Caterpillars, Spiders and Snakes, Oh My!

Louisiana Critters!

Caterpillars are not the only interesting critters that I have seen here in Louisiana. The ecosystem here is very different from Rochester. I have seen creatures of all sizes including snakes, skinks, spiders, frogs, grasshoppers, beetles, bees, alligators, evidence of an armadillo (shell), hawks, falcons, river otters, turtles, lizards and woodpeckers.

Challenge:

1. There was one animal that I was hoping to see but haven't. It is called a nutria. What is a nutria? Do we have them in Rochester?

2. How does the ecosystem of Rochester compare to Louisiana?

Field Work

I want to share with you some videos of what it looks like to work in a plot assessment. This is where we collect all of our caterpillars and take inventory of the plants.

A Day in the Life of a Scientist

From early morning to late at night... a scientist's job is never done!

D0 you think that the life of a scientist is easy? Well think again! Here's what a day looks like here in Louisiana (I completely understand if you become exhausted just reading about it).




We wake up around 6a.m. to eat breakfast and pack up all of our supplies including our lunch/snacks for while we are out in the field. We leave for the field at 7:30a.m. and either drive or kayak out to a location. Either way, when we arrive we must use a machate to clear out a path and hike to find our plot assessment.

Once we arrive we carefully use orange tape to measure out 10 square meters. All of our plots are measured the same way with a center tree. We use a GPS to pinpoint our specific location. Then we look high and low for caterpillars. Each caterpillar gets a seperate bag with a sample of the plant they are found on and labeled for identification purposes. We are also keeping track of all of the different plants so we count not only the types of plants in our plot but also the number of leaves on each plant. Can you imagine how long that must take? Now you see why we work in teams! We try to accomplish two plots before lunch. Then we take a quick break for lunch out in the field. Usually we eat on a fallen log. Then it is back to finding new assessment plots.

In the afternoon we make our way back to the bunkhouse to log in all of our collections into two different databases. One that records information on the caterpillar and the other one about the plants we found. We must use microscopes and guide books to help us identify the individual species of caterpillars and plants. We also take photographs of each type of caterpillar before giving them their own number for the database.


Finally we must take care of the caterpillars that were previously collected by cleaning out their bags, giving them fresh food and recording if there is pupation or parasitoid activity. But wait, the day is not over! We are now famaished and must cook dinner. Making dinner for 10 people each night is not an easy task and by that time we are very tired! After cleaning up all of our dishes, we write our blog. I have yet to go to bed before 11p.m. so that should really let you know that we are working hard all day and night! Yes, it is exhausting but the work is extremely interesting and I am enjoying every moment!



Challenge:
What do you think is the most interesting or difficult part of my job here in Louisiana?

Caught in the Middle of a Food Web!

Sun--> Plant-->Caterpillar-->Parasitoid

Louisiana has some very unique plants and animals in the bayou. I have seen some amazing spiders, grasshoppers, snails and butterflies. Not to mention that I have also learned about the fascinating plants that grow on land and in the marshy water. Our focus is on the food web but what is a food web you ask? Great question! A food web shows how energy is transfered from one living thing to the next. Each food web starts with the energy source which is the sun. The energy from the sun is used by plants which are producers. Plants are eaten by caterpillars which are primary consumers. Now you know that caterpillars have many different predators but in our study we are interested in the parasitoids which are secondary consumers. What exactly are parasitoids you ask? Another excellent question! A parasitoid is an organism that uses a host's body for food and development but by doing that it also ends up destroying the host.

Let me give you an example! The Ilex Decidua (a tpye of plant) is eaten by the Fall Webworm and the Braconid Wasp in order to develop, must lay their eggs inside a caterpillar in order to give their larva the food supply that they need. When the Braconid wasp larva is done feeding off the caterpillar it will forms its pupa by creating its cocoon on the caterpillars body. Sadly this kills our favorite creature the caterpillar but without a host, a parasitoid cannot survive.

As we are caring for the caterpillars that we have collected, we continue to observe them as they grow and change. In some cases we see the pupa of a parasitoid appear on our caterpillars. Take a look at the pictures to see what this change looks like.

Before --------> After

Challenge:

What would happen to the caterpillar population if there was an increase in parasitoids?

What might happen to the caterpillar population if there was a decrease in parasitoids?

Crazy Caterpillars!

Caterpillars are FANTASTIC!

