Biology Project

*You may have seen past examples of wild and crazy bird creations displayed around my room. This year, the organisms and expectations have changed........stay tuned for results. I'll post photos.

Choose Your Defense
Spines, Vomit, and Camouflage

Learning Targets:
I can identify and describe the advantages of adaptations in parasitoids and hosts and the roles adaptations play in interactions between the two
I can explain the interaction between parasitoid and host
I can outline the life phases of a parasitoid

Method:
Design and create an imaginary caterpillar and associated parasitoid, then write reports including descriptions of the caterpillar and parasitoid adaptations.

Materials:
Poster board
Pens, color pencils, markers
Computers with internet access

Procedure:
PART 1 Design your own caterpillar suited for a specific environment and/or situation. Think about designing a caterpillar for the following:

• The caterpillar is on a green leafy tree with an abundance of tropical ants nearby
• The caterpillar is on a branch of a tropical tree. There is a large bird flying overhead
• The caterpillar is crawling across a blanket of decaying leaves on a forest floor. A rat lurks behind the nearest tree trunk.
• Design your own

You may want to run through the online activity by clicking here to get a sense of some caterpillar adaptations. This site allows you to play with adjusting COLOR, SPINES, or EXTRA to match the situation described.
Draw a rough draft of your caterpillar in your biology journal (due 5/12/09)
Create a final draft in class (5/14/09) using colored pencils or markers. Include:
On the backside of your poster describe why you chose these features for this particular caterpillar and include a common name and scientific name

PART 2
Design a parasitoid that would parasitize your caterpillar. Make your parasitoid either a fly or a wasp, but you be creative in what it looks like and how it behaves! Draw a rough draft of your caterpillar in your biology journal (due 5/12/09). Final drafts will be completed in class 5/14/09.

a) Sketch and color all developmental phases (adult, egg, larva, and pupa)
b) Give your parasitoid a common and scientific name
b) On the backside of your poster write a paragraph describing its life history. Include the following:

-How is the host caterpillar found?
-where and how are the eggs laid?
-what special features does it have that allow it to be a parasitoid?
-how does the egg change to larva, pupa, and adult?
-how long does it take to go through all the life stages?

You may wish to use the internet to conduct research about real parasitoid wasps and flies before beginning your design. Keep in mind though that I would like you to be creative and create your own highly specialized parasitoid.

Helpful websites:
bugguide.net
caterpillars.org
http://www.earthwatch2.org/lff/DuRoss/

Adaptation examples
Sticky hairs: It is difficult for mouth parts of insect predators such as ants to grasp the caterpillars, but parasites may have an advantage in laying their eggs on the caterpillars

Poison spines: Poison spines can irritate the skin of larger predators making it so they often don't get farther than the first touch

Closely packed hairs: It is harder for parasitic wasps to lay their eggs on caterpillars with tightly packed hair

Long hair spines: The caterpillar is able to detect predators through vibrations felt with long hairs. This gives it early warning to get away.

Glands: Glands near the caterpillars head can emit repulsing chemicals or squirt poisonous liquids

Vomit response: Vomit can be toxic, burning the skin of the potential predator

Yellow spots: Yellow spots imply that a caterpillar may be poisonous or taste bad

Fake eyes: Fake eyes give the impression that the caterpillar is a snake, allowing it extra time to drop to the ground and get away from a predator

Red: Is a warning that the caterpillar may be poisonous or taste bad

Brown: Provides camouflage protection. Blends in with tree trunks or dead leaf matter

Bright yellow: Is a warning that the caterpillar may be poisonous or taste bad

Green: Provides camouflage when on green vegetation

White: Is a warning that the caterpillar may be poisonous or taste bad