Insect Study Merit Badge

Transcription

1 Insect Study Merit Badge

2 Requirement 1 (a) Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards associated with exposure to ants and bees and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards. (b) Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could occur while working with ants and bees, including insect bites and anaphylactic shock.

3 (a) Explain to your counselor the most likely hazards associated with exposure to ants and bees and what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards. Ants, bees, and wasps can inflict painful, burning stings. Be careful around all of them, but be especially wary of fire ants and Africanized bees. Red imported fire ants build large dirt mounds that may house hundreds of thousands of ants in a single mound. If their mound is disturbed, the ants swarm out to attack the intruder. The ant s sting leaves an itchy, pus-filled bump that is easily infected. Some people have severe (sometimes fatal) reactions to fire-ant venom. Typical fire ant mound for Central Texas to Kansas

4 . Killer Africanized bees, commonly called Bees Their behavior can be highly aggressive and attack in large numbers if their hive is disturbed. Large number of their stings can be deadly. Some people are so sensitive to bee stings that they can die from anaphylactic shock (a severe allergic reaction) after only one sting unless they get immediate medical treatment. Anyone stung by a bee should scrape the stinger out with a knife blade or credit card, being careful not to pinch or squeeze it. This reduces the amount of poison that enters the wound. For more information on first aid for insect stings and bites, see the First Aid merit badge pamphlet.

5 (b) Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could occur while working with ants and bees, including insect bites and anaphylactic shock Causes Your immune system produces antibodies that defend against foreign substances. This is good when a foreign substance is harmful, such as certain bacteria or viruses. But some people's immune systems overreact to substances that don't normally cause an allergic reaction. Complications An anaphylactic reaction can be life-threatening it can stop your breathing or your heartbeat. Prevention The best way to prevent anaphylaxis is to avoid substances that cause this severe reaction. Also: Wear a medical alert necklace or bracelet to indicate you have an allergy to specific drugs or other substances. Keep an emergency kit with prescribed medications available at all times. Your doctor can advise you on the contents. If you have an epinephrine autoinjector, check the expiration date and be sure to refill your prescription before it expires. If you're allergic to stinging insects, use caution around them. Wear long-sleeved shirts and pants; don't walk barefoot on grass; avoid bright colors; don't wear perfumes, colognes or scented lotions; and don't drink from open soda cans outdoors. Stay calm when near a stinging insect. Move away slowly and avoid slapping at the insect.

6 (b) Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could occur while working with ants and bees, including insect bites and anaphylactic shock Symptoms Anaphylaxis symptoms usually occur within minutes of exposure to an allergen. Sometimes, however, it can occur a half-hour or longer after exposure. Signs and symptoms include: Skin reactions, including hives and itching and flushed or pale skin Low blood pressure (hypotension) Constriction of your airways and a swollen tongue or throat, which can cause wheezing and trouble breathing A weak and rapid pulse Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea Dizziness or fainting Seek emergency medical help if you or someone else you're with has a severe allergic reaction. Don't wait to see if the symptoms go away. If the person having the attack carries an epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen), administer it right away. Even if symptoms improve after the injection, you still need to go to an emergency room to make sure symptoms don't recur, even without more exposure to your allergen. This second reaction is called biphasic anaphylaxis.

7 (b) Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could occur while working with ants and bees, including insect bites and anaphylactic shock Anaphylaxis is a severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. It can occur within seconds or minutes of exposure to something you're allergic to, such as peanuts or bee stings. Anaphylaxis causes your immune system to release a flood of chemicals that can cause you to go into shock * your blood pressure drops suddenly *your airways narrow, blocking breathing Signs and symptoms include *a rapid, weak pulse *a skin rash *nausea and vomiting Anaphylaxis requires an injection of epinephrine from an EpiPen and a trip to an emergency room. If you don't have epinephrine, you need to go to an emergency room immediately If anaphylaxis isn't treated right away, it can be fatal.

