Exam 3 (Chp. 13): Insects Flashcards
What protects stag beetles from hornet stings?
Body armor (outer shell)
Do male and female stag beetles look the same? If not, how do they differ?
No, males are larger and have large frontal claws for fighting
What is the function of the emperor moth’s antennae?
Scan the air for chemical cues (reproduction), only in males
Who were among the first creatures to fly?
Dragonflies & Damselflies
How big were ancestral dragonflies? Could they fly?
Size of pigeons and yes
For what purpose will the female dung beetle use the dung ball?
Bury the ball and lay eggs in it (offspring can eat their way out)
What is the advantage of being nocturnal and laying eggs in the night?
Fewer predators are around which allows more time to lay
What material do hornets use to build their nests?
wood pulp and saliva (creates mache like substance)
Which insects have the most complex social structure?
Ants
Who is the founder of an ant colony?
Queen
What is the queen’s role in an ant colony?
Breeding machine (produce eggs and offspring)
How long can a queen ant live?
30 years
Caterpillars are a major source of food for _____.
Songbirds
How have caterpillars shaped the evolution of plants?
Many plants adapted chemical warfare to defend themselves
Describe the process of caterpillar metamorphosis
The body melts to a goo-filled shell and then rebuilds body parts thru winter
What do adult butterflies eat? Why not eat plants as adults too?
Nectar, they no longer have jaws instead a proboscis for sucking up nectar
Describe the pollination of plants. How/why is the interaction between plants and pollinating insects mutualistic?
Plants use insects to transfer pollen between plants for reproduction and nectar is produced from the plants as food for insects
What do giant water lily flowers smell like?
Butterscotch and pineapple
How do insects reproductive strategies help rebuild populations after a severe weather event?
Short life span= more offspring
Have special habitat structures to survive (ant hills in ground)
Which insects are among the strongest creatures on the planet?
Leaf cutter ants
What anatomical structure do leaf cutter ants use to harvest prices of leaves to carry back to their nests?
Huge jaws
How big do leafcutter ant colonies get?
Up to 8 million ants per colony
Why do leaf-cutter ants culture fungi?
Fungi turns leaves into easily digestible protein for ant offspring
What is the natural insecticide that wood ants produce as a defense mechanism?
Formic acid
Describe 3 adaptations of the praying mantis that aid in its success as a predator
- strong body armor prevents punctures from others
- compound eyes and 3 smaller eyes
- Head swings 180 degrees
Why do only female mosquitos bite?
Need blood to nourish eggs growing inside of them
How did the rise of insects likely facilitate the evolution of larger animals?
Adapted new characteristics for hunting and swarms provided large food sources
Why are mammals “bad news for bugs”
They are fast and intelligent
Why are mass spawning and hatching events a successful reproductive strategy for insects?
Predators barely dent numbers
Provide one example of an insect thats a master of mass production
Mayflies
Describe firefly communication. What structures or behaviors enabled them to communicate, and how do they do it?
Chemicals in the abdomen omit glow, Green for females and dim light for males
- the light signals intent and more light= bigger female and more eggs
Describe grasshopper communication. What structures or behaviors enabled them to communicate, and how do they do it?
Singing by rubbing their wing cases to produce noise and find a mate
What are the disadvantages to making noise to attract mates?
Can attract rivals and predators
Ultimately what has driven the evolution of the behaviors and anatomy of insects, like the body armor and horns in male stag beetles?
Propagating the species
How is climate change affecting insect populations?
In winters that have warm weather due to climate change, populations can reach plague size due to a lack of predators
List and describe reaons why we need insects
Pollinate flowers for food and views
Process excretory waste for food
Break down dead and decaying animals
