-
Describe the various types of insect-produced materials
used by humans.
-
Describe the process of rearing silk worms and explain
how silk is produced.
-
Explain how beeswax is produced and describe the various
uses of this material by bees, and by humans.
-
Describe the production of royal jelly and discusss
the uses of this material by honey bees and in human industries.
-
Describe the process of producing shellac. Explain
why this material is not as broadly used as in the past. Explain why
the production of shellac is so labor intensive.
-
Describe the source of cochineal dye and discuss the
historical uses of this dye, its current uses and the sociological
effects of the arrival of the Spanish.
-
Describe the source of cantharidin and explain how
it is of value to insect. Describe the historical use and misuse of
this chemical.
-
Explain how certain insect groups have been used,
and are used in medicine.
-
Describe the "new" products that insects
create that are of value to humans and explain how they presently
contribute to our way of life.
Terms: Insect secretions, silk, beeswax,
hypodermal glands, royal jelly, mandibular glands, hypodermal glands,
cochineal, cantharidin, galls, tannic acid.
Insects as Food and Fiber Producers.
- Insect secretions.
- Silk - from salivary glands of Bombyx mori - silk worm.
- Beeswax - natural secretion.
Honey bee Apis mellifera,
adult hypodermal glands.
- Royal jelly. Secretion of mandibular glands of "nurse"
bees.
- Shellac. "Wax" from scale insect hypodermal glands.
- Insect bodies.
-
Cochineal - red dye from pulverized bodies of
mealy bug.
Dactylopius coccus. "Pest" of prickly
pear cactus.
- Cantharidin: From dried bodies of blister beetles (Meloidae) causes
blisters on skin of vertebrates.
- Insect bodies as lures, fish bait.
- Insect bodies used in medicine.
- Insects collect, modify products.
- Honey bees collect nectar.
- Insects create new products. Cause "insect" galls on
plants.
Some are valuable to humans.
- Tannic acid - oak galls.
- Galls - source of finest dyes and most permanent inks.
STUDY QUESTIONS
- Where did the production of silk originate?
- What is the only food plant of the silkworm moth?
- How is beeswax used by honey bees? How is it used by humans?
- How does royal jelly affect the development of honey bee larvae?
How is it used by humans?
- How do beekeepers get honey bees to make royal jelly in large quantities?
- What is the origin of shellac? What is stick lac? Why is its production
limited to undeveloped countries?
- What is the source of cochineal dye? How did it influence the treatment
of native Americans by the Spanish?
- What is "maggot therapy"? How was it discovered that maggots
could be used in medicine?
- What is the source of cantharidin? How is it used by the insect?
By humans?
- Describe the process by which honey bees convert nectar to honey.
- What is a gall? How is it formed?
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