8 (b) Discuss the prevention of and treatment for health concerns that could occur while working with ants and bees, including insect bites and anaphylactic shock Be prepared (the motto of the BSA) Even if you're careful, at some point you'll likely be exposed to what you're allergic to. Fortunately, you can respond quickly and effectively to an allergy emergency by knowing the signs and symptoms of an anaphylactic reaction and having a plan to quickly treat those symptoms. From (a) what you should do to anticipate, help prevent, mitigate, and respond to these hazards. Use common sense Be aware of your surroundings-are there fire ant mounds about? Do you see wasp or bee nests? Avoid or leave the area, don t kick or poke the mound or nest. If you are walking and stop, look at your feet. Are standing on or near a mound? If you know you will be in an area with bee and wasps, don t wear aftershave or perfume. If you smell like a flower, the bees will visit you. If that happens DON T SWAT at them, simply back away. Use bug spray if possible-spray your shoes and socks, Pants legs and shirt sleeves, along the neck of your shirt Be careful of getting it on face or in eyes!

9 When I took earth science classes back in the 80s, a long haired hippie college professor rambled on about kingdoms and classes and species, without telling us why or how all this came about. It confused me! Hopefully, the next few slides will help you figure the labels out. Remember: King Philip Came Over For Grandma s Soup. Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species

10 Modern System: Hierarchy Seven Levels of Organization Carolus Linnaeus (mid-1700s) was a Swedish biologist who established a simple system for classifying and naming organisms. He developed a Hierarchy (a ranking system) for classifying organisms that is the Basis for Modern Taxonomy. For this reason, he is considered to be father of modern taxonomy.

11 Modern System A Nested Hierarchy Seven Levels of Organization Linnaeus used an organism s morphology (form and structure), to categorize it. His system is still being used today. This system allowed organisms to be grouped with similar organisms. He first divided all organisms into two Kingdoms, Plantae (Plants) and Animalia (Animals). Morphology: the branch of biology that deals with the form of living organisms, and with relationships between their structures.

12 Modern System A Nested Hierarchy Seven Levels of Organization Modern System: Each kingdom (plant and animal) was divided into a phylum* (division for plants) Each phylum into a smaller groups called class. Each class was divided into an order. Each order was divided into family (families). Each family was divided into a genus (plural-genera) Each genus was divided into a species. (scientific name) *Note: Phyla and family were not in Linnaeus s classification system but were added by modern scientists.

13 A Nested Hierarchy of CLASSIFICATION From the most basic Kingdom (Plant or Animal) to the most descriptive Species (Bobcat or Lion)

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15 Requirement 2 Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are different from centipedes and spiders. All insects belong to a larger animal group known as arthropods, which also includes spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions, harvestmen (daddy longlegs), crabs, shrimp, crayfish, sow bugs, centipedes, and millipedes. All of these related animals share two unique characteristics that distinguish them from all other animal groups. Arthropods have jointed legs and a external skeleton (the exoskeleton) that encloses the entire body in a shell. Differences in body structure separate the insects from their arthropod relatives. Insects have six jointed legs (three pairs) All other arthropods have four or more pairs of legs. Insect bodies are divided into three distinct regions HEAD, THORAX, and ABDOMEN Most other arthropods have only two body regions head and trunk.

16 Requirement 2 Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are different from centipedes and spiders. Insects are everywhere. They are, by far, the most common animals on our planet. More than 1.5 million species of insects have been named. This is three times the number of all other animals combined. Even so, some say that the insects that have been given names are only a small fraction of the insects in nature. Many are yet to be discovered. Diversity Insects are the Most diverse and abundant of all arthropods Number of known species estimated at 1.5 million, but estimated that there may be as many as 30 million species worldwide Adaptive Traits * Flight and small size makes insects widely distributed * Well-protected eggs withstand rigorous conditions * Most structural modifications are in wings, legs, antennae, and mouthparts * Hard, protective exoskeleton well-adapted to life in desert regions - hold in water

17 Requirement 2 Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are different from centipedes and spiders. Spiders belong to the class of Arachnida. Centipedes belong to the Class Chilopoda. On the other hand, insects belong to the class of Insecta. Insects have three pairs of legs or six legs. Spiders have four pairs or eight legs. While the word centipede literally means 100-footed, most centipedes do not have 100 legs. A fully equipped adult centipede can have between 15 and 177 pairs of legs.

