Invertebrate Classification An up-close look at several species

Invertebrate Classification An up-close look at several species of invertebrates near the Evans Branch of the Rouge River on the campus of Lawrence Tech Presented by: Catherine Charnawskas & Margaret Milligan BIO 6173 July 7, 2004

Map of the Area University Technology and Learning Center General Area of the Evens Branch of the Rouge River on the LTU campus Rouge River Facts • 126 River Miles composing 4 branches: the Main, Upper, Middle, and Lower. • 50% of the watershed is urbanized while 25% is undeveloped. • The Rouge River has a population of 1. 5 million. • Well known River system because of the amount of pollution.

Evans Branch of the Rouge River

Rotting Log Ant Colony Pill Bug Nest Slug Earthworm Location of Invertebrate Specimens Rotting log found on LTU campus off the Evans Branch of the Rouge River

Field Study Data Date: June 28 th Time: 1 pm Weather Conditions: Upper 60 s/Low 70 s (Fahrenheit), overcast, light breeze Description of the area: Flood plain of the Evans Branch of the Rouge River. Dense ground cover, Maple and ash trees in area around river, grasses in lower area with small bushes and trees on the steep incline that is west of the river area, the low lying area near the rotting log is covered with litter – both natural and man made, obvious signs of vertebrate life include a crayfish mound, white tail deer tracks, and raccoon tracks. Description of the log: The log is a maple variety that appears to be a recent addition to the forest floor. There is no visible fungus growing on the lower region of the log. All of the organisms collected came from the southern end of the log (closest to the river).

The “Pill Bug” Classification of the Pill Bug Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Sub. Phylum: Crustacea Class: Malacostraca Order: Isopoda Family: Armadillidiidae Genus: Armadillidium Species: vulgare

The Life of the Pill Bug What do Pill Bugs eat? • Feed on humus and fungi. • Pill Bugs are scavengers • Pill Bugs are omnivores • Will eat both plants and animals. Where can I find a Pill Bug? • Pill Bugs have gills and are restricted to areas that are humid. • Look under rocks, rotting logs, in litter, or in crevices. Length of Specimen: 1. 4 cm Interesting Pill Bug Info • Females have pouches to hold developing eggs. • Roll into a ball when threatened. • Over a 100 species in N. America. • Terrestrial Isopod – cousin to crabs and lobsters.

Feeling Slugish? Classification of the Slug Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Systellommatophora Family: Limacidae Genus: Species: Common Garden Slug Great Grey Slug

How to live like a Slug What do Slugs eat? • Feed on strawberries, tomatoes, and hostas. Prefer fresh growth of many types of plants. • They are omnivores. • Feed at night. Where can I find a Slug? • Need a moist or humid atmosphere so their body doesn’t dry out. • Look under rocks, rotting logs, in litter, or in crevices. Interesting Slug Info • Are hermaphrodites and will mate with themselves if no other slugs are available. • Can stretch up to 20 X their original length. • 40 species in N. America. • Vinegar will remove the slime trail left by the slug. Length of Specimen: 2. 9 cm

Earthworms Classification of the Earthworm Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Annelida Class: Oligochaeta Order: Haplotaxida Family: Lumbricidae Genus: Species:

The life of the Worm Where can I find a Earthworms? • Can be found in both fresh and salt water. • Look under rocks, rotting logs, in litter, or in crevices. What do Earthworms eat? • Eats dirt. Will digest the plant and animal matter, expelling the rest. • The waste produced helps to fertilize the soil. Interesting Earthworm Info • Are hermaphrodites and can not mate with themselves if no other earthworms are available. • 2700 species in N. America. • Valuable in soil by loosening soil for root growth and fertilization. Length of Specimen: 6. 2 cm

Feeling Antsy? Classification of the Ant Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Hymenoptera Family: Genus: Species:

It’s A Bug’s Life What do Ants eat? • Eats wood, plants, honeydew from aphids, and other insects. • Ants leave a scent trail for others to follow to find food. • Many herd aphids and scale insects like cattle. Where can I find an Ant? • Any wooden structure. • Will make their nests in wood that has been exposed to moisture. • Colonies most commonly found in rotting logs, stumps, or adjacent soil. Interesting Ant Info • The world ant population (lb for lb) outweighs the world human population 12: 1 • 10, 000 species in N. America. • Only king and queen ants have wings during mating times in spring and summer. Once they mate they lose their wings (males die after mating). Length of Specimen: 0. 4 cm

Make your own Ant Farm Materials Need: • 1 gallon jar • 1 quart jar w/ lid • Clean playground sand • Spray bottle • Distilled water • 3 plastic soda bottle caps • 4 to 6 cotton balls • Chopped crickets or mealworms • Honey • Grass seed • Newspaper or Construction paper • Tape • Cheesecloth or pantyhose • Heavy-duty rubber band • 50 to 75 Ants Can’t find enough ants? Check out Carolina Biological Supply for materials.

Make your own Ant Farm (con’t) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Fill 1 gallon jar with sand. Soak cotton balls in honey. Place cotton balls throughout the sand. Place bottle caps upside down in the sand. Press down until the top is level with the sand. This makes a natural bowl for food. Place chopped mealworms, grass seed, and water in separate caps. Decorate outside of jar as desired with construction paper and tape. Find ants (or buy ants) and add to the jar. Additional ants can be stored in the quart jar. Place cheesecloth or pantyhose over the top of the jar and secure with rubber band.

Invertebrate Info Online Earthworm Dissection http: //sps. k 12. ar. us/massengale/earthworm_dissection. htm Collecting Data with Pill Bugs http: //www. glencoe. com/sec/science/biology/bscs/wwwlinks/biolabpro. shtml Carolina Biological Supply – Pill Bug Kit https: //www 2. carolina. com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product. Display? jde. Addr ess. Id=&catalog. Id=10101&store. Id=10151&product. Id=41204&lang. Id=-1 Enchanted Learning Animal Diagrams http: //www. enchantedlearning. com/coloring/ Slug Lesson Plans (Elementary) http: //www. auburn. wednet. edu/homepages/ilalko/Slug. Les 1. htm#top The Amazing Ant http: //www. wgby. org/edu/lessonplans/ntti/1999/amazingant. html

Text References Borror, Donald and Richard White. Insects: Peterson Field Guides, Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1970. pages 318 -319 Brusca, Richard and Gary Brusca. Invertebrates, Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Publishers, 1990. page 700 Cottam, Clarence and Herbert Zim. Insects: A guide to familiar American insects. , New York, NY: Golden Press, 1956. pages 138140 Evans, Arthur. “Ant’s: There’s Strength in Numbers” Reptiles Magazine, March 2004: Volume 12, Number 3. pages 58 -61 Levi and Levi. Spiders and Their Kin, New York, NY: Golden Press, 1990. pages 152 -153

Internet References Col, Jeananda “Enchanted Learning Animal Coloring” Enchanted Learning 1997. 30 June 2004. http: //www. enchantedlearning. com/coloring/ Day, Eric. “Carpenter Ant” Insect Identification Laboratory, Virginia Tech June 1999. 30 June 2004. http: //www. ext. vt. edu/departments/entomology/factsheets/carpants. html Unknown. “Earthworm” 30 June 2004. http: //www. mcwdn. org/Animals/Earthworms. html Unknown. “Isopod, Pillbug, Sowbug Information” Center for Insect Education Outreach, The University of Arizona 1997. 30 June 2004. http: //insected. arizona. edu/isoinfo. htm Unkown. “Sex and the Garden Slug” Infrequently Asked Questions. 30 June 2004 http: //ifaq. wap. org/sexandgardenslug. html