Lecture Schedule (tentative)*
| Week 1 | Introduction to aquatic insects. Insect diversity & success [Ch. 1–3]. |
| Week 2 | Basic inect morphology & arthropod characteristics [Ch. 2]. |
| Week 3 | Ecological classification of freshwater habitats [Ch. 5, 6]. |
| Week 4 | Adaptations of freshwater insects [Ch. 4, 5]. |
| Week 5 | Respriation in aquatic- and semi-aquatic insects. Marine insects. Adaptations to flowing water (Hydrodynamics). |
| Week 6 | LECTURE EXAM #1. Insect taxonomy & nomenclature phylogeny [Ch. 9, 11]. |
| Week 7 | Insect phylogeny [Ch. 9]. Order Collembola (springtails) [Ch. 12]. |
| Week 8 | Palaeoptera: Orders Ephemeroptera (mayflies) & Odonata (dragonflies) [Ch. 13, 14]. |
| Week 9 | Orders Plecoptera (stoneflies) & Hemiptera (true bugs) [Ch. 16, 17]. |
| Week 10 | SPRING BREAK. |
| Week 11 | LECTURE EXAM #2. Neuropteroid orders: Megaloptera (fishflies & alderflies) & Neuroptera (spngillaflies) [Ch. 18]. |
| Week 12 | Order Coleoptera (beetles) [Ch. 21]. |
| Week 13 | Orders Lepidoptera (moths) & Trichoptera (caddisflies) [Ch. 19, 20]. |
| Week 14 | Order Diptera (true flies) [Ch. 23] |
| Week 15 | Special topics – TBA |
| Week 16 | Special topics – TBA |
| Week 17 | FINAL EXAM |
Laboratory Schedule**
| Week 1 | Introduction to insect orders. Collecting & rearing of insects [Ch. 3, 10, 11]. |
| Week 2 | Orders Collembola (springtails) & Odonata (dragonflies & damselflies) [Ch. 12, 14]. |
| Week 3 | Order Ephemeroptera (mayflies). [Ch. 13]. |
| Week 4 | LAB EXAM #1 |
| Week 5 | Order Plecoptera (stoneflies) [Ch. 16]. |
| Week 6 | Order Hemiptera (true bugs) [Ch. 17]. |
| Week 7 | Minor orders: Orthoptera (grasshoppers), Megaloptera (dobsonflies, fishflies & alderflies), Neuroptera (spongillaflies), Lepidoptera (moths). [Ch. 15, 18, 20]. |
| Week 8 | LAB EXAM #2 (stoneflies to minor orders). |
| Week 9 | Order Coleoptera [Ch. 20] |
| Week 10 | SPRING BREAK |
| Week 11 | Order Trichoptera (caddisflies) [Ch. 19]. |
| Week 12 | LAB EXAM #3 (beetles & caddisflies). |
| Week 13 | Order Diptera (true flies) [Ch. 23]. |
| Week 14 | Order Diptera (finish) [Ch. 23]. |
| Week 15 | COLLECTIONS DUE (Wednesday). Open lab (review for final) |
| Week 16 | FINAL 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 and/or northeastern Iowa (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.