Insects

Most bugs live on land. To go bug collecting it is helpful to take gloves, an insect or butterfly net and an insect hut. Scientists who search for and collect insects are called entomologists. They work to identify new species, and study insect relationships with the rest of the natural world. To begin your study of entomology, you can make an insect hut from a small box or jar. Just cut off the top of the box and cover it with clear netting or other transparent material with air holes. If you use a glass jar, be sure you use a hammer and nail to make air holes in the jar’s metal top. Look for bugs on flowers, in the grass and under rocks and logs. Once you find them, put them in your insect hut with a bit of native material. Take a digital photo and make a drawing of each insect and attempt to look them up in the database. Find their species and label your drawing with the common name and the Latin name. If you cannot find your insect you can post it to the Encyclopedia of Life and see if it is a new or undiscovered species!

Be an entomologist!

Insects begin their life in eggs. As they grow, they grow through changes until they become an adult. These changes are called metamorphosis. All insects go through complete or incomplete metamorphosis. Dragonflies and grasshoppers go through incomplete metamorphosis. Incomplete metamorphosis begins with the egg. A nymph hatches out of the egg. The nymph looks exactly like the adult insect only smaller. As the nymph grows it outgrows and sheds or ‘molts’ its exoskeleton and grows a new one. It repeats this sequence several times until it reaches its adult size. Draw the three stages of a grasshopper.

Other bugs begin their life as an egg and go through complete metamorphosis or 4 stages of growth. Bees, ants, butterflies, beetles and flies begin as eggs, hatch into worms or larvae, then shed their skins and go through a pupae stage, and finally emerge as adults. Research butterfly metamorphosis and draw the four stages. Adopt a butterfly and spend 30 days monitoring its metamorphosis.

You may be surprised that although spiders are arthropods, they have eight legs, not six. This makes them their own special order of arthropod…called arachnids. Make a poster that shows an eight legged spider and then draw at least three more exotic insects, each with six jointed limbs. Explore the online databases or go to a local natural history museum. You will be amazed at the brilliance and unique coloring of insects.

Most insects live on land in places that give them nourishment and protection. Only 3% live on, and in, water. Insects need habitats just like humans! You can build an insect hotel to help insects thrive. Check out the University of Michigan’s Insect Home Instruction Guides to build your own insect homes. Make a chart of what insects live in what materials.Build an insect hotel! Take a picture and upload it to the Gallery.

• Insects species are the largest animal group.
  • true
  • false
• Insects begin their lives as an:
  • egg
  • seed
  • embryo
• Insects go through changes as they develop into adults called:
  • adolescence
  • puberty
  • metamorphosis
• The three basic body parts of an insect are?
  • head, abdomen, wings
  • head, thorax, abdomen
  • head, wings, jointed legs
• Insects have an inner skeleton.
  • true
  • false