Any other hobby entomologists here?

[TOMTE]

What does 4H entomology entail? Do you try to raise the healthiest specimens? Native species raise and release programs? I wish I had gotten to do anything cool like 4H in school but I didn't have that option. Sigh!

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

My son is using inaturalist so I've been taking photos for him if the bugs I find. Thankfully we aren't collecting anymore for 4H--kinda sad to miss it but okay with extra freezer space lol

Sadly this year we only reared 15 Monarch caterpillars to adults. Had some that died instantly, like something was internally wrong, and only two who died in chrysalis. Have over 150 milkweed plants but we only saw two wilds in our area. Weather probably didn't help any, so humid and hot.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

What does 4H entomology entail? Do you try to raise the healthiest specimens? Native species raise and release programs? I wish I had gotten to do anything cool like 4H in school but I didn't have that option. Sigh!

Our 4H Entomology (Indiana) is where we catch, spread, and pin natural occuring insects. We practiced on invasive species, and were super careful of endangered ones. We collected a lot of already dead ones, put them in a relaxing jar to remoisten them lol, then pinned them.

We also had to correctly ID to species and family and order and lable.

It was an undertaking, especially with two kids in it. But we enjoyed it. Kids just stopped bc they were "competing" against each other.

These were from 2020, only pics I could find


Eta; we did raise some we could as well where applicable

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Found this photo. As we homeschool, we turned it into a full science experiment. The kids had notebooks of observations and reports on habitats and history. Everything on the insects they found.

 

[TOMTE]

Carrion feeders found on (and in) a dead squirrel a couple weeks ago. Forgot about these!

American carrion beetle (Necrophila americana). I think they're cute There were also individuals of another species in the Necrophila genus, which were black and orange instead of black and yellow. Not sure which species.

Spoiler: Dead squirrel

Hairy rove beetles (Creophilus maxillosus). The adults and larvae eat fly maggots, and adults may also hunt adult flies. Both adults and larvae have long, strong, sharp mandibles.

Tomentose burying beetle (Nicrophorus tomentosus). This wasn't the biggest one I spotted but it was close. Burying beetles are named so because they bury carrion for their larvae to feed on. Their legs are unbelievably strong.

 

[TOMTE]

Found this photo. As we homeschool, we turned it into a full science experiment. The kids had notebooks of observations and reports on habitats and history. Everything on the insects they found.

AMAZING! It makes me so happy when kids really get into learning about the natural world!