present your findings in a
creative way to your club. Consider treating these insects as if they are on a ‘Most Wanted’
fugitive list. They are armed and dangerous, and should only be observed from a distance.
Include in your presentation what you think would be the safest way to observe these insects
(e.g. From what distance is it safe to observe them?)
Discussion
The purpose of this exercise is to learn respect for insects, not to fear them.
Did your audience learn how to respectfully observe the habits of these
insects? Do they still see them as valuable living beings that must simply be
observed with caution?
What are some common mistakes people make that may lead to getting
bitten or stung? What can you do to avoid getting bitten or stung?
How has this activity helped you explore the world of insects more safely?
2
Ento
mo
logy
Starting Your Field Notebook
Time: About 30 minutes (You will also update as necessary throughout the project.)
What you will learn
Learning about insects requires learning a lot of new words and concepts as well as keeping
track of the insects you have observed, where you have observed them and any special
behaviours you might have noticed. This is a lot of information. It’s best to keep it recorded
all in one place. A field notebook is a record of the new knowledge presented to you, as well
as all the new things you see along your way.
What you need
Small, hardy notebook (should be somewhat weather resistant if possible e.g. hardcover)
Pencil or pen
Ruler
Instructions
First thing’s first. Once you’ve bought an appropriate notebook, ensure that your name is on
the front cover or first page. You don’t want to misplace your notebook after putting so
much effort into recording all your findings. Secondly, remember to put the date on the top
of every page you fill out, as the information you gather may change with the seasons.
Different insects appear at different times of the year, keeping track of which ones you see,
and when, will help you see a pattern later on. The information you choose to include in your
field notebook is largely up to you or your club leader who may require something specific.
Here are some suggestions for what to keep in your field notebook:
Throughout this project’s reference book there are many italicized words that may be
new to you. Write these words in your field notebook and look up their meaning. This
way, you are creating your own dictionary for all of the new words you learn along the
way, and it’s easier to remember them this way.
It’s important to try drawing some of the insects you find. If they move too quickly
and you can’t get a good look, using words to describe them is fine (e.g. red beetle
with black spots on its wings, small, seen flying onto a flower). If you do happen to
catch one with the assistance of your club leader, try making simple sketches of what
they look like. Do they have long legs? Short legs? Long antennae? Obvious wings?
What colour are they? Where was the insect found? Do you think it belongs on land
3
Ento
mo
logy
or in the water? These are all important observations. Try to write down or draw as
much as possible!
Remember, if you’re making observations as best you can, there are no wrong answers. This
is your own personal guide made by you, for you, to help you learn!
Discussion
Why do you think it’s important to keep a record of all the observations you make?
Brainstorm some other things you can write in your notebook to help you
remember things you learn or insects you observe. Do you think you learn
better by writing notes, making drawings, or both?
Discuss with your club members what they look forward to observing most.
Are you excited to make notes about butterfly wings or make notes about
interesting behaviour you might notice? What are your favourite insects that
you look forward to writing about?
4
Ento
mo
logy
Practicing with a Dichotomous Key
Time: 30 minutes to an hour
What you will learn
How to identify insects using the simple key in our reference book.
What you need
A copy of the key in your 4-H Entomology Reference Book
Your field notebook
Either a real insect, or a picture or model of an insect clearly showing all of the parts
Instructions
1. Find an insect specimen and place it in an area where it can be easily observed. If it
is a live specimen, a clear container with holes punched in the lid by your club
leader should provide a clear viewing area.
2. Observe the features of the insect specimen paying close attention to the number
of limbs, colour, size, presence or absence of wings, etc.
3. Follow the instructions provided in the reference book key to identify the specimen
to order level, making note of any other insects in that order (i.e. if your specimen is
an ant, remember that bees and wasps also belong to this same group). Remember
to write down the steps you take in the key in your field notebook. This way if you
accidentally make a mistake, (This is okay. You will get better with practice.) you can
work backwards and see where that mistake was made.
4. Have your club leader check your final guess to see if you are correct.
Discussion
Are there any insects mentioned in the key you have never heard of before? If
so, find pictures of these insects in books or on websites, and draw or print and
paste them into your field notebook to help you remember what they look like.
Have your fellow club members heard of all of these kinds of insects?
Did you have any trouble using the key? Why or why not?
What improvements would you make to this key to make it easier to understand?
5
Ento
mo
logy
Drawing Beetles
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
While drawing the basic body plan of a beetle, learn how to focus first on the important
features (head, abdomen, legs, wings, antennae) and keep practicing until you can
successfully add as much detail as you like.
