COLLECTING INSECTS 323 



parts to the body, three pairs of jointed legs, feelers, compound eyes, 

 and a more or less hard skeleton on the outside of the body. They 

 may or may not have wings. They breathe through a system of air 

 tubes called tracheae. 



The following orders or groups of insects are likely to be found feeding or 

 living upon flowering plants. The position arid kind of wings and the 

 kind of mouth parts are the guides by which we know the orders of insects. 



Bees and Wasps (Hymenoptera, membrane wings). The wings are 

 gauzy and four in number. These insects have stings (look at the end 

 of the abdomen). 



Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera, scale wings). Characterized 

 by having two pairs of large wings, covered with tiny bright-colored 

 scales. Head provided with a long proboscis or sucking tube which is 

 coiled up when at rest. 



Grasshoppers (Orthoptera, straight wings). Found on most green weeds 

 or garden plants. The mouth parts are fitted for biting. Hind wings, 

 if present, are folded up lengthwise under the outer wings when at rest. 



Flies (Diptera, two wings). Usually small insects with but a single pair 

 of gauzy wings. A short proboscis. Not plant feeders. 



Bugs (Hemiptera, half wings). A jointed proboscis which points 

 backwards is the only sure mark of this group. 



Beetles (Coleoptera, sheath wings). Characterized by having a strong 

 front pair of wings called elytra, usually covering the hind wings and 

 always meeting in a straight line down the middle of the back. Mouth 

 parts hard, pincher-like jaws. 



a. Field Work 



Method: Collect as many different kinds of insects as you can, making 

 careful notes as to the locality where the insect was found, the flowers 

 which it frequents, the kind of food it was taking from the flower, and 

 the order to which it belongs. 



b. Laboratory Work 



Observations: From boxes containing different kinds of insects pick out 

 one from each order given above and give your reasons for placing 

 that particular insect in the order which you have chosen for it. 



Conclusion: i. Why do certain insects always frequent certain flowers? 

 Look at the insect, especially the mouth parts, very carefully and 

 study the form of the flower before making your decision. 2. How 

 would you pick out (a) bee, (b) butterfly, (c) a bug, (d) grasshopper 

 from the above insects? 



