Bugs and Soil

Spring Collection

Since I'm not a scientest, I asked Bioloby teacher Joy Grabanski to help with the project. We will use a class in the fall to collect bugs and also to work with fast plants. Since time was short for the spring, she asked for volunteers from her classes and five girls helped with the project during seminar. The spring collection was done on May 19, 2004. The day was very rainy and it had just stopped prior to our going out doors.

DATA:

PLACE
FOREST
HIGH GRASS
LOW GRASS
Temperature
68F
68F
68F
Soil Temperature
68F
68F
70F
Wind Speed
5 mph
5 mph
5 mph
Humidity
high
high
high
Color of Soil
dark
dark
dark
Hardness of Soil
soft
soft
soft
Moisture of Soil
wet
wet
wet
Odor of Soil
clean
clean
clean
BUG COLLECTION RESULTS
Lice
X
X
X
Beetles
X
True flies
X
X
Mayflies
Bugs (ants)
X
X
X
Cicadas, Hoppers
X
X
Bees/Wasps
X
X (dead)
Butterfly/Moth
X
Grasshoppers/Crickets
X
X
Silverfish
X
X
Earthworms
X
X
X
Millipede
X
Cockroach
X
Rollypolly
X
Gnat
X
Spider
X
Lady Bug
X

The following pictures highlight our collection activity.

 

A group of five girls worked with the collection project. From left to right: Joy Grabanski (Biology teacher), April Behle, Joanna Beck, Stephanie Euer, Jenny Sommerfield, and Chelsey Johnson

Short Grass:

The girls measure the one meter square.

Short Grass:

An earthworm is found in the dirt of the short grass. Expected after a heavy rain.

Short Grass:

Digging and saving dirt to take inside for inspection under the microscope.

Tall Grass:

Critters in the decaying wood.

 

Tall grass:

We do not have a good forest area near the school. For the fall collection, we plan to go nearer the Missouri River.

Forest:

The forest area seemed to have more bugs than the other areas.

Forest:

A lady bug has come out after the rain.

Forest:

At the edge of the treed area near the student parking lot is some unmowed grass. Flying insects seem to abound here.

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