What you need
Your field notebook
A pencil
A beetle (again, either a real specimen or a picture)
Instructions
1. First, you must find the beetle you want to draw. If this is your first attempt at
drawing a beetle, it might be easier to find a picture of a beetle, as it’s always much
harder to draw something that’s moving around.
2. Start by drawing the body (is the beetle rounded or more square?).
3. Once you have drawn the body, the head can follow (Does it stick out past the
body? Does the beetle appear to have a ‘neck’ or is the head difficult to tell apart
from the body?) Don’t worry about adding in details just yet. We’ll add in the other
parts first.
4. A beetle’s body wouldn’t go very far without its legs, so these should be drawn in
next. Remember that beetles have six legs. When you’re just beginning to draw
beetles, just try to draw the basic shape of the legs (Are they very rounded? Or
square? Do they have large claws at the end of their legs or are they blunt?)
5. Now that our beetle has a body, a head and legs on which to move about, it needs
a way of finding out where it’s going.
6. The final step is to draw in the antennae (Are these short or long? What shape are
they? Like a thread or do they branch off into different pieces?) Once you get better
at drawing beetles, you can include details like how many segments the antennae
are made of, or how many segments the legs have. But don’t worry about that until
you’ve mastered the basics!
6
Ento
mo
logy
7. Once you’ve learned how to draw a beetle, remember to label its parts. Include a
description of those parts (e.g. black legs, green body, very long and thin antennae, etc.)
Discussion
What was the hardest part about drawing your first beetle?
What can you do if some parts of the beetle you are drawing are hard to see?
If you had the chance to draw the same beetle again, what would you change
about your diagram?
7
Ento
mo
logy
Picturesque Descriptions Game
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
How to draw a beetle based on a description and how to accurately describe a beetle to
someone who hasn’t seen it.
What you will need
Your field notebook
A pencil
A beetle (either a real specimen or a picture)
At least three other club members
Instructions
1. Once your group has obtained a beetle specimen, only one person is allowed to see
it. This first group member has one minute to write a description of the beetle that
they see. This group member should focus on writing as thorough a description as
possible – include as much detail as you can.
2. After one minute, group member one will pass his/her description over to group
member two.
3. Group member two will then try to draw the beetle described in one minute. The
quality of the description provided by group member one will help group member
two draw the best possible representation of the actual beetle specimen, which only
group member one has seen.
4. After one minute, group member two passes only his/her drawing (not the
description from group member one) to group member three.
5. Group member three then writes a description of the beetle based on the drawing
provided by group member two in one minute’s time.
6. After one minute, the fourth and final group member retrieves only the description
provided by group member three, and draws a diagram based on this description.
7. After one minute is up, group member four reveals the final drawing, which is then
compared to the original beetle specimen. If all of the group members provided
detailed descriptions or drawings, the final result should resemble the original
specimen. It’s not easy to get this much information across only one minute at a
8
Ento
mo
logy
time, so be patient and remember to have fun! You might get some silly results, but
that’s okay. This game helps with learning how to take more descriptive notes and
make more accurate drawings. Once you’ve finished one round, feel free to try it
again with another beetle specimen.
Discussion
Were your final drawings very different from the original specimen? Why or
why not?
Look back from the final drawing to the first description. Were there any
noticeable misunderstandings somewhere?
Did you learn how to improve your descriptions or drawings from this
exercise? How?
9
Ento
mo
logy
How to Build a Simple Pitfall Trap
Time: Half an hour building time – traps should be checked after 24 hours.
What you will learn
How to catch terrestrial insects like beetles or ants safely.
What you need
A plastic container like a plastic cup or jar
A trowel
A plastic funnel or a flexible material shaped into a funnel
Some dog food, cat food, sugar or honey to use as bait
Your field notebook
Instructions
1. First, check the weather forecast and ensure there will be no rainfall within the next three
days. This will help you trap living specimens – you don’t want to drown any insects.
2. Next, take your plastic container and funnel and find an area outside that you have
easy access to but won’t be disturbed by other people. Your own backyard is
usually the best place to start.
3. Use your trowel to dig a hole in the ground about the same shape and depth as
your plastic cup. Try digging in a shady, quiet spot.
4. Place your plastic cup into the hole and pat the soil down around it so that the top
of the container is flush with the land around it. It’s very important that the lip of
the plastic container should not rise above the level of the land.
5. Once you are satisfied, bait your trap with dog or cat food if you are looking for
ground beetles, or honey or another sweet bait if you are looking for ants. Only a
little bit of bait is necessary (four or five pieces of cat or dog kibble, or half a
teaspoon of sugar or honey).
