Testing... testing ...
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In this section
Students perform an experiment to determine the feeding preferences of yellow admiral caterpillars.
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to:
- Explain why biocontrol agents are tested before release.
- Describe how biocontrol agents are tested before release.
Suggested prior lessons
- What is a weed?
- Cultivating weeds
Curriculum Connections
Science Levels 5 & 6
Vocabulary/concepts
Choice test, no choice test, repeated trials, control, economic threshold
Time
30-45 minutes pre-experiment discussion and set-up 30-45 minutes data collection and discussion
Materials
- copies of “What plant should I test?”
- leaves of nettle and other plants (see preparation instructions)
- moist paper towels
- small insect rearing containers (1 per caterpillar collected)
- flexible forceps or artists paintbrushes for picking up caterpillars gently
- copies of data sheets