Hey there! Today, we’re diving into the fascinating world of insects at The Field Museum. Recently, we went on an adventure in Hanover with some middle school students to collect all sorts of interesting bugs. Let’s explore what we found!
One of the first insects we discovered was the Hister beetle. This beetle loves to munch on dead animals. We found a larger one called Necrophila americana, which is attracted to big animal carcasses like deer. They lay their eggs there, and the larvae feed on the carcass.
Next up is the Onthophagus hecate, a type of dung beetle. These beetles have a unique way of life. They roll animal droppings into balls, lay their eggs inside, and bury them underground for the larvae to eat.
We also spotted a crab spider. Unlike most spiders, crab spiders can move in all directions—forward, backward, and sideways. It’s like they have their own special dance moves!
Then there’s the house cricket, similar to those you might see in pet stores. We also found a sarcophagid, or flesh fly, which is one of the larger flies in the area.
We came across some wormy creatures, mostly larvae and maggots. The white ones are fly larvae, also known as maggots. We can’t identify each one, so we leave them in the sample.
Another cool find was the broad-headed bug, which feeds on plant juices. We also saw a carabid, or ground beetle, which is common in the prairie. And check out the daddy longlegs! They aren’t true spiders because they lack the waist between the abdomen and thorax, and they don’t have venom or fangs.
We even found a large differential grasshopper. It’s an adult because it has fully developed wings, allowing it to fly.
After collecting these insects, we use special pins to preserve them. These pins are longer and thinner than regular sewing pins, allowing us to insert them through the insect’s body while leaving space for labels. We place them on drying trays to keep their legs and abdomens intact.
For smaller insects, we use tiny points made from cardstock, secured with clear nail polish. This method helps us prepare them for the collection without causing damage.
In our collection, we’ve identified 137 different species of spiders in the prairie, which is impressive for a small area of 65 acres. In total, we’ve found 837 species of spiders and insects, and we might discover even more with continued collecting.
We’ve also found some habitat indicator species, like the Phanaeus vindex carrion beetle, which shows a healthy habitat. Another interesting beetle is the Nicrophorus marginatus, known for providing parental care to their young.
While most insects are harmless, some, like wasps, can sting if provoked. However, they’re usually more curious than aggressive. One fascinating insect is the cricket hunter wasp, which hunts crickets, paralyzes them, and lays its eggs on them. The larvae then feed on the cricket while it’s still alive. Nature can be quite intense!
Collecting insects doesn’t harm their populations because they reproduce in large numbers. The main factors affecting their populations are food availability and habitat quality. We make sure not to collect endangered species, and if we find one, we stop collecting to protect it.
Overall, collecting, identifying, and pinning insects is a rewarding experience. It’s important to encourage everyone to get outside, explore, and enjoy nature. Collecting insects can be a fun and educational activity without harming their populations. Thanks for joining us on this insect adventure!
Go on a mini adventure in your backyard or local park to collect different types of insects. Use a magnifying glass to observe them closely. Remember to handle them gently and release them back into their habitat after your observations. Try to identify at least five different species and note down their characteristics.
Choose an insect from the article, such as the Hister beetle or the crab spider, and create a short skit or role-play about its life. Think about its habitat, diet, and any unique behaviors. Perform your skit for your classmates and see if they can guess which insect you are portraying!
Draw or create a 3D model of your favorite insect from the article using materials like clay, paper, or recycled items. Pay attention to the details like the number of legs, wings, and body segments. Display your artwork in class and share interesting facts about your chosen insect.
Build a diorama that represents the habitat of one of the insects mentioned in the article. Use a shoebox and craft materials to create elements like plants, soil, and other insects. Explain how your chosen insect interacts with its environment and other species within the habitat.
Research one of the insects from the article in more detail. Prepare a short presentation for your class, including information about its lifecycle, role in the ecosystem, and any unique adaptations. Use visuals like pictures or slides to make your presentation more engaging.
**Sanitized Transcript:**
Welcome to the insect division at The Field Museum. We’re here today to look at some of the things we’ve collected in Hanover. When we were there with the middle school, Emily was beating trees and collecting samples.
