Lepidopteran (Butterflies and Moths) and Hymenopteran (Bees, Wasps, and

Ants) Lab

Habitat and Niche

Lepidoptera and Hymenoptera

• You will explore the West campus ecosystem searching for Hymenopterans and Lepidopterans.

• You will be responsible for locating three different species of either Hymenoptera or Lepidoptera.

• You will describe where you found the individual insect, its appearance (take a picture if you like), and its behavior.

• Each of you will take down the information in your lab notebook, which will be reviewed by me (you will periodically hand in your notebook).

Ants, Wasps, and Bees

Butterflies and Moths

Habitat

• A place an organism lives is called its habitat. Habitat can be thought of as a species’ address.

Niche

• A niche can be thought of as a specie’s job – what it does to survive.– Each species has its own unique “job” in an

ecosystem. Its niche affects the niche of every other species in an ecological community.