2015 Entomology

(B&C)

KAREN LANCOUR
National Rules
Committee Chairman-
Life Sciences
 Entomology (B&C)

 Content:
 Identify insects and selected immature

forms
 30 orders and 100 families

 Taxonomic Scheme of the 2015 Official

Science Olympiad Insect List

 Process Skills: observation, inferences, data
and diagram analysis, make and/or use a
dichotomous key on insects
 Event Parameters: see 2015 Official Rules
 Event Rules – 2015

DISCLAIMER
This presentation was prepared
using draft rules. There may be
some changes in the final copy of the
rules. The rules which will be in your
Coaches Manual and Student
Manuals will be the official rules.
 Event Rules – 2015
 BE SURE TO CHECK THE 2015
EVENT RULES FOR EVENT
PARAMETERS AND TOPICS FOR
EACH COMPETITION LEVEL
 The National Insect List is at

www.soinc.org under Event

Information
 TRAINING MATERIALS
 Training Power Point – content overview
 Training Handout - content information
 Sample Tournament – sample problems with
key
 Event Supervisor Guide – event prep tips,
setup needs and scoring tips
 Internet Resources & Training Materials – on
the Science Olympiad website at
www.soinc.org
under Event Information
 A Biology-Earth Science CD, and the Audubon
Guide to Insects and Spiders are available
from SO store at www.soinc.org (a taxonomy
 The Competition

Content:
 Taxonomic Scheme of the 2015 Official National

Science Olympiad Insect List is used in

competition
 30 Orders and 100 Families of Insects

 Identification, anatomy & physiology,

reproduction, habitat characteristics, ecology,

conservation, biogeography
Process Skills: observation, inferences, data and
diagram analysis
Event Parameters: check 2015 rules for what is
allowed
 Official National Insect
List

 the Official National Insect List

is based upon the Audubon
Guide to Insects and Spiders
 Since taxonomic schemes may
vary greatly from source to source,
the Science Olympiad Official
Insect List will be used for all
competitions and all arbitration
questions will defer to the
 Good Websites for
Insects

NC State General Entomology

http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/course/ent425/course/
modules/index.html

Texas A&M General Entomology

https://insects.tamu.edu/students/undergrad/en
to201/lecture.html
 The Competition
 Specimens or images (nymph or larva
for selected orders and families) will be
exhibited – usually as stations.
 For any individual specimen, questions
may also concern economic or health
impact of specimens on humans.
 Topics may include structure and
function of internal and external
anatomy, ecology, behavior & history.
 One of the stations may involve using
or formulating a simple dichotomous
key to identify insects.
 Insect Taxonomy
 Kingdom – Animalia
 Phylum – Arthopoda


Subphylum –
Mandibulata
 Superclass - Hexapoda


Class – Insecta
 30 Common Orders of
Insects

A. Protura (proturans) P. Mallophaga (chewing lice)

B. Collembola (springtails) Q. Anoplura (sucking lice)
C. Diplura (diplurans) R. Thysanoptera (thrips)
D. Thysanura (silverfish) S. Hemiptera (true bugs)
E. Ephemeroptera (mayflies) T.
Homoptera(aphids,cicadas,hoppers
F. Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies) U. Megaloptera (dobsonflies)
G. Blattodea (cockroaches) V. Neuroptera (lacewings,
antlions)
H. Mantodea (mantids) W. Coleoptera (beetles)
I. Isoptera (termites) X. Strepsiptera (Twisted-Wing
Parasite)
J. Grylloblattodea (Ice Insect) Y. Mecoptera (scorpionflies)
K Dermaptera (earwigs) Z. Siphonaptera (fleas)
L. Plecoptera (stoneflies) AA. Diptera (flies)
M. Orthoptera(crickets,grasshoppers,katydids)BB.Trichoptera (caddisflies)
N. Phasmatodea (walking sticks) CC. Lepidoptera (butterflies,
moths)
 Insect Morphology
 Segmented body divided into three
sections: head, thorax, abdomen
 Mouth including mandibles
 Three pairs of legs attached to the
thorax
 One pair of antennae.
 External skeleton (exoskeleton)
 Usually, one or two pairs of wings
attached to the thorax
External
Anatomy
Insect Eyes
Mouth
Parts
 Insect Wings
 Apterygota – adults like immature
without wings
 Pterygota – adults have wings
Exopterygota -the wings
develop externally on the
nymph body
Endopterygote – wings develop
inside of body in immature
insects and not visible until
 Metamorphosis

 Ametabolous – Without Metamorphosis

 Young resembles the adult, except

smaller
 Hemimetabolous-Incomplete
Metamorphosis
Egg, nymph, adult
 Holometabolous –Complete
Metamorphosis
 Egg, larva, pupa, adult
 Ametabolous
 Insects without
metamorphosis
 The insect resembles
the adult, except that
it is smaller.
 Development involves
increasing the insect's
size by going through
successive molts.
 Also Apterygota –adult
like immature without
wings
 Hemimetabolous
Incomplete
Metamorphosis
 Egg, nymph, adult

