INSECT COLLECTION GUIDELINES

Project Due Friday, September 19, 2008

REQUIREMENTS:
You are required to collect, properly mount, and correctly identify ONLY 10 insects (no more or no less).

You are required to have at least one representative from the following Insect Orders:
1. Orthoptera 4. Hymenoptera
2. Coleoptera 5. Diptera
3. Lepidoptera 6. Hemiptera

The four remaining insects can come from ANY ORDER, however, NO MORE THAN 3 INSECTS FROM THE SAME ORDER
WILL BE ACCEPTED!!!
You are required to CORRECTLY identify the insect by ORDER name only.

Mounting Requirements
 Your insects are to be mounted in a pencil or cigar-type box. The top must be permanently attached to the box. No shoe boxes
or any other box with a detachable top will be accepted.
 You should cut a piece of Styrofoam to fit the bottom of the box into which you will pin your insects.
 You must use a straight pin (without a large or colored head) to secure your insect.
 Each insect should be pinned with the dorsal side facing up.
 For each insect collected, you must indicate the date and location of collection beneath each insect.
 Each specimen should be numbered on the bottom of the styrofoam.
 Your insect must be intact. NO CREDIT will be given to partial specimens.
 Your identification key that corresponds to each numbered insect should be attached to the lid of
the box.
 Remember, neatness counts, so typing the identification key is required.
3
GRADING PROCEDURE: Collected:
Collection of 10 DIFFERENT insects (3 pts each) 30 points 9/8/02
Correct order identification (3 pts each) 30 points Location:
6 required orders (3 pts each) 18 points Hoover, Al.
Typewritten numbers & ID Key 10 points Bark of
Neatness/Attractiveness/Attention to Detail 12 points Pine Tree
TOTAL 100 points

BONUS POINTS/DEMERITS:
 If more than 3 insects from one order are collected, the 4th representative will not count at all.
 If I encounter a live insect, you will receive an automatic zero.
 You will receive bonus points for having more than the six required orders. You will get +4 points for 7 orders, +6 points for 8
orders, +8 points for 9 orders, and +10 points for 10 orders.
 Insect specimens that I keep for my personal collection are called TROPHY insects and will receive a 2 point bonus each.

NO NO NO NO NO INSECT COLLECTIONS OR SPECIMENS WILL BE RETURNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Collecting Tips:
1. Bug Spray is a GREAT THING!!!!!
2. Put specimens in a zip-lock bag and put them in the freezer to die.
3. A coat hanger and a pair of panty hose can make a GREAT net for catching flying things.
4. Look around flowers--great place to find insects.
5. Look on the ground, in leaf litter, on the barks of trees.
6. Turn on a light at night and moths and will love it.
7. Look in window sills, skim the top of someone's pool, go to tennis courts!