BIO 3582 Insect Biology
Students in this course examine the evolution, ecology, physiology, and behavior of insects. Students survey insect evolution and the major insect groups and learn morphological features that allow them to identify those groups. This course takes a systems approach to exploring the morphology and physiology of insects, including growth, development, and sensory systems. Students learn about the behavior and ecology of insects, including how insects interact with their environment, as well as sociality, learning, and communication. A required laboratory accompanies the course. In laboratory, students observe the features of insects, investigate variation in form and function, and learn to identify the major groups. Field outings allow students to experience, observe, and collect insects in their natural environments. Students build insect collections over the semester, applying the skills they develop during the course. The students practice museum curation and research methods in building their collections, and their specimens become part of the Elon University insect collection, a teaching and research resource. This course includes topics such as systematics & classification, physiological systems, development, the nervous system and behavior, sociality, parasites and parasitoids, and predator-prey interactions.
Corequisite
BIOL 3582
Course Types
Science; Lab Science
Course Outcomes
- Students will identify and describe the major groups of insects
- Students will investigate and describe the morphological, physiological, behavioral, and ecological diversity of insects and the evolutionary forces that shape that diversity
- Students will collect insects in the field and identify, preserve, and curate them in collections
- Students will read and present about the types of research that scientists address with insects