4-H MOTTO 4-H PLEDGE 4-H GRACE. Learn to do by doing. I pledge. My HEAD to clearer thinking, My HEART to greater loyalty, My HANDS to larger service,

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2 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 , info@4-h.sk.ca. Developed January Writer: Leanne Schinkel

3 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 Winging It Matching Wings Catching Insects Using Nets Building a Butterfly Garden Building a Food Chain Quick Facts! Insect Invasion Musical Insects Building an Aquatic Trap Franken-bugs Ant Kings and Queens Build Your Own Empire Drawing Butterflies and Moths Drawing Dragonflies Learning about Metamorphosis There s No Place Like Home Identifying Habitats Building a Home for a Caddisfly Larva A World of Insects... 39

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5 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? 1

6 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 2

7 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? 3

8 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? 4

9 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! 5

10 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? 6

11 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 7

12 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? 8

13 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. 9

14 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? 10

15 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? 11

16 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? 12

17 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). 13

18 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? 14

19 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 15

20 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? 16

21 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? 17

22 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? 18

23 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? 19

24 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? 20

25 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. 21

26 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. 22

27 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. 23

28 **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? 24

29 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. 25

30 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. 26

31 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. 27

32 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? 28

33 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. 29

34 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. 30

35 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. 31

36 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? 32

37 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? 33

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39 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: 35

40 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? 36

41 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. 37

42 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? 38

43 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? 39

44 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? 40

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