How to Test Insect Responses to Color
Cut out different colored pieces of paper., Place the colors outside., Observe the number and type of insects that land on each color., Tailor the experiment to be more time efficient.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Cut out different colored pieces of paper.
Construction paper works well for this, as it is a little sturdier than normal paper.
Choose your colors, for example red, black, blue, green, yellow, and orange.
Cut them into any size or shape you desire, but make sure that each piece is the same size and shape as the others.You may also choose to fold the papers after cutting them.
Depending on the type of experiment you are doing, you could make a tent or shelter from the paper.
Kids should only use scissors under appropriate adult supervision. -
Step 2: Place the colors outside.
Put the colors in relatively the same area and against the same background.
For example, avoid putting the red paper on a brown tree and the green paper in the green grass.
Place your papers in a place that you know insects frequent, such as a flower garden., Once your colored paper is placed, step away and wait.
Be patient and quiet until you start seeing insects land on the paper.
Record the number and type of insect that is attracted to each different color and then compare the results.If you want to take your results a step further, you can enter the data you collected into a spreadsheet and generate graphs and charts.
The more bugs you observe, the more reliable your data will be.
You should try to observe at least 20-30 bugs to start seeing reliable trends., You may wait for quite some time to see bugs on the paper cut outs if you simply place them outside.
If you need to do a more controlled (or more time effective) experiment, fold the paper into tents and place them in a Petri dish.
Introduce one bug at a time into the dish and record the color that they prefer.
Do this at least 20-30 times to see reliable trends.This method would be prefered for science projects. -
Step 3: Observe the number and type of insects that land on each color.
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Step 4: Tailor the experiment to be more time efficient.
Detailed Guide
Construction paper works well for this, as it is a little sturdier than normal paper.
Choose your colors, for example red, black, blue, green, yellow, and orange.
Cut them into any size or shape you desire, but make sure that each piece is the same size and shape as the others.You may also choose to fold the papers after cutting them.
Depending on the type of experiment you are doing, you could make a tent or shelter from the paper.
Kids should only use scissors under appropriate adult supervision.
Put the colors in relatively the same area and against the same background.
For example, avoid putting the red paper on a brown tree and the green paper in the green grass.
Place your papers in a place that you know insects frequent, such as a flower garden., Once your colored paper is placed, step away and wait.
Be patient and quiet until you start seeing insects land on the paper.
Record the number and type of insect that is attracted to each different color and then compare the results.If you want to take your results a step further, you can enter the data you collected into a spreadsheet and generate graphs and charts.
The more bugs you observe, the more reliable your data will be.
You should try to observe at least 20-30 bugs to start seeing reliable trends., You may wait for quite some time to see bugs on the paper cut outs if you simply place them outside.
If you need to do a more controlled (or more time effective) experiment, fold the paper into tents and place them in a Petri dish.
Introduce one bug at a time into the dish and record the color that they prefer.
Do this at least 20-30 times to see reliable trends.This method would be prefered for science projects.
About the Author
Isabella Fox
Experienced content creator specializing in hobbies guides and tutorials.
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