The primary goal of Entomology 109 is to acquaint students with the taxonomic and biological diversity of insects. The course emphasizes the development of collection, identification, and curation skills. One of the course requirements is the submission of a collection of 200 identified insect families at the end of the five-week period. At the same time each student carries out a small field project on some aspect of insect behavior or ecology. This ties in with the broader goal of becoming familiar with insect natural history and evolution.

Above: Students prepare collections for grading

Syllabus The course runs six days a week, with Sundays off. There will be about three hours of formal lectures per week, but you can expect to spend most days out in the field, and most evenings in the lab, sorting and identifying insects, and analyzing data. Class size is typically about 8 students. The instructor and teaching assistant are available for help essentially all the time. The consensus of students who have taken the course in the past is that it is an intensive learning experience, and lots of fun.