Entomology: Academics: Course Syllabi

ENTO 4820/6820: Entomology in Natural Resources Management

Objectives: To provide training for identification of some common orders and families of insects and to learn how insects affect our natural resources and their management.

Instructor: Dr. C. Wayne Berisford
Office: 452 Biological Sciences
Phone: 542-7888
E-mail: beris@uga.edu

Office hours: Flexible, visit, call or e-mail any time

Text: None specified; any general entomology text will suffice. Supplemental reading and insect keys are provided.

Lectures: Two lectures per week, times to be arranged.

Labs: One three hour lab per week, times arranged.

Field trips: Field trips will be required to collect insects, observe how insects affect natural resources and how insects interact with natural resources management.

Tests: Two lecture tests, two lab tests and a lecture final will constitute 80 percent of the grade. The required insect collection will make up the final 20%.

Attendance: Students are expected to attend all lectures and labs. Arrangements for excused absences should be made in advance. Makeup tests will be arranged as necessary.

Grades will be determined as follows:

Lecture Exams:	30%
Lab Exams:	30%
Final:	20%
Collection:	20%
	100%

ENT 4820/6820 - Lecture/lab schedule

Meeting	ACTIVITY
1.	Organization - Arrangement of schedule, general objectives.
2.	Lecture - Introduction, scope and specific objectives, importance of arthropods to man, phylogeny of insects and other arthropods.
3.	Lab - Identification of non-insect arthropods, preliminary study of insect anatomy.
4.	Lecture - Anatomy of arthropods.
5.	Lecture - Insect anatomy (continued).
6.	Lecture - Insect anatomy completed.
7.	Lab - Introduction to insect anatomy, study of morphological differences among major orders of insects and classes of arthropods.
8.	Lecture - Metamorphosis, insect growth, and development.
9.	Lecture - Adaptations of immature insects, types of larvae and pupae.
10.	Lab - Study of insect anatomy and function, types of larvae and pupae.
11.	Lecture - Primitive orders of insects
	Apterygota - Protura, Thysanura, Collembola
	Pterygota - Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Orthroptera, Isoptera, Plecoptera
12.	Lecture - Orders of insects (continued) -
	Hemiptera, Homoptera
13.	Lecture - Orders of insects - Homoptera, especially scales, aphids, mealybugs
14.	Lab - Primitive insects (Orders and Families) through Homoptera
15.	Lecture - Orders of insects - Neuroptera, Megaloptera, Coleoptera
16.	Lecture - Coleoptera
17.	Lecture - Coleoptera
18.	Lecture - Coleoptera
19.	Special Lab - Field Trip, visits to forest insect infestations, collecting.
	Arthropods collected may be included in class collection.
20.	Lecture - Complete Coleoptera, Lepidoptera
21.	Lecture - Exam on all previous lecture and outside reading material
22.	Lab - Field data exercise - Production and diversity of arthropods in different vegetation types.
23.	Lecture - Complete Lepidoptera, Diptera, Siphonaptera
24.	Lecture - Diptera, Hymenoptera
25.	Lecture - Role of arthropods in the regulation of forest vegetation.
26.	Lab - Practical Exam (identification of orders and families). Thysanura through Coleoptera. Identification of important families.
27.	Lecture - Importance of arthropods, disease and fire to forest vegetation, types of forest insects classified by damage (defoliators, bark beetles, wood borers, meristem insects, seed and cone insects, wood products insects).
28.	Lecture - Important forest defoliators, biology and control.
29.	Lecture - Bark beetles, seed and cone insects, wood products insects.
30.	Lab - Lepidoptera through Diptera, identifications of important families.
31.	Lecture - Meristem insects, introduction to bark beetles.
32.	Lecture - Film on 4 major forest defoliators and bark beetles. Arthropods as food for wildlife, importance, abundance vs need, management of vegetation for production of arthropods.
33.	Lecture - Ectoparasites, occurrence and effect on wildlife.
34.	Lab - Hymenoptera, identification of adults, larvae, and damage by forest insects. Techniques for defense and avoidance.
35.	Lecture - Exam on all previous material.
	Thanksgiving Break
36.	Lecture - Arthropod-borne diseases, threats to humans, livestock, and wildlife.
37.	Lab - Laboratory practical exam (FINAL)
	Ectoparasites (lice, ticks, mites, fleas) and arthropod disease vectors.
38.	Lecture - Recreation Pests (ticks, chiggers, yellowjackets, mosquitoes, biting midges, blackflies, deer flies, etc.). Techniques for management and control.
39.	Lecture - Trends in insect pest management and implications for wildlife management.
	INSECT COLLECTION DUE
40.	FINAL EXAM

Insect Collection Requirements - ENT 4820/6820

A general collection is required to help students become familiar with the considerable diversity in size, shape, and habitats of insects and related arthropods.

The collection is to be made individually by each student. The acquisition of specimens from other collections, purchase of same, etc. is considered cheating and will be treated accordingly.

Each specimen will be properly pinned or submitted in vials of alcohol if pinning is not appropriate. Pins may be purchased from the secretary in the Entomology Department office. Vials, alcohol, killing jar, and a box for the collection will be provided.

Any specimens that are collected during class field trips may be included in the collection.

Collection requirements will be as follows:

Twelve orders of insects.
Sixty families of insects.
Other arthropods - Other arthropods may be used in place of insect families provided that they are identified at least to class. No more than two members of each class other than Insecta may be used to satisfy family requirements.

Grades will be determined as follows:

12 Orders - 5 points each	60
60 Families - 0.5 points each	30
Collection neatness, correct pinning and labeling, etc.	5
Collection diversity (at least five families correctly identified from six or more orders)	5 ___
	100

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