6. Finally, place the funnel on top of the trap. The funnel should also be flush with the
surrounding land. The trap works by enticing insects with the smell of food, and as
they come to investigate, they slide down the funnel into the container below
ground, unable to escape until the trap is checked.
10
Ento
mo
logy
7. It’s important to write in your field notebook where you set your trap so you don’t
forget! Once the trap is set, it can be left for up to 24 hours. Insects left for too long
can starve.
8. Around the 24-hour mark, return to your trap and carefully check to see if anything
has fallen in. If not, the trap can be reset (bait renewed and checked again in
another 24 hours). If there is an insect present, carefully remove the jar or cup,
keeping the funnel overtop to prevent the insect from escaping.
9. Congratulations! You now have a ground dwelling specimen to identify, describe
and draw in your field notebook. Make sure to release the specimen where you
found it once you have finished describing it. Never keep a living specimen longer
than an hour as this may stress it out.
Discussion
Did your trap work after the first 24 hours? Why do you think so?
What conditions do you think impact the effectiveness of pitfall traps (e.g.
temperature, time of year, weather, etc.)?
Why do you think it’s important to release insects back into the wild where
you found them once you have finished observing them?
11
Ento
mo
logy
Matching Mouthparts
Time: Half an hour to an hour
What you will learn
The differences in mouthparts belonging to insects that are herbivores and those that are
carnivores.
What you will need
Your Entomology Project Reference Book
Your field notebook
A pencil
Instructions
Look at the picture below. Pay close attention to the mouthparts of this insect. Do you think these are the mouthparts of a predator or of an insect that feeds on plant parts or nectar? Describe what kind of insect you think this is, including any diagrams you want to include.
Discussion
Could these be the mouthparts of a butterfly? Why or why not?
Compare your answers with your club members. Are they the same or
different than yours? Why or why not?
Have you ever seen living insects with mouthparts like these? If so, where and
what did the rest of the insect look like?
12
Ento
mo
logy
“Winging It” – Matching Wings
Time: About half an hour
What you will learn
How to identify the differences between major groups of insects just by examining their
wing shape.
What you need
Your Entomology Project Reference Book
Your field notebook
A pencil
Instructions
Look closely at the pictures of insect wings below. Each one belongs to an a) Beetle, b)
Butterfly or c) Dragonfly. Can you guess which one is which?
Discussion
Check your answers with your fellow club members. Did you make the same
guesses? Why or why not?
Explain why you made your guesses and have them checked by a club leader.
Were you right?
Which wing was the hardest to guess?
13
Ento
mo
logy
Catching Insects Using Nets
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
Under the instruction of your club leader, you will learn how to use a butterfly net to capture
butterflies, moths, dragonflies or damselflies and carefully examine them.
What you will need
A lightweight butterfly net with at least a diameter of 12 inches
Your field notebook
A pencil
A ruler
A clear and clean container with a lid that has had small air holes punched into it
Instructions
1. Under the supervision of your club leader or another adult, go outside on a warm
sunny day and find a spot where there are a lot of flowers. A meadow or garden will
do (ensure you have permission to be there). Catching flying insects can be
frustrating as many of them move very quickly. Remember to be patient. Don’t
focus all of your energy on catching insects – remember to observe them and your
surroundings too. Also, be gentle when trying to catch them. Don’t hurt
surrounding plants, and definitely don’t hurt the insects you are trying to capture.
Use long, broad sweeps of the net to capture your specimens. It’s almost always
futile to chase after insects you are trying to capture because they can most
certainly fly faster than you can run. Rather, wait in one spot for an insect to land
near you then try your best to gently capture it with your net.
2. If you happen to catch a specimen in your net, ask your club leader or an adult to
help you move it into your clear container. Gently set the net overtop of the
container and coax the insect into the jar, always remembering that insects are
extremely fragile. Once the insect is in the jar, replace the lid quickly, and enjoy
observing what you have caught.
3. Make notes in your field notebook about insect type, colour and size (try using your
ruler to measure the length of the body, or length of the wings and record your
measurements).
14
Ento
mo
logy
4. Once you have made your observations, remember to release your insect; never
keep an insect captive longer than one hour.
Discussion
Compare the different insects you caught with your fellow club members. Is
there a particular flying insect that seems common in the area?
Do you find capturing insects with a net difficult? Can you get any tips from
any club members that have had better luck? Don’t be afraid to ask for help!
After focusing on catching flying insects, did you start to notice more of them
around you?
