Bugscope Project
Insect head
Above are three pictures. The one to the far left is a picture I found online, the middle drawing that I made, and
the picture on the far right is a picture downloaded from the Bugscope website. As you can see, the picture of the insect
head has a lot more details than the other two pictures. You can even see little hairs on the insect head if you look very
closely. This is because of the all of the technology that was used to create that picture.
Discuss the authenticity of using the technologies involved (microscopes and ESEM)
By using the microscopes in class you could see a great amount of detail but the (ESEM) Environmental
Scanning Electron Microscope used in Bugscope allows you to see bugs even clearer than the microscopes used in the
classroom. The environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) represents several important advances in scanning
electron microscopy. An ESEM may be operated with just a poor vacuum (up to 10 Torr of vapor pressure or one seventysixth of an atmosphere) in the specimen chamber. Water is the most common imaging gas used, and a separate vacuum
pump permits fine control of its vapor pressure in the specimen chamber. When the electron beam (primary electrons) eject
secondary electrons from the surface of the sample, the secondary electrons collide with water molecules, which in turn
function as a cascade amplifier, and deliver the secondary electron signal to the positively biased gaseous secondary
electron detector. Because they have lost many electrons in this exchange, the water molecules are positively ionized, and
they are forced or attracted toward the specimen, serving to neutralize the negative charge produced by the primary electron
beam. The field-emission gun produces a brighter filament image (primary electron beam) than either tungsten or lanthanum
hexaboride sources, and its accelerating voltage may be lowered significantly, permitting nondestructive imaging of fragile
specimens. The ESEM keeps the capabilities for conventional secondary and backscattered electron detection, and the
field-emission source permits very high resolution imaging of coated or naturally conductive samples under normal highvacuum and high-voltage conditions.
Ladybug Summary
Ladybugs, also called ladybird beetles or lady
beetles, are a very beneficial group of insects. They are natural
enemies of many insect pests and it has been confirmed that a
single lady beetle may consume up to 5,000 aphids in its
lifetime.
Ladybugs lay their eggs in yellow clusters under a
leaf or stem. Within a week, the eggs hatch into orange and
black larvae (tiny alligator shaped insects.) Around three to four
weeks the larvae enters the pupae stage and after one more
week, the young adults emerge and are ready to feed.
Adult lady beetles have a very characteristic convex,
hemispherical to oval body shape. The head is covered by a
hood called the pronotum. Lady bugs feed on aphids, small
worms, and a variety of insect eggs. Ladybugs have a few
interesting characteristics. As a defense, ladybug adults will fall
to the ground and “play dead” so enemies will not bother them.
Ladybugs can also secrete an amber bad tasting fluid from the
joints in their legs.
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How does NSES apply to the Bugscope project?
CONTENT STANDARD C:
As a result of activities in grades K-4, all students should develop understanding of
-The characteristics of organisms
-Life cycles of organisms
-Organisms and environments
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How does it apply?
By using the bugscope project it gives students a better understanding of the environment in which they live in. By
looking at bugs using bugscope, it allows students to see insects in great detail. This gives students the
opportunity to analyze different characteristics of all the types of bugs in the world.
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THREE literature sources that you could connect to Bugscope:
1. What About Ladybugs? by Celia Godkin
2. Ten Little Ladybugs by Melanie Gerth
3. Bugs! Bugs! Bugs! by Jennifer Dussling
Ways you can apply Bugscope to other curricular areas or activities:
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Social Studies-You could talk about where bugs come from.
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Math-You could do calculations with magnifications.
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Art-You could draw pictures of certain bugs.
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