Preserving Moths

I really enjoyed the day we were able to take moths, collected earlier, and pin them to drying boards and then frame them. It was a lot more of a delicate process then I would have thought. I will go thru the steps here, for anyone who is interested in the process.

Before beginning anything, you want to make sure that you have identified and tagged the specimen. If doing multiple moths at a time, you want to make sure you know which moth is which.

You will begin with a board like this:

1. You will need to put a pin straight thru the thorax of your specimen.

  2. You will need to pin the specimen to the board and then pin the wings so they look like so:

  3. As you can see in the image above, you will need to cover the wings with wax paper and pin it down. 

  4. Make sure to take the pin out of the thorax, so it will not leave the hole when it dries. 

  5. Leave the specimen to dry. When the specimen is dry, you can remove all the pins and paper. You may then pick the specimen up from underneath and place in display mount. 

It will take a few times to get it right, but once you do you may end up with great looking mounts!!

http://www.butterflyutopia.com/BIG/462_silkmoths.jpg

My NEW Thoughts On Bugs!

At the beginning of this month, I knew very little about bugs. They do not necessarily freak me out or anything, I was just not educated on them. I am glad I got to spend this month extending my knowledge of bugs. I learned many cool and interesting things about many different types of bugs. The second book we read, The Earwig's Tail, was very enjoyable and informing. I enjoyed this book because it addressed misconceptions, some I have heard before, about bugs. Some of these misconceptions are reasons why many people do not care too much for bugs. I believe the more you know about something, the less fear you will have. If you know why an animal acts a certain way it may not be as strange to you.
Winter was a tough period for a bug class, with many bugs using different techniques to escape the cold. It was fascinating to go outside and identify different coldbuggers. I used to see these strange looking things in trees and bushes, but thought nothing of it. I know know that there may be a bug inside overwintering. I found it fascinating that different species of bugs chooses different methods to overwinter. I am in no way an expert in identifying these different species, but I am glad to say that I can spot the differences and have a good estimate of identifying some of the species.

http://www.ag.auburn.edu/enpl/bulletins/polyphemus/photo2l.jpg

http://images.betterphoto.com/0017/0404210813281praying_mantis_nest.jpg

After taking this class, my view on bugs has changed a little. I have a deeper respect and understanding of many bugs. I found this class to be very enjoyable and I am now more educated in the bug world.

Biggest Insect In The World!

http://listverse.com/2013/05/15/top-10-extreme-insect-species/

The Giant Weta, found on an island of New Zealand, is the heaviest and largest insect in the world. This insect is about 3.4 inches in length, and can have a wingspans of about 7 inches. This thing is HUGE! It is a relative of the grasshopper and cricket. These insects grow so large, partially due to the fact that on the island they are found on there are not many predators to this insect. These guys are mainly herbivorous, but they can eat some insects. They are also nocturnal, so don't go wondering at night in New Zealand... haha just kidding, these guys are harmless to us! The size alone is what frightens most people!

http://gizmodo.com/5864195/the-worlds-biggest-insect-is-so-freaking-huge-it-can-eat-a-carrot

The Bug Diet!

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002838335/09636619_eat_spider_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg

Did you know the average human swallows approximately twelve bugs every year while they are sleeping. Most of these consist of spiders.. Many get creeped out by this fact, which is understandable. Who wants spiders and other bugs crawling there way into your mouth.. Im guessing not many find that appealing. 
Personally, I do not find this too disgusting. If i haven't been affected by it yet, I do not see the harm in it. Though small, many bugs contain key nutrients and are quite good for you. One article I found stated that in the future, bugs will be part of our everyday diet. With population increasing, feeding all those mouths will be increasingly difficult. Bugs may just be the solution to that problem! Most of the bugs listed in this article did not surprise me, however one did stick out in my mind. The STINK BUG does not sound too appealing to me, but it is actually rich in nutrients. This bug is consumed in many regions of Asia, Africa, and South America. 

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/03/30/article-1371748-0B694B9900000578-909_468x378.jpg]

I have consumed different types of bugs in my lifetime. Some include mealworms, crickets, earthworms, june bugs, and grasshoppers.

 http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002838335/09636619_eat_spider_answer_1_xlarge.jpeg

I don't think I would ever want to make bugs my main diet items, however eating a few of them does not bother me. I just prefer the taste of the food we are used to. Its cool to know which bugs are edible though. You never know when that information can come in handy..

Chapter 13 - Is Nature Necessary?

Chapter 12 - Insects and Human Society

Chapter 11 - Parasitic Wasp