15
Ento
mo
logy
Building a Butterfly Garden
Time: Half an hour to an hour
What you will learn
Even a small garden with flowering plants can attract nectar feeders like butterflies,
especially if you use fragrant or attractive flowers.
What you will need
Your Entomology Project Reference Book
Your field notebook
A pencil
The tools to build a butterfly garden: flowerpot, trowel, soil and flowering plant seeds
Instructions
1. First, do some research online to find out what types of flowers will both attract
butterflies and thrive in your type of climate. In your notebook, write down a list of
flowers you’d like to grow and take it with you to a local greenhouse or garden
centre. Sometimes you can find seed packs that are actually mixed with butterflies
in mind. Ask a clerk to help you find the right mix for you.
2. Once you’ve chosen your seeds, it’s time to choose the location for your butterfly
garden. Make sure to choose a spot with plenty of sun that has access to the
outdoors. A patio or balcony works well.
3. Fill your flowerpot just over three quarters of the way with soil or peat moss using
your trowel.
4. Sprinkle in your flowering plant seeds according to the package instructions, being
careful not to overplant.
5. Cover your seeds with a very thin layer of soil and water. Remember to water your
plants regularly, according to their requirements.
6. Once the plants have grown and started to flower, keep regular watch to see if you
have any insect visitors. Remember to take notes on any insects that you see, as
certain species of butterflies are attracted to particular species of flowering plants.
You can use your notes to decide if there is a particular butterfly or insect species
that seems to prefer your plant. If your plant doesn’t attract the insects you want,
don’t despair; take time to experiment with different plant types if you can and
16
Ento
mo
logy
different locations for your flowerpot. Another option is to plant a few different
plants in a few different flowerpots. If you have the space and the resources, why
not? Just make sure you can keep up with watering and monitoring your many
butterfly gardens.
Discussion
Why do you think certain species of insects are attracted to certain species of
plants?
Which plant do you think is more likely to attract more insects, one with a
large flower or one with a small flower, and why?
Besides collecting nectar, what else do insects do when they visit flowers?
17
Ento
mo
logy
Building a Food Chain
Time: Half an hour to an hour
What you will learn
The important roles different kinds of insects play as predators or prey.
What you will need
Multiple small pieces of paper (enough that each member of the club has a piece)
A hat or container to put them in.
Instructions
1. Label each piece of paper with one of the following:
Flower Ant Mosquito
Butterfly Predacious beetle Dragonfly
Bird
2. Each member of the club begins by picking a piece of paper at random out of the
hat or container. The piece of paper determines what animal each club member is.
3. Now, the group has to place themselves into a food chain. Begin by discussing
what role each animal plays in an ecosystem, and place predators near one end
and plants and grazers at the other.
4. Once the chain is formed, each member must announce his or her role in the food
chain.
5. This game can also be treated as a race. The club can be divided into two teams,
and whichever team builds their food chain correctly the fastest, wins. To add a
further challenge, a ‘wild’ card can be put into circulation. Whoever picks this card
must make up his or her own link in the food chain (e.g. honeybee).
Discussion
Did you notice the connections between links? Would a predator have a food
source if one of the bottom links were missing?
Is there more than one correct order to a food chain?
Is there a link in the chain that you think is more important than the others, or
is each link equally as important?
18
Ento
mo
logy
Quick Facts!
Time: Half an hour to an hour
What you will learn
Some new quick facts about insects that you didn’t know before.
What you will need
Websites
Insect field guides
Your Entomology Project Reference Book
Your field notebook
A pencil
Instructions
This is a game the whole club can participate in.
1. Divide the club members into two teams.
2. Your club leader will decide the topic for the game (e.g. bees, butterflies, or aquatic
insects, etc.)
3. Each group then has five minutes to find five facts about that topic using an insect
field guide or the Internet if needed.
4. The group leader then asks each team a question about the facts that the opposing
team submitted. For each correct answer provided, the team gets one point, for a
maximum of five points per round (the number of facts may be increased to
increase difficulty).
Discussion
What were the hardest questions asked? What were the answers?
Did you learn anything new you didn’t know about the chosen topic before?
19
Ento
mo
logy
Insect Invasion
Time: Half to a full day
What you will learn
What are the invasive insect species in your area of Canada and how did they get there?
What you will need
Websites
Insect manual
Field notebook
Instructions
1. Invasive or non-native insect species are very common. Spend a day researching
the invasive insect species present in your province. Find out the following and
write everything in your field notebook:
The name of the species
What order it belongs in
How it came to Canada
Where it came from
How common it is
Have there been any negative consequences associated with its presence
(outcompeting native species for food/habitat)
Etc.