 Also Exopterygota -
winged insects, the
wings develop
externally on the
nymph body
 Holometabolous
Complete
metamorphosis
 Egg, larva, pupa,
adult

 Also Endopterygote
– wings develop
inside of body in
immature insects
and not visible until
adult immerges
from pupa
 Orders - Ametabola &
Apterygote

 Protura ( proturans,
coneheads)
 Dipula (diplurans)
 Collembola (springtails)
 Thysanua (silverfish)
Orders- Hemimetabola &
Exopterygota
 Emphemeroptera (mayflies)
 Odonata (dragonflies, damselflies)
 Blattodea (cockroaches)
 Mantodea (mantids)
 Isoptera (termites)
 Grylloblattodea (Ice Insects)
 Dermaptera (earwigs)
 Plecoptera (stoneflies)
 Orthoptera (crickets, grasshoppers, katydids)
 Phasmatadea (walking sticks)
 Psocoptera (book and bark louse)
 Mallophaga (chewing lice)
 Anoplura (sucking lice)
 Thysanoptera (thrips)
 Hemiptera (true bugs)
 Homoptera (aphids, cicadas, hoppers)
Orders-Holometabola &
Endopterygota

 Megaloptera (dobsonflies )
 Neuroptera (dobsonflies, lacewings,
antlions)
 Coleoptera (beetles)
 Strepsiptera (twisted-wing parasite)
 Mecoptera (scorpionflies)
 Siphonaptera (fleas)
 Diptera (flies)
 Trichoptera (caddisflies)
 Lepidoptera (butterflies, moths)
 Hymenoptera (ants, bees, wasps)
Internal Anatomy
 Beneficial Insects
 Pollination of many flowering
plants
 Decomposition of organic
materials
 Recycling of carbon, nitrogen, and
other essential nutrients
 Control of populations of harmful
invertebrates including other
insects
 Direct production of foods as
Insect Pests – 10,000
species

 Damage Crops
 Household Pests
 Parasites
 Biting and Stinging Insects
 Prey on domestic animals
 Eat human food, clothing &
possessions
 Destroy trees, wood, paper
 Disease Vectors

 Mosquitoes – malaria, arboviral

encephalitides, dengue fever, Rift
Valley fever, West Nile
encephalitis viral infection
 Fleas - plague
 Lice – lice infestation
Characteristics
Make a list of characteristics for each
insect
Construct a dichotomous key
using
list of characteristics

 1. . . . . . . go to step
2
1. . . . . go to step
3

 2. .......
ladybug
2. . . . . .grasshopp
er
 3. ..
dragonfly
3. .. . . .
Housefly

 Note: There should be one less step than the total number of
 A Sample Dichotomous
Key

 1. wings covered by an exoskeleton . . . . . . go to step

2
1. wings not covered by an exoskeleton. . . . go to step
3

 2 body has a round shape. .......

ladybug
2 body has an elongated
shape. . . . . .grasshopper
 3.wings point out from the side of the body . .
dragonfly
3 wings point to the posterior of the body.. . . .
Housefly
 GENERAL TIPS FIELD GUIDES

 Study the information in the front of the field guide

 Become familiar with the organization of the color
plates in the field guide
 Notice how the field guide organization is similar to
the organization of the Official Insect List
 Put the page numbers of Orders and Families
Information from the Audubon Guide to Insects and
Spiders on the Official Insect List – it will save you a
lot of time
 Tab the field guide with very small useful tabs so it is
not cluttered and can be easily used
 Practice using the Field Guide to identify specimens or
photos
 Practice under timed conditions to prepare for
 Study Binder - Use It to Learn the
Insects

 The most effective resources are the ones produced by the

students.
 The process of producing the resources is a major learning tool.
 Have a copy of the rules in your binder
 Have a copy of the lists (insects, birds, fossils if applicable) in
your binder
 Prepare and organize materials by major topic divisions.
 Place materials from many different sources into your topic
divisions
 Reduce the size of pictures where possible to get more
information on a page.
 Color code information to help you locate or emphasize key
items.
 Put pages in sheet protectors – two per protector to save
space.
 Use tabs to separate sections.
 Power Point Slides
 Make power point slides for each
species
 Make them so information can
they can be used for practice
 Prepare them so they can be
reorganized to make practice
competitions for study
 Flash Cards

 Make flash cards with pictures on

one side and information on the
back
 Use the flash cards to make up
sample competitions
 Use the flash cards to learn the
insects
 Actual Specimens
 Collect and preserve insects
 Note that preserved specimens
may not look exactly like live
specimens – texture and color
changes may occur
 Use specimens to learn the insects
 Timer – prepare practice stations
and use the timer to improve
efficiency of your teamwork skills
 Doing the Competition
 Place information in appropriate place on
answer sheet
 Print legibly so information is
understandable
 Work as a team – use time effectively
 Use Notes and Field Guide effectively
 Identify to Order and then to Family if
needed
 Be sure to spell names correctly
 Carefully read all questions and use common
sense in answering
Relax, Do your best, and Have Fun!!