18 Requirement 2 Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are different from centipedes and spiders. Insects = 6 Legs Spiders=8 Legs Centipedes =Lot of legs (Centi-the prefix comes from the Latin centum, meaning "hundred )

19 Requirement 2 Tell how insects are different from all other animals. Show how insects are different from centipedes and spiders. Spiders and insects also have a difference when it comes to their major body parts. Spiders only have two main body parts while insects have three main body parts. Spiders, they already have a combined head and thorax. This combined thorax and head is called a cephalothorax, but they do still have an abdomen. Insects have their head, the thorax, and the abdomen.

20 Requirement 3 Point out and name the main parts of an insect.

21 Requirement 3 Point out and name the main parts of an insect.

22 Compound Eyes

23 Compound Image from a Camera

24 Requirement 4 Describe the characteristics that distinguish the principal families & orders of insects. I Pads Handouts

25 Requirement 5 Do the following: (a) Observe 20 different live species of insects in their habitat. In your observations, include at least four orders of insects. (Work at Home) The attached info button will give a lot of info on Insects of Texas

26 Requirement 5 Do the following: (b) Make a scrapbook of the 20 insects you observe in 5a. Include photographs, sketches, illustrations, and articles. Label each insect with its common and scientific names, where possible. Share your scrapbook with your merit badge counselor. (Work at Home)

27 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans. Helpful Insects Ladybugs While very few can state that they are genuinely afraid of the adorable ladybug, little do people know about how useful this orange spotted creature is for their garden. Both the adults and the larvae ladybugs feed on soft-bodies insects and aphids, better known as plant lice. Lacewings As their name suggests, lacewings distinguish themselves from other harmful insects via their distinctive large, lace-like wings and the fact that you will almost always spot them feeding on flower nectar. These beautiful creatures are a blessing for your flower garden, mainly because they feed on aphids, moth eggs, caterpillars and mites.

28 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans. Helpful Insects Hover flies Also dubbed as flower or syrphid flies, the hover fly is often confused with wasps and bees. Similar to the lacewings, the larvae of the hover flies feed on aphids that like to live in tight, hard to reach places. Another thing that you should know about hover flies larvae is that they appear early in spring long before any other helpful insect and are known to help obtain larger and more beautiful raspberries and strawberries. Predatory bugs If you are planning to plant vegetables, then you should definitely be glad when you spot predatory bugs crawling in your garden. They are particularly helpful in destroying tomato hornworms, spider mites, corn mealworms, leafhopper nymphs and small caterpillars. The good news is that if they don t come by themselves there are various ways you can attracted them, particularly by planting permanent plants such as shrubs and bunch grasses.

29 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans. Helpful Insects Ground beetles Even though they are not the most pleasant sight in your garden, the ground beetle is definitely an insect you want there. These long-legged and rather large bugs like to feed on insects that are particularly harmful for vegetables. Therefore, if you intend to plant potatoes, cabbage or tomatoes, don t forget to add a few rocks, logs and perennial ground covers to attract them. Tachinid flies Frequently mistaken for the annoying house fly and obviously killed on sight the tachinid flies are the natural enemies of tent caterpillars, cutworms, armyworms, gypsy moths, squash bugs and other insects that adore eating vegetables.

30 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans. Helpful Insects Dragonfly The dragonflies are not only helpful to have in the garden (because they feed on aphids and other pest bugs), but are also useful in keeping the mosquito population under control. Honeybees This list cannot be complete without including one of the best pollinating insects out there: the honeybee. In fact, the honeybees are doing such a great job that they are even estimated at around 20 billion dollars in the U.S. economy.

31 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans. Lastly on Helpful Insects ANTS! A Scout tie in If anyone has ever been to Philmont, you saw the Buffalo. After the buffalo are harvested each fall, the skulls remain with hair and tissue. The Ranch uses the Harvester ant beds to clean up the skulls, which are then sold to local artists. Local artists will paint and decorate the skulls, selling them for several hundred dollars.

