Entomology 311 Lab Manual

Introduction

Labs in this book supplement the information gained in lecture, as well as providing some perspective and experience with hands-on applications of ideas in pest management. The labs are presented in week-by-week order, so the pre-labs and reading for week 1 are labeled “Pre-Lab 1” and “Week 1 Reading”.

Pre-Labs are assignments to be done before lab meets, and will be due at the beginning of Lab. Complete the labs using your textbook, web resources, or the reading assigned for the week.

Readings are short 1-3 page “chapters” covering background topics pertinent to the upcoming lab, particular groups of insects/arthropods, or methods used in Pest Management. This should be read before coming to Lab each week.

Lab Assignments need to be printed and brought to class so that they can be completed as a group in Lab. It is sometimes helpful to read through the assignment ahead of time to get an idea of the subject matter for the week.

Expectations

Pre-labs are meant to be done before lab, helping you with the background information you’ll need in order to understand and complete the Lab Assignment. You may do the Pre-labs as far in advance as you wish, though there may be information provided during class and lab that may help complete the assignments before hand – they are meant to follow the course progression of topics. Pre-labs are due in the first 5 minutes of Lab.

Do not do the Lab assignments in advance – there may be changes to the lab due to weather, availability of facilities and other factors that are difficult to predict from term to term. For example, we can’t expect to collect insects as a class every year in week 5 because springtime in Oregon rarely allows for outdoor labs on a schedule. As a result, we’ll move some of the activities around to accommodate any changes that need to be made.

You must be in lab to get credit for your work. You may not give your pre-lab to a classmate to turn in, nor will pre-labs OR lab work be accepted after the due date. We meet once a week, you should have sufficient time in that week to complete assignments. If you must miss lab for personal or school-related activities, you must let me know and arrange a time to turn in your pre-lab. Lab assignments cannot be made up, as we only have one day in the classroom per week for lab time.

Bring your materials to class with you as instructed each week. If you are unprepared and cannot complete lab assignments, that will be reflected in your grade for the week.

There are many ways to collect insects, many of which do not require specialized or high-tech equipment; however, the ability to specialize in the type of insect desired by varying your collection technique. There are two main categories of insect collection techniques: active and passive collection. Active collection requires energy from the collector in order to be the most effective – that is, the collection must provide the impetus for collection. In passive collection, usually requiring a trap of some sort, there is no action needed other than simply placing the trap in an ideal position and waiting an appropriate amount of time. Read the following descriptions of active and passive trapping techniques, paying special attention to the types of insects that can be targeted with each method.