2. Be prepared to make a presentation about your invasive insect species to the other
club members. Try to bring in a picture or model of the insect you chose, in case
someone has never seen one before. Find out as much about your insect as you can.
Discussion
Was it difficult finding information about invasive insect species in your area?
Did you know about the insect species you chose to research before you took part
in this project?
Can you think of any ways to control the population of your invasive insect,
other than extermination?
20
Ento
mo
logy
Musical Insects
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
Many species of insects make noises to attract mates, frighten predators or establish their
territory. How many musical insects can you hear around you?
What you will need
Your field notebook
A website with different insect sounds in your area
Instructions
Choose a time of day to go outside and listen carefully. Take notes on any of the strange
sounds you hear; try to describe them the best that you can. How many of these sounds do
you think are being produced by insects? Experiment by going out at different times of the
day. Do you hear different sounds? Walk towards the sources of the sounds and see if they
change as you approach. Record everything you hear (or think you hear) in your field
notebook.
When you get back inside, use the Internet to try and find the sources of the sounds you
heard. This can be difficult; it’s hard to describe a sound and everyone has different
descriptions of sounds, but it will be very rewarding to discover the musical insect behind
each sound you hear. Record your findings and share them with your club.
Discussion
Why would you hear different insects calling at different times during the day?
How do you think insects make these sounds?
Did the sounds change as you approached the source? Why do you think this
happened?
Was it easy to find the insects online making the noises you heard? Why or
why not?
Did a lot of your club members come up with similar sounds and/or insects?
Why do you think that is?
21
Ento
mo
logy
Building an Aquatic Trap
Time: Half hour to an hour of building time (The trap should be checked after 24 hours.)
What you will learn
How to safely capture and study insects from still water habitats (i.e. lakes and wetlands).
What you will need
A metre long pole (preferably plastic)
A clear jar
A plastic funnel
Thin and flexible wire
Duct tape
Four metal S-hooks
Two elastic bands
Flagging tape
Small net or sieve
A plastic pail (ice cream buckets work well)
Your field notebook
A pencil
Rubber boots (recommended when working around water)
Instructions
Are there nearby still water areas you suspect might be rich in insect life? Take note of these
areas and their depth. Make sure they have an approachable shore and a fairly shallow
bottom (no more than half a metre – you don’t want to go for a swim while setting your
traps). Once you have a location picked out, you can begin building your aquatic insect trap.
Building your trap
1. Start by loosely wrapping some wire around the mouth of your jar. Wrap the wire
around at least four times, ensuring it’s tight enough to not fall off the lip of the
jar, but loose enough that two metal S-hooks will be able fit between the lip of the
jar and the edge of the wire (you will be hanging the S-hooks from the wire later
on). Leave the two ends of the wire free and dangling at least four inches down
either side of the jar. Once this is done, tape the loose ends of the wire down with
duct tape. This will help keep the wire in place.
22
Ento
mo
logy
2. Next, tie two S-hooks to each of the elastic bands. The S-hooks should be on either
end of the elastic band. Then, hook one S-hook from each elastic band to the wire
around the lip of the jar, and the other S-hook around the lip of the funnel, which
should sit with the funnel pointing downwards into the jar.
3. Finally, either duct tape your jar to the metre-long pole or use both wire and duct
tape to tie your trap to the pole (you can fiddle with the two combinations and try
to set your jar either horizontally or vertically on the pole).
Note: your trap will be sitting with the open end of the funnel pointing towards the
ground, and the bottom of the jar facing upwards. Ensure that your trap is placed
about the middle of your pole so that the whole trap will be submerged when it is
placed in the body of water.
4. Now you’re ready to put your trap in the water. Go out to your chosen body of
water and gently fill the trap with water before pushing the pole into the muddy
bottom. Your trap should stand up on its own near the edge of the wetland (where
you can easily reach it) with the jar suspended just above the sediment.
23
Ento
mo
logy
Checking your trap
After 24 hours your trap will be ready to be checked. Bring a small net or sieve and a shallow pail.
1. First, add some water to your pail and leave it on shore.
2. Then, gently remove the trap from the water, first by removing the pole from the
muddy bottom and rotating the trap in the water slightly before lifting it up from
the water.
3. Bring the trap onto land and drain it into your sieve or net.
4. Now quickly but gently empty the contents of your net or sieve into your bucket.
5. Observe any moving life forms. Can you observe any insects? Any non-insects?
6. Be sure to write down descriptions of the creatures you find, and draw them if you
can, in your field notebook. Identify them using your insect guide or a website and
be ready to share your findings with your club.