32 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify three species of insects helpful to humans and five species of insects harmful to humans. Harmful Insects: I'm Not a Snack Some insects are dangerous to humans because they use you as a food source. Biting flies, for example, bite big chunks of our skin. Ouch! Other insects like the kissing bug, tsetse fly, mosquitoes, or ticks use us for snacks and pass diseases to us that can cause very serious health effects. Many of these bugs are not dangerous themselves, but the diseases they carry can create serious health problems around the world.

33 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify. five species of insects harmful to humans. Aphids -Feed on plant sap Texas Red- Headed Centipede (Not a true insect) Bites result in a sharp, painful sting that is sometimes accompanied by swelling. Kissing Bugs- 50% are infected with the Chagas parasite Mosquitoes -Transmit encephalitis, malaria, dengue, Zika virus, and yellow fever. When they feed, mosquitoes inject you with a form of blood thinner-a near prefect vector for disease Southern Flannel Moth, also known as the Puss Willow or Texas Asp is a stinging caterpillar with a painful sting that damage shrubs and young oaks Ticks- 4 species in Texas (Brown Dog, American Dog, Lone Star or Water Tick and Deer Tick can carry babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, tularemia, and tickborne relapsing fever. Like the mosquito, diseases can be transferred during feeding with blood borne product from previous victim getting in your bloodstream.

34 Requirement 6 Do the following: (a)from your scrapbook collection, identify. five species of insects harmful to humans. Fleas Bedbugs Red Bugs (Chiggers) Flea bites are associated with itching but there are other dangers Flea bites are carriers of a type of bacteria called Yersinia pestis that spread for the black plague, killing 25 million people in medieval Europe. Tomato Hornworm is a common garden pest that feeds while in larval stage on plants in the nightshade family including tomato, peppers, eggplant, and potato. Not known to cause any diseases directly; but they can be carriers of disease 1 st reaction is usually severe itching and irritation and welts. Colorado potato beetle a very familiar insect to home gardeners, is the most serious insect pest of potatoes. Both the striped beetle and the black-spotted, red larva feed on potato leaves. Their damage can greatly reduce yield and even kill potato. tomato, eggplant, and pepper plants. Microscopic in size, chiggers feed on skin cells, and cause serve itching. Hiding in grassy areas, they latch onto mammals and cause major irritation and discomfort. Termites are colony pest. They feed on cellulose, which means every home has the opportunity to play host to this silent killer. Termites can appear in any plant or wood materials without any indication they are there. The termite is specifically designed to tear away tough cellulose materials, but they will feed on a book just as easily as they ll feed on cabinetry.

35 Requirement 6 Do the following: (b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of insect control. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

36 Requirement 6 Do the following: (b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of insect control. Integrated Pest Management (IPM)-an ecosystem-based strategy that focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. HUH? IPM - an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices. IPM is not a single pest control method but, rather, a series of pest management checks, decisions and controls. IPM is usually a 4 step process

37 Requirement 6 Do the following: (b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of insect control. IPM is usually a 4 step process Set Action Thresholds (Decide on what level you react to the pests) Before taking any pest control action, set an action threshold, when pest populations or environmental conditions show that some form of pest control action must be taken. Sighting a single pest does not always mean control is needed. The level at which pests will either become an economic threat will guide future pest control decisions. Monitor and Identify Pests Prevention Control

38 Requirement 6 Do the following: (b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of insect control. IPM is usually a 4 step process Set Action Thresholds Monitor and Identify Pests Not all insects, weeds, and other living organisms need control. Many organisms are harmful, and some are even beneficial. IPM programs work to monitor for pests and identify them accurately, so that the right control decisions can be made to work with these action thresholds. This watching and identification removes the possibility that pesticides will be used when they are not really needed or that the wrong kind of pesticide will be used. Prevention Control