This is one of the carrion trap samples we found in Hanover, specifically from the prairie when the middle school students were helping us. The first thing I find is a Hister beetle, which feeds on dead animals. This one is a bit larger; it’s a Necrophila americana. These beetles are attracted to large carcasses, like deer, where they lay their eggs, and the larvae feed on the carcass.
Next, we have an Onthophagus hecate, a type of dung beetle. They feed on animal droppings, rolling it into balls, laying their eggs in it, and burying it in the ground for the larvae to consume.
Here is a crab spider, which can move in all directions—forward, backward, and sideways. Unlike other spiders that can only move forward or backward, crab spiders have this unique ability.
This is a house cricket, similar to those found in pet stores. We also have a sarcophagid, or flesh fly, which is one of the larger flies in the area.
As for the wormy things, those are mostly larvae and maggots. The white ones are fly larvae, also known as maggots, which we can’t identify individually, so we leave them in the sample.
This is a broad-headed bug that feeds on plant juices. Here we have a carabid, or ground beetle, which is common in the prairie. This is a daddy longlegs, or Opiliones. They aren’t actually spiders; they lack the waist between the abdomen and thorax that spiders have, and they also have no venom or fangs.
Now, here’s a large grasshopper, specifically a differential grasshopper. This is an adult because it has fully developed wings, which allow it to fly.
After we collect these insects, we pin them using specialized pins that are longer and thinner than sewing pins. This allows us to insert the pin through the body of the insect while leaving space for labels. We position them on drying trays to ensure their legs and abdomens stay intact while drying.
For smaller insects, we use tiny points made from cardstock, secured with clear nail polish. This method helps us prepare them for the collection without damaging them.
We have collected 137 different species of spiders in the prairie, which is quite a lot for a small area of 65 acres. In total, between spiders and insects, we have identified 837 species, and with continued collecting, we could find even more.
We’ve discovered some habitat indicator species, such as the Phanaeus vindex carrion beetle, which indicates a healthy habitat. We’ve also found Nicrophorus marginatus, burying beetles that provide parental care for their young.
While many insects are harmless, there are a few, like wasps, that can sting if provoked. However, they are generally more curious than aggressive.
One interesting species is the cricket hunter wasp, which hunts crickets, paralyzes them, and lays its eggs on them. The larvae then consume the cricket while it’s still alive. Nature can be quite harsh at times.
Collecting insects does not negatively impact their populations, as they reproduce in large numbers. The main factors controlling their populations are food availability and habitat quality.
We take care not to collect endangered species. If we were to find one, we would stop collecting immediately to protect it.
Overall, it’s a rewarding experience to collect, identify, and pin these insects. It’s important to encourage kids to get outside, explore, and enjoy nature. Collecting insects can be a fun and educational activity without harming their populations. Thank you for joining us today!
Insects – Small animals with six legs and a body divided into three parts: head, thorax, and abdomen. – Bees are important insects because they help pollinate flowers.
Larvae – The immature form of an insect that looks different from the adult. – The caterpillar is the larval stage of a butterfly.
Beetle – A type of insect with a hard shell-like back that covers its wings. – The ladybug is a type of beetle that is often found in gardens.
Habitat – The natural environment where a plant or animal lives. – Frogs live in a wetland habitat where they can find plenty of water and insects to eat.
Species – A group of similar organisms that can breed and produce fertile offspring. – The giant panda is an endangered species that lives in the forests of China.
Collect – To gather or bring together things from different places. – Scientists collect samples of water from the river to study pollution levels.
Environment – The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. – Protecting the environment is important to ensure clean air and water for future generations.
Food – Substances that provide the nutrients needed for organisms to grow and maintain health. – Plants use sunlight to make their own food through a process called photosynthesis.
Population – A group of individuals of the same species living in a particular area. – The population of deer in the forest has increased due to conservation efforts.
Nature – The physical world and everything in it that is not made by humans. – Hiking in the mountains allows us to enjoy the beauty of nature.
