"Citizen Science: An Introduction to Insects" Workshop
June 18 and 19, 2010
"Ultimately [plants] owe [insects] their very lives, because insects turn the soil around their roots and decompose dead tissue into the nutrients required for continued growth. So important are insects and other land-dwelling arthropods that if all were to disappear, humanity probably could not last more than a few months. Arthropods are thus all around us, life-giving, and we have never taken their measure." The Diversity of Life by E.O. Wilson
Join us for an introduction to insects as we learn, observe, collect, photograph, and delight in the wonderful world of insects. We hope to begin the process of including insects in your world, insects you have never seen before, right before your eyes.
This workshop is intended for anyone with an interest in insects (most appropriate for ages 16 and up). The full 2-day format will offer a combination of lab and field learning. In addition, there will be an optional evening activity involving black lighting and light traps to learn about night-flying insects.
Facilitators: MJ Hatfield, insect enthusiast; Jonathan (Jackie) Brown, professor of biology at Grinnell College; John Pearson, botanist and ecologist with the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, and Bug Guide editor; Steve Holland with the Iowa DOT Living Roadway Trust Fund; Laura Winkler, entomology research assistant, Iowa State University.
Sponsors: Grinnell College Center for Prairie Studies, IA DOT Living Roadway Trust Fund, Iowa Prairie Network, Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation, Iowa Native Plant Society, and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.
Registration: Please download the registration form below. The workshop registration fee is $100. The fee includes a comprehensive Insect Collection and Preservation Kit and workshop support materials that participants will take home with them, in addition to lunch on Friday and Saturday, and morning and afternoon refreshments on both days. If you are a student, and need assistance with the registration cost, please contact Laureen VanWyk at 641-269-4720 or vanwyk@grinnell.edu.
For more workshop information: Please contact MJ Hatfield at mjhatfield@oneota.org or 515-450-7430.
2010 CERA Insect Workshop Registration Form
CERA Insect Workshop Brochure June 2010
CERA Trail Map, Habitat, and Facilities