24
Ento
mo
logy
**Always make sure you gently release your specimens back into the wetland where you
found them once you have finished studying them.
Discussion
How well did your trap work? Are there any improvements in trap design or
location you could make?
What was the most common insect type you found in your trap?
How do you think this kind of trap works? Why do the insects get caught in
the jar?
Did your fellow club members find similar insects? Why or why not?
25
Ento
mo
logy
“Franken-bugs”!
Time: One to two hours
What you will learn
We have learned that different insects have incredibly beneficial adaptations to their
environments, but they also have weaknesses. For example, beetles have traded in their
transparent, thin forewings for hard armour-like ones. This offers them greater protection,
but leaves many of them without the power of flight. Existing in nature is all about
balancing these trade-offs. What do you think the ultimate ‘bug’ would look like?
What you will need
A collection of pictures from magazines or websites of different insects
Scissors
Construction paper (or you can use your field notebook)
A glue stick
Instructions
1. Use magazines and/or websites to find pictures of all different kinds of insects.
2. Cut or print them out and spread them on the floor in front of you. Look at your
collection, paying special attention to any unique parts (large wings, small legs,
oddly shaped bodies or whatever catches your eye).
3. Start selecting the parts of certain insects you like best – only picking one part from
each insect. Pick what you think would be the best head, the strongest body, the
most useful wings (if you want wings), unique antennae, legs and any other feature
you want to be part of your “Franken-bug”.
4. Once you have the parts of your perfect insect, start gluing them all together either
on a sheet of construction paper or in your field notebook.
5. Once you’ve built your very own unique creation, write out a short description of
why you chose the parts of insects that you did to build your new creature. You can
even give it a name.
6. Don’t forget to show off your amazing new creature to your fellow club members.
26
Ento
mo
logy
Discussion
What types of insects did you take the parts from for your new insect? Why?
What are the functions of those parts on the original insects?
Does your new insect have any weaknesses? How could it survive in the wild?
Where would it live? What would it eat?
Imagine the predators your new insect might have to face and how it would
protect itself from these predators.
27
Ento
mo
logy
Ant Kings and Queens – Build Your Own Empire
Time: One to two hours
What you will learn
Ant colonies can be massive and require a lot of coordination between all ranks of ants in
order to gather enough food, look after young and generally survive day to day. Do you
have what it takes to be an ant ruler?
What you will need
Your field notebook
A pencil
Your imagination
An ant website or insect field guide is recommended, but not required
Instructions
In your Entomology Project Reference Book we learned that ants are social creatures and
most species build anthills with many rooms and chambers to house the queen ant, food
and the young. In this exercise, imagine that you are a ruler of your very own ant empire.
1. Begin by drawing a floor plan for your empire. The architecture can be as simple or as
complex as you desire. Think of how large (how many subjects) you’d like your empire
to be and think of how much space will be needed to accommodate everyone.
2. Specify how many workers you will have and the roles of each.
3. Label each chamber with a name and its purpose. Feel free to get creative. Maybe
you would like chambers that are full of all your favourite foods, video games or
activities. Remember though, that you are in charge of your subjects and also need
to provide areas for them to eat, thrive and be happy too.
For advanced learners
1. Research ant colonies and build your colony according to a common ant species.
2. Research the roles of different workers around the colony and the roles of colony
defenders.
3. Provide the most realistic representation of an ant colony that you can, based on
research online or from insect field guides.
28
Ento
mo
logy
Discussion
What are some of the challenges you think you would face as an ant ruler?
What kind of habitat would you choose in which to build your colony?
Describe some features of the land and plants around your empire and why
you chose this area.
What are some similarities between an ant empire and human rulers and their
societies? What are some differences?
29
Ento
mo
logy
Drawing Butterflies and Moths
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
Practice drawing the basic body plan of a butterfly or moth. Learn how to focus first on the
important features (wing shape, colours, patterns) and building up to adding as much detail
as you like.
What you will need
Your field notebook
Pencil
Pencil crayons
A ruler
A live specimen or a picture of a butterfly or moth
Instructions
When drawing butterflies, the focus should be on the size and shape of the wings, the colours
present and any obvious colour patterns. Some species of moths and butterflies have
characteristic bodies that are thick or thin, hairy or colourful. You can practice drawing these
too, and taking notes, but the majority of butterfly identification comes from looking at the
wings, so make sure you focus first on drawing and colouring in your butterfly’s patterns.
1. Notice that butterflies have two sets (four in total) of wings. Sometimes, the hind
wings may be larger than the front wings. If you want to make sure you get the
proportions right on your butterfly wings, try using a ruler to measure the length
and width of each wing and compare the front wings to the back wings.
