ZOOLOGY SERIES
An Introduction to Insects and Related Arthropods
Professor Jon K. Gelhaus

This course is co-sponsored by The Academy of Natural Sciences, located at 19th Street and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia.  The entrance is on 19th Street. Classes will be held in the Academy's Bird Hall, adjacent to the Entomology Collection.

LECTURES BEGIN AT 6:30 PM

1. Thursday, September 18, 2008
   Introduction; How to study insects: sources of identification aids; different areas of entomology; basic anatomy; entomology at the Academy; how to collect and preserve insects.
2. Saturday, September 20, 2008 - FIELD CLASS, 10:30 AM - 12:30 PM (Rain date: October 4, 2008)
   Walk from the Academy into surrounding gardens and natural areas of Fairmount Park.
3. Thursday, September 25, 2008
   An overview of the Class Insecta and its place among the Arthropods; morphology and physiology; general life histories.
4. Thursday, October 2, 2008
   An overview of the insects - Primitive Orders (Ephemeroptera, Odonata), Hemimetabola.
5. Thursday, October 9, 2008 - NO CLASS
6. Thursday, October 16, 2008
   An overview of the insects continued: Hemimetabola concluded.
7. Thursday, October 23, 2008
   An overview of the insects continued: Holometabola.
8. Thursday, October 30, 2008
   An overview of the insects continued: Holometabola concluded.
9. Thursday, November 6, 2008
   Living with insects: Beneficial and pest insects, insect gardening.
10. Thursday, November 13, 2008
    Group exercise in identification of insects; examination of a current research project in entomology.

This course requires preregistration and is limited to 20 students. Preregistration will begin on Monday, September 8, 2008. To preregister, call (215) 763-6529, ext. 23.

This class will explore the diversity of insects and related arthropods, examining the features of insects that have made them the most successful group of organisms on earth. Students will learn the major groupings of insects to allow recognition in nature, and become acquainted with the beneficial and pest species. Emphasis will be on insects encountered in our homes, gardens and local natural areas. Class lectures will be enhanced by the 3.5 million specimen insect collection of the Academy of Natural Sciences.

Suggested reading:

Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America by Eric R. Eaton and Ken Kaufman. Houghton Mifflin: Boston, MA, 2007.

Insects: Their Natural History and Diversity by Stephen A. Marshall. Firefly Book Press: Ontario, Canada, 2006.

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