39 Requirement 6 Do the following: (b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of insect control. IPM is usually a 4 step process Set Action Thresholds Monitor and Identify Pests Prevention As a first line of pest control, IPM programs work to manage the crop, lawn, or indoor space to prevent pests from becoming a threat. In farming crops, this may mean using cultural methods, such as rotating between different crops, selecting pest-resistant varieties, and planting pest-free rootstock. These control methods can be very effective and cost-efficient and present little to no risk to people or the environment. Control

40 Requirement 6 Do the following: (b) Discuss the use of integrated pest management vs. chemical methods of insect control. IPM is usually a 4 step process Set Action Thresholds Monitor and Identify Pests Prevention Control Once monitoring, identification, and action thresholds indicate that pest control is need, and preventive methods are no longer effective or available, IPM programs then evaluate the best control method for effectiveness and risk. Effective, less risky pest controls are chosen first, including highly targeted chemicals, such as pheromones to disrupt pest mating, or mechanical control, such as trapping or weeding. If further monitoring, identifications and action thresholds indicate that less risky controls are not working, then additional pest control methods would be employed, such as targeted spraying of pesticides. Broadcast spraying of non-specific pesticides is a last resort. For background on the problems of widespread use of DDT

41 Requirement 7 Explain the symbiotic relationship between bees and humankind. Explain what colony collapse disorder (CCD) is and some of the possible causes. Discuss how CCD affects our food supply. Plants and bees have a symbiotic relationship. Flowering plants depend on an outside source to 'spread the love' through pollination, and bees are happy to fill that need, receiving nectar (which they convert into honey) for the service they provide. Plant eaters are herbivores. Meat eaters are carnivores. Animals that eat both plants and animals are omnivores. People consume both plant material (fruit and vegetables), meat (produced by plant eating animals herbivores and omnivores) as well as honey and honey comb.

42 Requirement 7 Explain the symbiotic relationship between bees and humankind. Explain what colony collapse disorder (CCD) is and some of the possible causes. Discuss how CCD affects our food supply. In the history of humans, our relationship with bees and the honey that they produce has been a mutually beneficial enterprise. Some scientists suggest this relationship may have played an important role in our development, due to the fact that honey was a readily available energy dense food that is rich in the carbohydrate glucose, which plays an important role in human brain development. Although the role of honey and human development can only be inferred, there can be no argument that honeybees and honey have played, an important role in the lives of humans. Egyptians were believed to be the first domesticators of bees, which is supported by wall illustrations dating back to 2422 B.C. showing beekeepers blowing smoke into hives. Bees also played an role in Egyptian mythology as they were created when the golden tears of Ra, the sun god, fell to earth.

43 Requirement 7 Explain the symbiotic relationship between bees and humankind. Explain what colony collapse disorder (CCD) is and some of the possible causes. Discuss how CCD affects our food supply. Bees play an essential role in modern farming systems in the United States. Honey bees are key pollinators of many valuable agricultural crops, such as pumpkins, cucumbers, apples, raspberries and blueberries. Because they live together in hives, honey bees can be loaded onto trucks and transported from farm field to farm field to provide pollination services. Honey bees are not native to North America. European settlers introduced them to the East Coast in Feral honey bees were able to survive and thrive in tree cavities and in human-made structures, such as wall voids in houses and barns, and spread westward in advance of settlers.

44 Explain what colony collapse disorder (CCD) is and some of the possible causes. Discuss how CCD affects our food supply. There are problems that occur in beekeeping, honey and other bee related projects. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) can result in up to 30% to 90% loss of hive populations in the wild, up to 60% in maintained hives. Several possible causes for CCD have been proposed, but no single proposal has gained widespread acceptance among the scientific community. Suggested causes include: infections with Varroa and Acarapis mites; malnutrition; various pathogens; genetic factors; immunodeficiencies; loss of habitat; changing bee practices such as truck farming; or a combination of factors. A large amount of speculation has surrounded a family of pesticides called neonicotinoids as having caused CCD. CCD is not a new problem, cases of Colony disorder were recorded as early as The last major outbreak was in 1997 to 2012, but populations have rebounded in recent years.

