ANIMAL AND PLANT STUDIES

 

Oddities of Nature

 

BUG ME! (Insects)

There are more insect species than the total number of all other species combined!
Insect anatomy- six legs, head, thorax, abdomen
Types of insects (Arthropods)

  1. Orthoptera- grasshoppers, praying mantises
  2. Coleoptera- beetles (dung beetle)
  3. Odonata- dragonflies and damselflies
  4. Hemiptera- (true bugs) plant bugs, stinkbugs, water striders
  5. Lepidotera- moths and butterflies
  6. Diptera- flies and mosquitos
  7. Hymenoptera- ants, bees, wasps
  8. Homoptera- cicadas, aphids

Spiders- are not insects! Eight legs and head and thorax fused
Activity: Insect collection, Camouflage
Online Insect identification Guide


Metamorphosis
            Complete- larval stage look completely different from adult
            Incomplete- young resemble adults
Symbotic Relationships
            Ants and aphids
Predator Tricks
            Assassin Bug
Ambush Bug
Evasive prey tricks
                        Camouflage- Spittlebugs, Leaf Mantis Butterfly
                        Nasty odor- Stink Bugs
                        Poisons in body tissue- Monarch Butterfly
                        Harmless mimic of Monarch- Viceroy Butterfly
                        Spines- Caterpillar
                        Eyespots on wings- Butterflies
            Aquatic Insects
                        Activity: Macroinvertebrate Tag
                        Field Trip: Stream Sampling

Land Insects- Ants are amoung the most dominant small animal on the plant. Ants biomass on the Earth weigh roughly as much as all the 6.6 human beings. However, the winner goes to nematode worms.

Activity: Bioblitz. Butterfly net and trowels. Night catch with spot lights and black lights.
            Quiz Review Activity: Invent an Insect

           

Mammals

Skull Lab!

Activity: Animal Charades

Activity: Migration Maze

 

Birds

Bird Lab

 

Plants

Make a dichotomous key

Bud indentification

New Paltz Plant List

Tree Rings and Age Dating

New York Plant Atlas for Ulster County

 

Natural Selection:


Adaptation:
Genetic Evolution:Mechanisms of Evolution
Principles of Evolution
~Activity: Bottleneck Genes
~Activity: Big Mac Attack
~Activity: Adaptations or Consequences