2. Once you have drawn an outline of the wings onto a basic butterfly body, start
paying close attention to the pattern on the butterfly’s wings. Some of the most
important things to draw, if present, are eyespots (if you are unsure of what
eyespots are, review Unit Two of your Entomology Project Reference Book, or check
the Glossary). Make sure you draw an accurate representation of the size of the
eyespots on the wings and where they are located.
3. Then draw or colour any other distinctive patterns of the butterfly wing. If you
notice that the butterfly seems to shimmer in the light, be sure to make a note of
this in your field notebook, as that shimmering effect is hard to draw.
30
Ento
mo
logy
4. Lastly, you can draw in your butterfly’s legs. These are not often used in the
identification of species, so you can leave them out when you’re just practicing the
basic body plan.
5. Now compare your butterfly or moth drawing with other club members’, and
remember that practice makes perfect. Your first drawing might need some
improvements. Just take note of them and try again. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s
sometimes easy to overlook colours and patterns when you’re learning, especially if
they’re very subtle; just do the best you can and have fun.
Discussion
What is the most distinctive feature of your butterfly specimen? Did you
represent this well in your drawing?
Look at different butterfly specimens and drawings. What features are similar
among all of them? Which ones change?
What is your favourite butterfly or moth species? Try drawing it in your field
notebook paying special attention to drawing in your favourite details.
31
Ento
mo
logy
Drawing Dragonflies
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
Practice drawing the basic body plan of a dragonfly. Learn how to focus first on the
important features (wing shape, colours, patterns) and keep practicing until you can add as
much detail as you like.
What you will need
Your field notebook
Pencil
Pencil crayons
A ruler
A live specimen or a picture of a butterfly or moth
Instructions
1. Start by looking at a picture of a dragonfly or a live specimen. Observe the
elongated body and any colours or patterns on the body. You don’t have to focus
on the tiny details of the pattern on the body yet – you can start by drawing the
outline of the body first. Pay special attention to the size and shape of the eyes.
Dragonfly eyes are very large and close together, sometimes even touching at the
top of the head. If they are spread far apart, your specimen is probably not a
dragonfly. Look at the dichotomous key in Unit Three and try to identify what your
species might be. (It’s okay to draw the dragonfly’s close relative too – the
damselfly – but remember to make notes on the differences between these
specimens and dragonflies).
2. Notice that Dragonflies, like butterflies and moths, have four wings – two forewings
and two hind wings. Are the forewings the same size and shape as the hind wings?
Make sure you are careful to draw any differences between the forewings and the
hind wings.
3. Lastly, you can draw in your dragonfly’s legs. These are not often used in the
identification of species, so you can leave them out when you’re just practicing the
basic body plan.
32
Ento
mo
logy
4. Once you have finished drawing the outline of your dragonfly, colour in any
noticeable colours on its wings or body. Remember to be patient, take lots of notes
and have fun.
For advanced learners
The most important feature of dragonflies, in terms of identification, are the patterns on the
wings created by the wing veins. For an added challenge, try drawing in some of the major
veins (the veins that are thicker and darker than the others – if you can spot them.)
Discussion
What are the biggest differences between drawing butterflies and drawing
dragonflies? Can you tell them apart easily in your drawings?
What is the hardest part of a dragonfly to draw and why? (Remember to
practice drawing these parts the most!)
Now that you’ve learned how to draw beetles, butterflies and dragonflies,
which do you like drawing the most and why? What steps will you take to
improve your drawings?
33
Ento
mo
logy
Learning about Metamorphosis
Time: One to two hours
What you will learn
Watch your own butterfly change and grow through the amazing process of
metamorphosis!
What you will need
Pencil crayons or markers
Your Entomology Project Reference Book
A copy of the diagram on the following page
Instructions
Congratulations, you have just discovered a new species of butterfly. As an entomologist, your
job is to record this new insect's life cycle (drawn below). Start by appropriately labelling each
step of the butterfly life cycle and at the very end, colour in your adult butterfly including any
and all unique colours, shapes or patterns that are present on its wings or body. Make sure
you think about the purpose of the colours of your butterfly (e.g. bright wings to scare off
predators or dark wings to hide). Share your new butterfly with your club.
Discussion
What kind of habitat does your butterfly live in?
What purpose do the colours/patterns on its wings serve?
Compare your butterfly to the butterflies of the other club members. How is
yours similar or different?
34
Ento
mo
logy
35
Ento
mo
logy
There’s No Place Like Home – Identifying Habitats
Time: About an hour
What you will learn
Remember that different insects live in different habitats. In this exercise, you will learn how to
identify habitats as sources for different insect life based on the presence of certain land
features and specific vegetation.
