I have 14 different orders represented in my collection, with a total of 70 specimens representing 60 different families. (There are only 50 specimens in the picture above; this is my required amount, and I had another box with the 20 extra credit specimens.) Quick review of the biological classification system:
Kingdom (Animalia)
Phylum (Arthropoda)
Class (Insecta)
Order (The big labels in the picture above, such as: Lepidoptera, Orthoptera, Hemiptera, etc)
Family (These are the small labels coming off to the left of each insect and are not always visible in the picture)
Genus
Species
(A good mnemonic device, as I learned in high school biology, to remember this: King Philip Comes Often For Good Spaghetti!)
As you can see, insects are a class within the larger phylum of Anthropoda. This means that insects are related to spiders, horseshoe crabs, millipedes, centipedes, crustaceans, ticks, scorpions, and Daddy Long-legs. (And no, Daddy Long-legs, aka Harvestmen, are not spiders. They are in a different order than spiders, though they are in the same class.)
All insects share the same common features:
3 body regions- the head, thorax, and abdomen
3 pairs of legs
Typically 1-2 wings, though some insects have none, or only have wings at the adult stage of development
Insects are dominant players in our Earth system, and have significant roles, as is shown in the picture below. (The size of the life in the picture is a proportional representation of how many species are in that higher taxon.)
One of the other projects for Entomology is an oral presentation on an insect-related topic. I chose to do mine on Entomological Warfare, after I saw the following headline: Insects could be used as Bioweapons. Pretty sobering stuff! The premise is that insects can cause direct damage to humans by spreading diseases such as anthrax, or indirect damage by destroying crops. Insects make great weapons for the following reasons:
1. They are tiny! Most insects are very small in size, which makes them both hard to detect, and able to go where no human could.
2. They are a cost effective weapon. I found some figures proving this from research done in the '80's on the cost of direct human attacks using yellow-fever-infected mosquitos. An aerosol attack on a city would cost $179K, while using mosquitos as a method of dispersal would only cost $10K. That's a significant difference! This study even factored in the deaths of some of the mosquitos and the cost of transporting the mosquitos to the intended target.
3. Insects can carry diseases/pathogens without being affected. We already know this, as evidenced by malaria and bubonic plague (carried by fleas).
4. Insect populations are hard to control! Just look at the amount of money being spent every year on pest management. Introduce an unwanted insect and it will require money and major effort to eradicate it.
5. Insects can move on their own. Release them in one spot, and if you want their effect to spread, the insects will do that for you. (Good for terrorists, not so good for us).
6. And finally, entomological warfare is not at the forefront of people's minds. When you go to an airport or a transportation depot (like the DC Metro), you're not worried about insects, you're worried about a bomb or biological attack. How suspicious would you be at an (apparently) empty soda can just sitting on a chair? If you couldn't see aphids or fleas slowly making their way out, you probably wouldn't think twice about being in any danger.
It's a bit of a scary topic, but I thought the article was interesting, and it's something that I haven't heard talked about much, so I thought it would make the perfect topic for an oral presentation.
Kudos to you if you made it through this long post!
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