45 Explain what colony collapse disorder (CCD) is and some of the possible causes. Discuss how CCD affects our food supply. ALL THE BEES DIE OFF SO WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL? or Why Should the Public Care About What Happens to Honey Bees? About one mouthful in three in our diet directly or indirectly benefits from honey bee pollination. Commercial production of many highvalue and specialty crops like almonds and other tree nuts, berries, fruits and vegetables depend on pollination by honey bees. These are the foods that give our diet diversity, color, and flavor. Honey bees are not native to the New World; they were brought here from Europe in the 1500s and 1600s by colonists. But many of our crops also came from the Old World and evolved in the same places as honey bees. There are native pollinators in the United States, but honey bees are more prolific and easier to manage, especially on a commercial level for pollination of a wide variety of crops. Almonds, for example, are almost completely dependent on honey bees for pollination. Much of the diversity and choice of different foods that are available is due to the honey bees; without the bees what would happen to the fruit and vegetables we enjoy?

46 Requirement 8 Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they are different. The primary difference is that butterflies undergo complete metamorphosis. Immature butterflies - (also known as a larvalook nothing like adult butterflies), whereas grasshoppers undergo incomplete metamorphosis (young grasshoppers also called a nymph and look like really small adult grasshoppers). As for similarities, well, they both start out as eggs. When a grasshopper hatches out of its egg, it looks like a smaller version of its parents, but without wings. Its mouthpart enables it to bite and chew leaves. As the continues to eat and grow, its body gets too big for its hard outer skin covering. When this happens, the nymph molts, or breaks out of its skin, and makes a new one. A nymph molts several times before it grows into a full-sized adult. During this molting stage, the young grasshopper develops wings. When it reaches full adult size, the grasshopper stops molting.

47 Requirement 8 Compare the life histories of a butterfly and a grasshopper. Tell how they are different. Unlike a grasshopper, a butterfly looks nothing at all like its parents when it hatches. A butterfly starts life as a multi-legged caterpillar and feeds on leaves. Like a grasshopper, a caterpillar molts as it grows. When a caterpillar has reached its full size, it stops eating and spins a silk button from glands near its mouth. It attaches the silk to a branch or other surface, and then hangs from it. The caterpillar then secretes a substance that hardens into a case called a chrysalis around its body. While inside the chrysalis, the caterpillar is called a pupa. It neither eats nor moves, but through the process of metamorphosis, its body transforms growing wings, changing mouthparts, and developing six legs. When the change is complete, the chrysalis splits open and the full-grown butterfly pulls itself out. It pumps blood into its wings, waits for them to dry, then flies off to sip nectar from flowers, mate, and lay eggs.

48 Requirement 9 Raise an insect through complete metamorphosis from its larval stage to its adult stage. (e.g., raise a butterfly or moth from a caterpillar).* TO *Some insects are endangered species and are protected by federal or state law. Every species is found only in its own special type of habitat. In most cases, all specimens should be returned at the location of capture after the requirement has been met, no gathering of insects at LLELA!

49 Requirement 10 Do ONE of the following: (a) Observe an ant colony in a formicarium (ant farm). Find the queen and worker ants. Explain to your counselor the different chambers found within an ant colony. (We will looking at ant farms in the classroom, and videos) (b) Study a hive of bees. Remove the combs and find the queen. Estimate the amount of brood and count the number of queen cells. Explain how to determine the amount of honey in the hive. (We will be doing requirement 10 a)

50 Common Ants of Texas

51 Requirement 11 Tell things that make social insects different from solitary insects. SOCIAL INSECT : an insect (such as a termite or bee) that lives in a colony or community with other individuals of the same species with different castes having specialized behaviors and skills SOLITARY INSECT : an insect that lives and hunts by itself. it has no social structure, except for breeding. An example of this is the housefly.

