Course Syllabus - Aquatic Insects

Lecture Schedule (tentative)*

Week 1Introduction to aquatic insects. Insect diversity & success [Ch. 1–3].
Week 2Basic inect morphology & arthropod characteristics [Ch. 2].
Week 3Ecological classification of freshwater habitats [Ch. 5, 6].
Week 4Adaptations of freshwater insects [Ch. 4, 5].
Week 5Respriation in aquatic- and semi-aquatic insects. Marine insects. Adaptations to flowing water (Hydrodynamics).
Week 6LECTURE EXAM #1. Insect taxonomy & nomenclature phylogeny [Ch. 9, 11].
Week 7Insect phylogeny [Ch. 9]. Order Collembola (springtails) [Ch. 12].
Week 8Palaeoptera: Orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies) & Odonata (dragonflies) [Ch. 13, 14].
Week 9Orders Plecoptera (stoneflies) & Hemiptera (true bugs) [Ch. 16, 17].
Week 10SPRING BREAK.
Week 11LECTURE EXAM #2. Neuropteroid orders: Megaloptera (fishflies & alderflies) & Neuroptera (spngillaflies) [Ch. 18].
Week 12Order Coleoptera (beetles) [Ch. 21].
Week 13Orders Lepidoptera (moths) & Trichoptera (caddisflies) [Ch. 19, 20].
Week 14Order Diptera (true flies) [Ch. 23]
Week 15Special topics – TBA
Week 16Special topics – TBA
Week 17FINAL EXAM

Laboratory Schedule**

Week 1Introduction to insect orders. Collecting & rearing of insects [Ch. 3, 10, 11].
Week 2Orders Collembola (springtails) & Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies) [Ch. 12, 14].
Week 3Order Ephemeroptera (mayflies). [Ch. 13].
Week 4LAB EXAM #1
Week 5Order Plecoptera (stoneflies) [Ch. 16].
Week 6Order Hemiptera (true bugs) [Ch. 17].
Week 7Minor orders: Orthoptera (grasshoppers), Megaloptera (dobsonflies, fishflies & alderflies), Neuroptera (spongillaflies), Lepidoptera (moths). [Ch. 15, 18, 20].
Week 8LAB EXAM #2 (stoneflies to minor orders).
Week 9Order Coleoptera [Ch. 20]
Week 10SPRING BREAK
Week 11Order Trichoptera (caddisflies) [Ch. 19].
Week 12LAB EXAM #3 (beetles & caddisflies).
Week 13Order Diptera (true flies) [Ch. 23].
Week 14Order Diptera (finish) [Ch. 23].
Week 15COLLECTIONS DUE (Wednesday). Open lab (review for final)
Week 16FINAL EXAM.

* Chapter assignments refer to Merritt, R.W., K.W. Cummins & M.B. Berg (eds). 2019. An Introduction to the Aquatic Insects of North America (Fifth Edition). Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co., Dubuque, IA.

** Optional weekend field trips will be scheduled to north-central Iowa and Bull Shoals Field Station in the Ozark's (both in late March or early April). Additional local field trips will also be scheduled during the semester. These will provide many opportunities to gather specimens for your collections.