Hobbies And Interests
Play Collections
Young entomologists may be squeamish about collecting live bugs, but they can still create an insect collection for a science project display. Instead of asking kindergarten or young elementary students to collect live bugs, instruct them to either collect small plastic toy bugs or to create their own bug crafts based on live insects. Students might create life-like insects from molding clay or dough and then color them with paint. Students display the bugs in shoe boxes in groups categorized by similarities. For example, students might keep all the flying insects in one area and all the stinging insects in another space. Students are also responsible for accurately naming each of the insects.
Themed Collections
With more than 1 million listed insect species to choose from, a themed insect collection is one way to narrow down an insect display. One option is to choose the groups you'll represent before you collect your specimens, but you may encounter problems if you are not able to collect the types of insects you've chosen. Another option is to collect the insects first and then group them. A simple way to collect insects is to lay a sheet underneath a tree or bush and shake the branches. Wrap up the insects in the sheet and examine them. One way to kill the insects is to put them in plastic containers in the freezer for two nights. Group them by characteristics like color, size or shape, or create a more advanced display with formal species groups like apterygota, pterygota or archaeognatha. Pin the insects with straight pins into a piece of foam board for a minimalist display.
Live Collections
If you aren't comfortable killing insects for your display, opt for a live collection filled with living insects. Spend several days scouring your local natural areas for insect types. You can find Insects underneath logs, around ponds or near flowering bushes. Clear glass jars with covers or more professional plastic display cases or frames with air holes are suitable for displaying your insects. Group insects according to their respective habitats to create an accurate collection as well as to ensure that they can survive. For example, provide a small bowl of water for insects found near a pond or several blossoms for insects found near a flowering shrub. Accompany each display with a chart identifying the types of insects inside each container.
Collection Experiment
Combine a collection project with an experiment for a more advanced concept. Instead of collecting insects and then grouping them for your display, set up several insect traps with different conditions and observe the types of insects that collect in each trap. Wide-mouth glass jars are suitable for catching insects. Place a shallow dish of water or sugar water in one jar and leave another dry. You might place blossoms of different types of flowers in the jars. Another option is to set the jar on top of a wide flashlight. You might keep one jar in your backyard and another near a neighborhood swamp. After an hour or two, return to the open jars and cover them with their caps. Observe and report on which jars attracted the most insects or the types of insects in each jar. Display the jars as part of your collection.