52 Many insects exhibit social behaviors, such as gathering in large numbers at times. Entomologists refer to true social insects as eusocial. These social insects must exhibit all 3 of these characteristics: 1 overlapping generations 2 cooperative brood care 3 a sterile worker caste To give an example, think of termites. Within a single termite colony, you will find them at various stages of the termite life cycle. Termite communities are divided into 3 castes or groups. The reproductive caste is comprised of a king and queen. The soldier caste of both males and females is specially adapted for defending the colony. Soldiers are larger than other termites, and are sterile. Finally, the worker caste consists of immature males and females that do all chores: feeding, cleaning, construction, and brood care. Solitary insects, by contrast, don't exhibit any of these social behaviors.

53 Requirement 12 Tell how insects fit in the food chains of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals. Insects feed on a seemingly endless array of foods. Many insects are omnivorous, meaning that they can eat a variety of foods including plants, fungi, dead animals, decaying organic matter, and nearly anything they encounter in their environment. Still others are specialists in their diet, which means they may rely only on one particular plant or even one specific part of one particular plant to survive. Many insects are predatory or parasitic, either on plants or on other insects or animals, including people. Such insects are important in nature to help keep pest populations (insects or weeds) at a tolerable level. We call this the balance of nature. Predatory and parasitic insects are very valuable when they attack other animals or plants that we consider to be pests. Insects are underappreciated for their role in the food web. They are the sole food source for many amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Insects themselves are harvested and eaten by people in some cultures. They are a rich source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, and are prized as delicacies in many third-world countries.

54 Requirement 12 Tell how insects fit in the food chains of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals. Aquatic insects are one of the smaller and often unnoticed organisms in the food web, but they play a vital role in stream ecosystems. If you sit beside a stream on a spring or summer day, you may be able to witness flies emerging from the water. Aquatic insects have a multi-stage life cycle: adult flies lay eggs in water that develop into forms called nymphs or aquatic larvae, which eventually emerge from the water as adult flies. Insects in all life stages are the main source of food for many fish, amphibians, and birds. These animals in turn serve as prey for larger fish, other animals, or fishermen; all are supported by the presence of insects in a stream. In addition to serving as prey, insects feed on plant matter, algae, or smaller insects found in the stream. Some aquatic insects such as the stonefly break down and eat vegetation that ends up in the stream, changing energy and nutrients stored in the plants during photosynthesis and makes it available for other stream-dwelling organisms to use. Without these insects, the decomposition process of inorganic material in streams would take much longer, and there would be fewer nutrients available for larger animals. Other types of aquatic insects such as midges feed on free-floating organic matter, and serve as water filterers in the process. They remove sediments from the water and take in nutrients that would otherwise be washed downstream. The types of insect species found in lake, stream or river will affect the water environment and what that can survive there. Each habitat has a different composition of species based on its environmental conditions and associated plants and animals.

55 Requirement 12 Tell how insects fit in the food chains of other insects, fish, birds, and mammals. Insectivorous Birds Many birds have at least a partially insectivorous diet, and insects are a critical source of protein for many growing nestlings. While young birds are still dependent on their parents for food, they may be fed mostly insects, even if their mature diet will be much different. To be considered insectivorous, a bird does not necessarily need a diet of exclusively insects, but the insect proportion is quite significant. Many additional birds eat a great variety of insects, including small birds of prey such as screech-owls and kestrels. Hummingbirds and other nectivorous birds also eat a large number of insects to provide protein in their diets. Foraging for Insects Insectivorous birds forage in different ways. They may catch insects in flight or pick them from plants, leaves, water or leaf litter. Small birds are often seen hawking or sallying, foraging methods that involve small, hovering flights to pluck insects before returning to a nearby perch. Birds that are agile climbers, such as woodpeckers, nuthatches and creepers, will glean insects from bark and branches. Many shorebirds and wading birds will probe through mud or sand in search of insects, while ducks may dabble or dive to find insects. Small birds of prey, such as the American kestrel, will hover or soar to find large insects in open fields, or may perch far above the ground to watch for insect prey with their keen eyesight.

56 Requirement 13 Find out about three career opportunities in insect study. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you. Career Opportunities Jobs and Education

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