Course ID: | ENTO 3140-3140L. 4 hours. 3 hours lecture and 3 hours lab per week. |
Course Title: | Insect Natural History |
Course Description: | Insect biology, with emphasis on factors that have made insects one of the most abundant and successful animal groups. Topics include the behavior, ecology, and evolution of the major insect groups. Most laboratory periods will be spent in the field. |
Oasis Title: | INSECT NAT HISTORY |
Prerequisite: | BIOL 1104 or BIOL 1108 |
Semester Course Offered: | Offered fall and summer semester every year. |
Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
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Course Objectives: | The objective of the course is to give students a basic understanding of the
diversity of insects, including the different major types, where they live,
what they feed on, and how they defend themselves. This objective is met
through a combination of lectures, laboratory exercises, and field trips to
diverse habitats. |
Topical Outline: | Outline of Lecture Topics
I. Introduction: Why Study Insects?
II. Insect Diversity and Evolution.
A. Evolution of arthropod relatives of insects.
B. Evolution of the insects.
III. Parade of Insects.
A. Hexapod relatives of insects (Entognatha).
B. Primitively wingless insects (Apterygota).
C. Paleopterous insects.
1. Order Ephemeroptera.
2. Order Odonata.
D. Neopterous insects.
1. Exopterygote insects.
a. Orders Plecoptera, Embiidina.
b. Orders Mantodea, Blattodea, Isoptera.
c. Orders Dermaptera, Orthoptera, Phasmatodea.
d. Order Hemiptera.
e. Orders Phthiraptera, Thysanoptera.
2. Endopterygote insects.
a. Orders Trichoptera, Mecoptera, Neuroptera.
b. Order Coleoptera.
c. Order Lepidoptera.
d. Orders Diptera, Siphonaptera.
e. Order Hymenoptera.
IV. Insect Life Support Systems.
A. The exoskeleton.
B. Wings and powered flight.
C. The reproductive system.
D. The sensory system.
V. Social Insects.
A. Termites.
B. Ants.
C. Bees.
D. Wasps.
Outline of Topics for Laboratories and Field Exercises
I. INDOOR LABORATORIES:
A. Collecting and Preserving Insects.
B. Arthropod Relatives of Insects.
C. The Insect Orders.
D. Introduction to Insect Morphology.
E. Arthropod Collection Workup (several sessions
in latter part of semester)
II. OUTDOOR LABORATORIES AND FIELD EXERCISES:
A. Insects as Pollinators.
B. Woodland Insects.
C. Insects in Agricultural Settings.
D. Old Field Insects I (Herbivores).
E. Old Field Insects II (Natural Enemies).
F. Aquatic Insects.
G. Soil and Leaf Litter Arthropods
H. Nocturnal Insects.*
* Special evening field trip held on a date to be arranged
early in the semester. |