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Ant observation
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Recommended: Ant observation
Cody Mascho
Dr. Piechnik
Entomology
November 11, 2014
Journal article review
Impact Factor: This article, since its publication, has been sited on 93 separate occasions.
Lach, L., Parr, C. L., & Abott, K. L. (2010). Ant ecology. Oxford University Press.
Introduction:
In this specific study, the species of aphids known as Aphis gossypii, and the species of fire ants known as Solenopsis invicta are being examined. This study is observing the relationship between the aphid and fire ant. It is thought that the ant species protects the aphids because of the sugary substance, known as honeydew, which they leave behind. This honeydew serves as a main food source for the ants because of its high nutritional value that can help stabilize the colony and allow it to grow. Additionally, this study was conducted on the previous
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The first experiment was an investigation of ant tending. In this experiment, cages were created that housed each cotton plant each. These cages were than connected by plastic tubing and a pan that held the fire ants. One cotton plant was invested with aphids. Consequently, the other cotton plant in this experiment was absent of aphids. The ants and plants were observed over a 24hr period. At the end of the 24hrs, each of the cotton plants were collected, placed in bags, and put in a freezer for another 24hrs. This experiment was reproduced six times. The second experiment was an aphid- predator survival study. Cages were produced the same way as in the first experiment. Four different cages were created. The first cage contained just cotton aphids. The second cage held both cotton aphids and fire ants. The third cage contained cotton aphids and predator larvae, which varied between trials. Lastly, the fourth cage held cotton aphids, fire ants, and also predator larvae. 24hrs after these cages were created they were chopped down, put into bags, and froze for another 24hr
We observed Sowbugs in multiple environments to determine which environment they preferred. The observational chamber was a rectangle box split equally in half. One side of this rectangle was filled with dry sand that had been heated for five minutes by a lamp, and the other side was filled with damp soil that did not receive the lamp heat. We placed each sowbug on the middle boarder of the cool, damp soil and the hot, dry sand. We each chose one sowbug to track, and made a record of its placement each minute for five minutes total. We repeated this process three times. After each repetition, we removed the sowbugs, and replaced them with new sowbugs to observe. After this observation, we shared, and recorded our results. The sowbugs spent
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For this lab investigation, our question was do pillbugs prefer vinegar or plain water in their environment? Our hypothesis was that if they were given the choice, then they would choose the water side because their natural environment is not as acidic as vinegar. After we tested this hypothesis, the data that we collected over the course of 20 minutes supported our theory. At the end of the first minute, there were 3 pillbugs on the vinegar side, and 37 pillbugs on the water side. Then, after 10 minutes, there were 4 pillbugs on the vinegar side, 30 pillbugs on the water side and 6 pillbugs that were missing. After 15 minutes, 4 pillbugs were on the vinegar side, 28 were on the water side and 8 were missing. Finally, at the end of the 20th minute, there were 3 pillbugs on
There was also a specific process for the bees that were used and the process of stinging. Only guard bees were taken from the entrance of a hive. The guard bees were located because of t...
The experiment was made to figure out how mealworms react to different temperatures and which environment the worms liked better. The data and results of this experiment revealed that most of the mealworms prefer colder environments instead of hotter ones. Four out of the six mealworms prefered the cold over heat. The cold areas are better for mealworms because the worms are nocturnal, which means these worms prefer cooler and darker areas. In the beginning of this experiment most of the mealworms wouldn't move very much and would stay put in the center of the container. The mealworms were distracted by trying to escape, and there were some small crumbs in the container that must have also distracted the worms. The conclusion of this test on
Different types of ants have different jobs to help their colony thrive. Within most ant colonies, there are three types of ants. The queen ensures the colony keeps going producing the eggs to create more ants. The males mate with the queen so she can produce eggs. All the workers are female. They collect
Outline the physical similarities between the (Blaptica dubia) cockroach and the cricket. Explain previous studies on physical stress in the cricket and in different species of cockroaches. Briefly discuss how the metabolic rate between the two species has been found to be very similar.
Well in the spring all the males and young winged queens leave their nest and fly high in the air and mate. The few ant queens that survive this “marriage flight” cast off their wings and instinctively begin to look for a spot to start a new ant colony. After making a nest, the young queen ant seals off the entrance and begins to lay eggs. Some of the first batch are eaten by the queen for nourishment. When the surviving eggs hatch, they become like larvae. After a few weeks each larva spins a cocoon around itself and pupates.
The purpose of this paper is to explain the reasons and methods of using pheromones to control pests to improve the productivity and reduce pesticides usage simultaneously. First, the article will discuss the reasons why the pheromones should be used in pest management. Moreover, it will introduce the application of pheromones. And at the last, the paper will focus on the benefits and problems that will be generated in the procedure of pheromones application.
When given the question “what good are bugs?” many people have nothing positive to say, as they only remember the bad things that bugs do; bees and wasps sting, ants get into homes, and spider webs are an eye sore. However, people tend to forget that bugs can do so many good things for the environments they live in. This includes pollinating flowers and other plants, decomposing plant debris and animals, helping control pest insect populations, and so much more. A constant lesson that has to be reinforced everyday so that everyone understands that not all bugs are bad and that many bugs do more than thought. When Gilbert Waldbauer was asked the same question of “what good are bugs?” he wrote a book to give his greatest answer and named the book What Good are Bugs? – Insects in the Web of Life. Within his book he covered four main areas: helping plants, helping animals, limiting population growth, and cleaning up. Within these four main areas there are twelve different topics; all of which cover a broad spectrum of the way bugs provide good. Of the topics Waldbauer covered the most important ways that bugs provide good to varying environments is by helping plants and flowers through pollination and seed dispersal.
The colonies of ants and bees are broken down into several different categories. The top of the chain consist of the queen in both colonies. The colony depends on the queen to produce the eggs for their survival. This is the only function for the queen. She is able to choose what gender the eggs will become by fertilizing or not fertilizing them. She is capable of keeping the balance of the colony in check by choosing the gender of her eggs. Unfertile eggs become the drones of the colony, where fertile eggs becomes the female workers. The males, or drones of the colony serve only one purpose, and that is to fertilize the eggs. The drones do no maintenance work, no tending to the colony, no foraging, and they shortly die after mating with the queen. The workers of the colony are all female and mostly foragers, but some do have different task within their society (Stanger et al., 1971, p.10-11). The same can be implied to the ant colony which is made up of ...
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It is estimated that over two million bee-colonies in the country exists in the fore stand crevices. The density of hives occupied by the honeybees on the land may be the highest, at the present moment, of any country in the African continent (Ayalew and Gezahegn, 1991).
All ants are social. In fact they are the only insects in which all species are social. Large groups of ants live in colonies or communities together. In the majority of ants, colonies are families or groups of related families. These groups consist of one or more queens, who rule the colony, and males, whose only job is to fertilize the queen and then die soon after. The workers in the colony are only females. These workers are divided into several working classes including: enlargement and repair of the nest, taking care of the larvae, tending to the queen, defending the colony, and foraging for food.