Characteristics of insects Three part body – head, a thorax and an abdomen

Insects - Entomology The study of insects

What is an insect? Take 3 minutes to come up with a list of insects, and the characteristics of those insects. the things that make an insect an insect

Characteristics of insects Have an exoskeleton – made of chitin Hard, protective, doesn’t grow or change Three part body – head, a thorax and an abdomen

Several mouthparts – most have 3 pairs Three pairs of legs (adults) Sensory antennae Several mouthparts – most have 3 pairs specialized eating Three pairs of legs (adults) Specialized for walking, jumping, grabbing One or two pairs of wings Differing flying abilities

Metamorphosis Incomplete – the young resemble the adults except with different body proportions

Metamorphosis Complete – Larval stage looks much different than adults stage. Larval stage is focused on eating and growing. Adult stage is focused on dispersal and reproduction

Woolly Bear Caterpillar

Breathing Use muscle contraction to get the air in A series of tubes called the tracheal system and holes called spiracles for air intake Use muscle contraction to get the air in Oxygen moves into the cells via diffusion Effective for small animals, but not for anything much larger than an insect

Insect Societies – “Social Insects” Some insects form colonies – specifically societies Dependent on one another for survival Division of labor – different groups serve different purposes

Social Insects https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9cC01c-Zsoc

Why should we care about insects? How do they benefit humans? Take 2 minutes to discuss with someone nearby about how insects can be beneficial to humans.

Why should we care about insects? How do they benefit humans? Food – honey Insects are the primary source of protein in many places http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwC4WRKi5Q Y

Why should we care about insects? How do they benefit humans? Food – honey Insects are the primary source of protein in many places Pollination Critical for most of our food sources Silk – from the cocoons of the silk worm – up to ½ mile long Natural and Biological Control – mosquitos, wasp/gypsy

Why should we care about insects? How do they benefit humans? Aesthetics – some insects very pretty Drawn as art, used as art Products Dyes, Polishes, Bees wax Genetics Fruit flies used in genetic research because of quick reproduction rates and share 75% DNA with humans

Importance of Pollination https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIn_RXeTX9k&index=6&list=PLJ39N- 37UYoMphBeqF37ougsdbgqj87Vb

Colony Collapse Disorder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRGrI4AQG70 <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/zIn_RXeTX9k?list=PLJ39N- 37UYoMphBeqF37ougsdbgqj87Vb" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Other Arthropods Crayfish, lobsters, crabs, barnacles, spiders, ticks, daddy longlegs, millipedes, centipedes

Pinning Specifics Bees, wasps, flies, etc. — Pin through the thorax between bases of fore wings and slightly to right of middle line.

Pinning Specifics Butterflies, moths, dragonflies, etc. — Pin through center of thorax between the bases of forewings

Pinning Specifics True bugs — Pin through the scutellum, which is the triangular area between the bases of the wings

Pinning Specifics Grasshoppers, crickets, etc. — Pin through the prothorax or “saddle” slightly to the right of the center line

Pinning Specifics Beetles — Pin through the forepart of the right wing cover near the centerline