FIRST BUG JOURNAL ENTRY

 IT'S THE FIRST ENTRY OF THE ONLINE BUG JOURNAL!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YhLZKTUeQpc

In Biology 1 2019-2020 we will be learning more about native insects and spiders! This will be a year-long challenge, and the winner will receive a prize! More details will be updated in the future.

A note to everyone: This is an extra credit project.

A note to the procrastinators: This is an extra credit project.  There are two important notes about that statement. This assignment is NOT GRADED, and it is a PROJECT. The submission criteria for the final collection will be available at a later date, but if you want the extra credit for the extra work, then actually do the extra work.

What You'll Need

  • Glass jar with lid (Boil the label off to get a clear viewing jar July 2)

  • Cotton balls or paper towels

  • Isopropyl alcohol (abbreviated as iPrOH)

  • Insect or spider guide (see instructions for borrowing my field guide. It's helpful but far from all-encompassing. Try https://www.insectidentification.org/)

  • Entomology pins (#0 is for the smallest bugs #3 is for the larger bugs) To get started purchase #1 and #4 pins (Available on Amazon July 2).

  • Foreceps

  • Thick foam board

  • Box cutter

  • Display case (optional, but come on... you know you want an amazing bug collection to show off)

    • By the way, Hobby Lobby has 50% off shadow boxes. As I create my collection I'll post updates on how the shadow box is working out for me.

  • Alternative to display case:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G4h6B-nAOhQ 

Borrowing the teacher's field guide:

I will be using The National Audubon Society's Field Guide to Insects and Spiders to identify the insects and spiders that I collect. You may use my copy during your breaks upon request. Requests must be submitted by 20:00 (8:00pm) the night before class. This book cannot be taken home with the student.

Challenge Guidelines:

Step 1) Track your data using this excel sheet. Follow the instructions in the Teacher tab https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X0y5K23YTH0e0S5f_8OMwnswV9AZow0PvGqgW_-9iNs/edit#gid=0


Entry #1

Four Toothed Mason Wasp

Latitude: 35º27'56.1ºN

Longitude: 84º44'28.2ºW

Date Caught: 6/14/19

Scientific Name: Monobia quadridens

Details: 2cm long, elbowed antannae, short waist between thorax and abdomen. Black w/ 1 cream stripe on abodmen, one cream stripe on thorax, and two diagonal stripes caudal to head. Caught in Athens, TN.


Entry #2

American House Spider

Latitude: 35º27'56.1ºN

Longitude: 84º44'28.2ºW

Date Caught: 6/14/19

Scientific Name: Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Details: 5 mm long brown legs with darker jointed appendages. Caught indoors in Athens, TN.


Entry #3

Carpenter Bee

Latitude: 35º27'56.1ºN

Longitude: 84º44'28.2ºW

Date Caught: 6/14/19

Scientific Name: Xylocopa sulcapites

Details: 2.5 cm long body w/ fuzzy thorax and fuzzy cranial portion of abdomen. Fuzzy legs. The fuzz is a light brown on body and black on the legs. Brown wings. Caught in Athens, TN.


Entry #4

Cuckoo Wasp

Latitude: 35º27'56.1ºN

Longitude: 84º44'28.2ºW

Date Caught: 6/14/19

Scientific Name:

Details: Iridescent green/blue with elbowed antennae. 1.25 cm body length. Caught indoors in Athens, TN.
Location: Tennessee, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Baby Butt Paste Recipe

Image
 I need a place to write down my recipe so that I don't forget it, so into the ecology journal it goes! It worked out really nicely and is the perfect consistency.  Ingredients: 2/3 cup coconut oil 1/2 cup zinc oxide powder 1/4 cup shea butter 1/4 cup mango butter 1/4 cup beeswax 3 droppers of carrot seed oil Directions: Melt ingredients in a double boiler Let set Rub on baby's butt
Read more

Tortoise Skeleton Rearticulation and new Aquarium.

Image
  Tortoise Re-articulation My friend rescued a tortoise and gave her a beautiful home. Unfortunately, Tippee had not been cared for properly prior to Dinah's rescue, and she became very sick within a few months of Dinah having her. Dinah had never had a pet die before, and it was really hard on her. She trusted me to bury Tippee and gave me permission to keep the skeleton once it was ready. On Sep 9th (2023), Dinah brought me Tippee's body. I held onto her for a while because Dinah kept checking to make sure she was really dead. After about 12 hours I put her in the freezer, then buried her once I had a chance, with some purple mums because she loved eating flowers.  A few months ago I pulled Tippee's body back out of the dirt. The flowers had been long gone since the winter froze them, and the skeleton was well preserved. I didn't consider that the shell could be several bones articulated together like a skull, or that the skull of the tortoise itself would be made up ...
Read more

August 27th, 2022

Image
I have a few biology projects currently ongoing, some entomology-related, some plant, some amphibian. My specimen collection is growing Yellowstriped Armyworm June 17th - armyworm caterpillar found eating my taro. Captured and kept in a glass jar of substrate and fed taro + monstera leaves. (top two pictures) July 6th - armyworm grew to 4.5cm and turned green, then dug itself into the substrate to pupate (middle left picture) July 9th - I dug it up, incorrectly assuming that it would already be a pupa. Instead it was shriveled down to about 2cm and looking pretty gnarly. (middle photo) July 11th - It successfully pupated despite my intrusions and was transferred into the butterfly enclosure. (middle right photo) July 24th - We have a moth! It lets me hold it. It never once flew away from me. (lower two photos) July 29th - Wow, it already died. I was going to give it a different fruit every day of its celebate life but I guess grape, orange, and apple is the most that an armyworm m...
Read more