What you will need
An image of a landscape
A marker
Your field notebook
Instructions
1. Look at the picture of a landscape provided by your group leader and identify the
different types of insect habitats that may be present (forest, wetland, grassland, etc.).
The landscape may be comprised of one type of habitat or many different kinds.
2. Circle the different habitats in your picture, labelling it with the habitat type.
3. Then, based on what you have learned about insects from your Entomology Project
Reference Book and from observing insects, record the kinds of insects you would
expect to see in each habitat.
Example:
36
Ento
mo
logy
Discussion
How many different types of insects could you think of for your landscape?
How does this compare to the other club members?
In the previous picture, are there any other habitat types that haven’t been
circled? What insect types could be found there? What insects could be
added to the wetland and grassland habitats?
Think of an agricultural landscape. What kinds of insects could you find there?
Would the insect types vary with the kind of crop planted?
37
Ento
mo
logy
Building A Home for a Caddisfly Larva
Time: One to two hours
What you will learn
For case builders, building a secure but mobile home can make the difference between life
and death. Try your hand at building your own caddisfly case but be prepared to answer to
predators that will want to come and huff, puff and blow your house down. (To learn about
case builders, read Unit Four in your Entomology Project Reference Book.)
What you will need
A variety of craft materials including glue (a hot glue gun works best)
Popsicle sticks
Fabric pieces
Pebbles
Shells
Thread and/or rope
Your field notebook
A ruler
For a challenge, try using only naturally occuring materials like the real case builders would
like sticks, leaves, rocks, etc.
Instructions
1. Start by drawing out a blueprint of your caddisfly case in your field notebook.
2. Write an appropriate measure for how large/long you’d like your home to be
(suggested size – a minimum of six inches; real caddisflies generally build cases only
an inch long or less, but that’s far too small for us to build easily).
3. Make note of the shape of your home (rounded, square, spiral, flat, etc.) Remember
to be creative.
4. Include the materials you’ll be using and how many of each you’ll need.
5. Once you have a plan, start building, making adjustments as needed but trying to
stick to your original plans as much as possible.
38
Ento
mo
logy
Putting your home to the test
How would your case hold up in the face of danger? Try putting your house through a series
of tests. Firstly, can your home survive aquatic conditions like that of a real case builder? Try
dropping your case from a low height to test its strength. Have another group member
pretend to be a predator attempting to get into your case – can they find any weak spots in
your construction?
Discussion
Can you find information on what kind of caddisfly builds a case similar to the
one you have built for this exercise?
If a living caddisfly could inhabit your case, how big do you think it would
have to be? (Take measurements of the inside of your case).
If you could make changes to your casing, what would you change? Are you
happy with the materials you chose?
If this was a real caddisfly case, how do you think it would hold up against:
A giant predacious diving beetle?
A bird?
A fish?
A strong current or storm?
Pollution?
39
Ento
mo
logy
A World of Insects
Time: About two hours
What you will learn
Throughout your Entomology Project Reference Book, we have focused specifically on
Canadian insects, but there is enormous insect variety and diversity throughout the world.
This exercise aims to offer you a glimpse at the marvellous and incredible variety of insect
species present on our planet.
What you will need
Your field notebook
An insect field guide or textbook
Websites
Instructions
Find the following insects and record information about them in your field notebook,
including any other facts you find interesting:
1. What is the largest insect in the world?
2. What insect has the widest wingspan in the world?
3. What is the smallest insect in the world?
4. How many different kinds (species) of beetles are there in the world?
5. What is the rarest insect?
6. What insect has recently gone extinct?
7. What insect has the longest life span, and how long does it live?
8. Which insect was the most recently discovered? When was it discovered, and where?
9. What are two species of insects that live in caves?
10. What is the most venomous insect? Where does it live?
11. Are there any insects that people eat? What are they? Where are they found?
Would you ever eat one?
12. Which insects build the largest colonies, either in size or in population number?
13. What are two species of insects that live in the desert?
40
Ento
mo
logy
14. What do you think is the most useful and unique adaptation an insect can have?
15. Which insect species migrate and how far do they travel?
Discussion
Answer the questions above in regards to Canadian species of insects only.
How do they compare to other insects around the world?
Compare your answers to those of the other group members. Are all of your
answers the same? Why do you think this might be?
What was the most unexpected answer to the questions above?
3830 Thatcher Avenue Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7R 1A5
306-933-7727 • 306-933-7730 (fax) www.4-h.sk.ca • [email protected]