I had no idea how much I would grow to appreciate caterpillars but I have been literally amazed by some of the extraordinary things I have learned about them in the last few days! Worldwide there are approximately 300,000 species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) which would account for the huge differences that I have been observing. I have truly enjoyed finding a variety of caterpillars that exibit a variety of characteristics that I want to share a few with you.

Interesting movement: Geometrids- are a particularly interesting caterpillar because they only have 4 prolegs and therefore loop when they move.
Personal defenses: A "slug caterpillar" not only look tough but they also sting. The "Fall Webworm" have warning coloration and are covered with setae (bristles) that cause irritation to our skin.

Clever at hiding: "Skippers" use their silk to enclose themselves in leaves. The colors of many of the caterpillars camoflauge with the leaves that they love to munch. Some even look like a leaf that has been eaten in the center of the caterpillars body like the "Purple Crested Slug".

All of these special characteristics are important for us to observe when we are entering each individual caterpillar into our database. We need to look at the unique features I have listed above along with many, many other characteristics in order to correctly identify which particular caterpillar species we have actually collected. This is VERY difficult work!!!

Challenge: 1. Take a look at the pictures of the caterpillars we have found so far and see if you can identify what their special characteristic(s) are that helped us to identify their particular species.
2. Besides identifying caterpillars we have to figure out the type of plant they enjoy devouring too. What do you think we do in order to determine the special plant they are eating?

Pearl River Research

Live from Pearl River...
Your favorite scientist, Miss Turner!

We have officially left New Orleans and have moved into the bunkhouse at Pearl River. Our team (7 teachers & 3 scientists) have been hard at work these last two days. Our job is to assist the scientists with collecting caterpillars so that they can determine the types of interactions that are going on between the primary producers (plants), the primary consumer (caterpillars) and the secondary consumer that feeds on caterpillars (parasitiods). The fifth graders should be familiar with this relationship as it is known as a food web (and I sure hope they remember talking about food webs when we studied owls). I plan on sharing more information about the specific food web in this area when I talk to you during our polycom session and in my later blogs.

Before I can even go out to the field there is a lot of planning that must be done! An important job for a scientist is to be prepared before going out to the field. Our work consists of collecting not only caterpillars but also the plant that they are found on so that we can take care of them back in the lab and note their changes as they go through their life cycle. In order to do that we need to have certain supplies. Are you ready for the official packing list? It's a long one! Each individual going out in the field needs the following supplies: long sleeve shirt, long pants, rain boots, a bright orange vest, large water bottle, lunch or snacks, a small bag that contains- 30 ziplock bags, 2 sharpies, our collecting permit, hand sanitizer and clippers. Now our group also needs to bring a few other items that we all share during our collection. These items include: a machete, bright orange tape marked off 5 meters in each direction, large bags, beat sheets, and a first aid kit. Whew, I'm tired just thinking of all of these items but they are all used during our plot assessment. In fact these same tools are being used at the other 4 sites that are collecting the same data that we are in New Orleans. The scientists working in the other locations around the world are using the same techniques for collecting and caring for the caterpillars as we are doing. They are also logging in the information that they find into the same type of database as we are using. Hmmm I wonder why they would be studying caterpillars in different parts of the world? Got any ideas why we would be interested in other places besides New Orleans? I'll save that one till tomorrow!

Challenge:

1. Why do you think it is important that all of the scientists that are part of this study use the same materials and collect their information in the same manner?

2. Take a look at that long list of supplies and try to guess how we might use that particular material. (For example what are the ziplock bags for? Why would we need to wear orange vests? )

3. Any idea what type of caterpillar I found in the picture above?

Scientific Method

The Scientific Method

I want to share with you how the scientific method works for our team. Yes you heard me correctly, real scientists do perform the scientific method and it isn't something we do in school just for fun!

Observation:

1. Climates are becoming less predictable due to more extreme weather events.

2. In places where it is hard to predict the amount of rain from one year to the next, there are fewer parasitoids.

Hypothesis: If hurricanes (extreme weather events) mean that an environment is less predictable then we would expect to find fewer parasitoids in areas with lots of hurricane damage.

Method: Assessment and collection of plants, caterpillars and parasitoids. Then taking field specimens back to the lab and observing their life cycle changes.

Analyzing Data: Locally, comparing assessments between sites of different levels of damage. Globally, comparing the assessments done at the New Orleans site with other sites (Equador, California-Great Basin, Costa Rica, Arizona).

Conclusion: We haven't formulated a conclusion yet because we are still in the process of collecting and analyzing data. Stay tuned!