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| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: |
| HOW MANY MARKS ARE THE LAB EXAMS, INSECT COLLECTION AND POSTER PRESENTATION WORTH? The lab midterm and final exams are each worth 15% of the final grade, and the insect collection and poster presentation are each worth 10% of the final grade (ie. all lab exams/projects equal 50% of the final grade in the course). The other 50% of the final grade is obtained from the lecture midterm exam and final exam. |
| CAN WE INCLUDE SPIDERS, MILLIPEDES, CENTIPEDES, TICKS, OR MITES IN OUR INSECT COLLECTION? No. Your collection should include only members of class Hexapoda (Insecta) (including entognathous hexapods: Collembola, Protura, Diplura). Therefore, your collection should include only organisms with six legs. |
| CAN WE INCLUDE IMMATURE INSECTS SUCH AS LARVAE, PUPAE, OR NYMPHS IN OUR INSECT COLLECTION? You can include larval or nymphal forms of insects in your collection, but eggs, pupae, and empty pupal cases are not allowed. We encourage you to collect aquatic larvae and nymphs, especially for the orders Plecoptera, Ephemeroptera, and Trichoptera; the larval stages of these orders are often easier to identify than their adult counterparts. However, we strongly advise against collecting terrestrial larvae. Your textbook only covers identification of adult insects. We will provide access to an aquatic larva identification key in the lab, but we will not provide an identification key for terrestrial larvae. Therefore, with the exception of aquatic larvae, we suggest that you stick to adult insects unless you are absolutely certain that you know what the immature form is. Alternatively, you may try to rear the immature form to adulthood or obtain a proper key for immature forms of the insect that you are trying to identify. |
| IS IT POSSIBLE TO FIND 30 DIFFERENT INSECTS FOR MY INSECT COLLECTION? Locating 30 different insects should not be difficult as long as you spend a few hours a week outside, collecting insects (particularly when the weather is sunny). The most effecient way to spend your time is to collect in different habitats, such as forests, ponds, lakes, grassy fields, flower gardens, inside/outside your home, etc. Additionally, you should try to collect at different times of the day (morning, dusk, night) and use various different methods of collection (a handful of dirt in a Burlese funnel can often garner a number of unique orders). You will also save a lot of time if you keep an eye open for insects throughout the day. You may be surprised by how many insects you encounter (particularly on windows) while walking between classes, waiting at the bus stop, at home, etc. INFORMATION REGARDING INSECT ORDERS THAT YOU CAN COLLECT CAN BE FOUND HERE. |
| CAN WE KEEP OUR INSECT NETS, FINE FORCEPS, OR OTHER EQUIPMENT? Unfortunately, due to the high cost of insect nets, fine forceps and scissors, you are not allowed to take them home with you for the semester. However, you are allowed to sign-out the insect nets provided you leave your name and student number on the insect net sign-out sheet. The fine forceps and scissors will be made available for use anytime you wish to use the laboratory. Your insect collection (killing) jar, ethyl acetate, insect pins, points, labels, glue, and collection box can be kept for the semester to allow you to collect, pin and label your insects as you find them, but your insect collection box and all other equipment and materials must be returned at the end of the semester. |
| IS THERE A PLACE IN THE LABORATORY WHERE WE CAN STORE OUR PINNED INSECTS AND EQUIPMENT? Unfortunately, there is nowhere in the laboratory where we can guarantee your pinned insects and equipment won't be damaged or stolen. Therefore, we strongly advise you to take your pinned insects and equipment home with you after you are finished working with them in the laboratory. |
| WILL THE LABORATORY BE OPEN FOR US DURING NON-LABORATORY HOURS? Unfortunately due to liability concerns, students may not work in the lab outside of teaching hours without supervision. If you need to check a sample or grab some more supplies, e-mail your TAs or Tiia and schedule a mutually agreeable time to meet up. Later in the semester, the TAs will try to schedule open lab time for students to practice identifying specimens for the lab final exam. However, the open lab hours will depend on availability of the TAs and of the laboratory room (as other classes use the same lab room as us). |
| WHAT WILL BE ON THE MIDTERM EXAM? WHAT WILL BE THE LAYOUT OF THE MIDTERM EXAM? THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED HERE |
| WHAT WILL BE ON THE FINAL EXAM? WHAT WILL BE THE LAYOUT OF THE FINAL EXAM? THESE QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED HERE |
| WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO FOR THE POSTER PRESENTATION? THIS QUESTIONS CAN BE ANSWERED HERE |
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