Laboratory field guide: Borror, D.J. and R.E. White. 1970. A Field Guide to Insects, America north of Mexico.  Houghton-Mifflin Co., Boston. 

Course description: An introduction to the biology of insects, including introductory treatment of insect anatomy and morphology, insect physiology, insect life history, insect behavior, insect ecology, and the taxonomy of major insect families. The laboratory portion of this course includes a strong focus on field studies of insect biodiversity, insect collection and curation, with the identification of local species emphasized. Field trips are required.

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Cutoff for material on Lecture Exam I.

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Romoser and Stoffolano pp. 75-85, 208-220

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Cutoff for material on Lecture Exam II.

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Cutoff for material on Lecture Exam III.

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INSECT COLLECTION:  Each student must prepare an insect collection. Student collections will be incorporated into the GSU entomology teaching collection, so they must adhere to professional standards in preservation and mounting, labeling, and curation that adhere to professional data reporting standards. Collection preparation will be discussed during the first laboratory session. The necessary equipment will also be discussed during that session, and you will need to bring or purchase a few items yourself (net, insect boxes, a wide-mouth jar, etc.) The minimum collection requirements are: 

1. You must correctly identify and represent at least 60 different insect families;
2. Specimens must be properly identified; misidentified specimens will not be given credit;
3. Each specimen must be in good condition and properly mounted or preserved and properly labeled to receive full credit;
4. Each collection must be neatly organized by taxonomic order;
5. Each collection must be accompanied by a typed list of each specimen, and its order and family identifications;  The first page of the list shall indicate the total number of orders, families, specimens and points present.
6. Each specimen must have been collected during the calendar year in which you take the course, but may be collected from any geographic location. 
7. No credit will be given for a student collection containing one (1) or more specimens from the GSU entomology teaching collection.

Normally the collection will not be returned unless you have a specific need for the material.  We reserve the right to remove those specimens that would make needed additions to the insect collection of the Biology Department. 

The term specimen as used for the collection is defined as no duplicates.  If you turn in 100 insects, they should be different species or forms.  Do not turn in 100 grasshoppers of the same species. 

One of the most important aspects of the collection is not numbers, but your curatorial skill in mounting and labeling the specimens.  Specimens not properly mounted and labeled will not receive credit. 

Each collection will be judged on the following qualities: 
     - proper pinning or other preservation technique 
     - proper data labels 
     - condition of specimens 
     - variety of habitats represented 
     - arrangement of collection in box 
     - properly prepared Collection Guide (typed list) 

The grade on the collection is tabulated as follows: 
  3 points for the first specimen of your first 15 orders 
  5 points for the first specimen of all orders more than 15 
  1 point for each additional specimen of an order (for a maximum of 35 pts/ collection) 
  3 points for each family correctly identified 
  *Each collection must contain at least 12 orders represented. 
  Maximum score is 300 points. 

Obtain and use a field notebook.  From time to time, I will look over your field notes.  At a given collection site you should note the following data:  (1) general weather conditions, (2) exact location, (3) date, (4) nearest town, (5) type of habitat, (6) collection method that you used, (7) if the specimen was found "in or on" something (e.g. on oak leaves or rotten log) note these details in your notebook and on the label. 

One easy way to take field notes is to use serial numbers.   For example, if you collect for 30 minutes in a small stream, in the same general places (no change of habitat), then all of these specimens could be placed in a bottle or vial of 70% EtOH.  To this vial you would mark in pencil a small written label containing a serial number. A serial number such as 010413.5 means 01 = the year; 04 = the month; 13 = the date; and .5 = the fifth collection of that day.  The next serial collection of that day would be 010413.6.  Later in the laboratory you would refer to your field notes to see where 010413.5 was located.  This technique can be used in any phase of field biology.  At a later date when you "work up" the material the serial numbers will be used to make up the labels for each specimen. 

Insect label should be made with India Ink or some similar drawing  ink (must be water-proof).  For most specimens use the format: 

     Herty Pines 
 Bulloch Co., GA 
     15-IX-2002 
  Your A. Genius 

DO NOT FORGET to use some sort of insect repellent (moth balls) or killing agent in your collection box.  An entire semester's work can be ruined, almost overnight, if  you fail to protect your collection from insect pests. Moth balls will chew through styrofoam, so keep the moth balls in a tiny cardboard container, away from direct contact with the styrofoam. 

Ethyl acetate will destroy the insect boxes!  Do not spill or use this material around the styrofoam boxes.  Do not use any acetone or other non-polar solvent around the styrofoam boxes.

If you must miss class, be sure to obtain the notes, preferably from a classmate. You will be responsible for all the material covered during class, despite your absence. If you miss a taxonomic laboratory, you should obtain any notes and make arrangements to study the example material on your own as soon as possible. Be aware that the external morphology and internal anatomy laboratories are especially difficult to make up on your own because they are complicated and because they rely upon fresh material which is only assured on the scheduled laboratory date. Please make every effort to attend them on the scheduled date. 

LABORATORY:  The lab is an integral part of this course.  Punctual attendance, observation of safety rules and active participation in all assigned field trips and labs are required for completion of this course. 

MAKE-UP EXAMS:  Attendance at examinations is mandatory.  No make-up exams will be given.  Students with officially excused absences will have the exam component of their grade based on their other exams and grades.  There are no make-ups on unannounced quizzes missed in lecture or lab.  Quizzes missed are recorded as zero. 

CHEATING: Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated and will be dealt with in accordance with the GSU HONOR CODE as spelled out in the Student Conduct Code, Policies and Procedures. The GSU Honor Code is on-line at http://www.stp.gasou.edu/scc/default.htm

LECTURE EXAMS:  Lecture exams usually consist of a variety of questions for example: completion, multiple-choice, define and identify, matching and essay/discussion.  Questions are drawn from textbook reading assignments, class lectures, and lab work.  Points may be lost for use of poor grammar on exams.  Correct spelling will be emphasized and expected. 

LABORATORY PRACTICAL EXAMS:  The lab exams will consist of a timed portion, during which you will rotate among stations and be granted a limited interval at each station. During the timed portion you may not use any ancillary materials (notes, keys, field guides, etc.). 

ABSENCES:  If you must miss class, be sure to obtain the notes, preferably from a classmate. You will be responsible for the material covered during class, despite your absence. If you miss a taxonomic laboratory, you should obtain any notes and make arrangements to study the example material on your own as soon as possible. Be aware that the external morphology and internal anatomy laboratories are especially difficult to make up on your own because they are complicated and because they rely upon fresh material which is only assured on the scheduled laboratory date. There is a possibility that these labs can be made up on your own, but there is no guarantee, and in any event it may be difficult. Please make every effort to attend them on the scheduled date. 

COMMUNICATIONS. I frequently communicate with students via e-mail, either individually or as a class. I also maintain a web site.  E-mail is a far more dependable communications medium than Voice-Mail messages, since I check my e-mail several times daily. Better still, speak with me in person or on the telephone.