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Researched by Nicole S.
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The purpose of this experiment was to test the survival of ladybugs with certain non-toxic substances.
I became interested in this idea because of my interest
in ladybugs and I wonde
red what ladybugs had a reaction to or what ladybugs
didn’t like.
The information gained from this experiment is to help
farmers and agriculturists use a strong organic spray and avoid killing
other insects such as ladybugs.
My hypothesis was that the finest ladybugs would not survive
the jalepeno pepper spray.
I base my hypothesis on the way ladybugs avoid strong aroma plants and stay on plants such as potato and tomato plants.
The constants in this study were:
- -the amount of spray going on the ladybugs
- -the amount of light for the ladybugs
- -the amount of heat for the ladybugs
- -the same type and size of bottles
- -the same amount that each bottle holds
- -the same size of containers
- -the same species of ladybugs
The manipulated variable was the type of spray going
in each container.(jalepeno peppers, dish soap and water, and rosemary)
The responding variable was the percentage of ladybugs that lived.
To measure the responding variable I counted the living and dead ladybugs.
| QUANTITY | ITEM DESCRIPTION |
| 500 | ladybugs |
| 8 | containers with lids |
| 5 | jãlepeño peppers |
| 25ml | dish soap |
| 3 | spray bottles |
| 575ml | Water |
| 1 100ml | graduated cylinder |
| 1 25ml | graduated cylinder |
| 9 g | rosemary |
| 4 | tupperware bowls |
| 32 | cotton balls |
| 1 | potato |
| 1 | pencil |
Designing the Experiment
1. Collect all materials needed for the experiment. Start
on any day depending on your schedule for the beginning of the experiment.
(see materials list for items needed for the experiment)
2. Put holes in all of the containers for the ladybugs.
3. Put ladybugs in each container and close the lid (put
the ladybugs in each container the night before beginning the experiment.
4. Put moist cotton balls and some potato peelings into
each container and close the lid.
Making the Home Remedy Sprays
5. Cut up 5 jalepeno peppers.
6. Put the cut up jalepeno peppers in a tupperware bowl
and add 200ml of water and let them sit for 15 minutes.
7. After 15 minutes is over, get another tupperware bowl
and take a coffee filter and put it
over the other tupperware bowl and pour the jalepeno
pepper juice (and the pepper part) in through the coffee filter.
8. Repeat this again to get all of the seeds out in case
the coffee filter breaks.
9. Get a different bowl and put 25ml of dish soap and
175ml of water in it and mix it together.
10. For the next step have a parent or guardian watching
you.
11. Get a medium sized pan and put the stove on medium.
12. Put 9 grams of rosemary into the pan.
13. Put 200 ml of water in the pan and let the rosemary
heat up for 5 minutes.
14. Let the water and rosemary cool for 3 minutes.
15. After the rosemary is cooled get two tupperware bowls
and pour the rosemary into one of the bowls and get another coffee filter
and put it over the other tupperware bowl.
16. Pour the rosemary that is in the tupperware bowl
in the coffee filter that is over the other tupperware bowl. 17. After
straining the liquid, carefully pour the rosemary into a spray bottle.
Doing the Experiment
18. Label each container with the spray each group gets.
19. Open the lid to the rosemary group of ladybugs and
spray them with 2 sprits of rosemary spray.
20. Open the lid to the dish soap and water group and
spray the ladybugs with 2 sprits of dish and water spray. 21.Open the lid
to the jalepeno peppers group and spray 2 sprits of spray on the ladybugs
with the jalepeno peppers spray.
22. Put one of the plants that has no spray on it as
the controlled group.
After your Experiment
23. After 3 days is over count all of the dead ladybugs
and also count the total.
24. Record the data and let the ladybugs free after you
have finished counting them.
25. Start another trial for accurate information and
if you are still not sure of your findings start a 3rd trial.
The original purpose of this experiment was to test the survival of ladybugs with certain non-toxic substances.
The results of the experiment were that the survival rate of ladybugs with jalepeño peppers spray was more than that in the other groups.
My hypothesis was that the finest ladybugs would survive the jalepeno pepper spray.
The results indicate that this hypothesis should be rejected. It should be rejected because the ladybugs were not killed by the jalepeño spray. This information shows that vegetable plants or sprays might not affect ladybugs.
Because of the results of this experiment, I wonder if different concentrations of sprays and different types of sprays (especially marigolds) would have similar results.
If I were to conduct this project again I would use larger containers because there was many ladybugs and some containers needed a lot more space. I would purchase better food for the ladybugs than just potato peels. I would measure the amount of food so it would be even amounts in each container. I would also find out more about what ladybugs liked to eat so I could get them something they would prefer more. I would do more trials with more bugs in each container. I would also use more sprays.
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INTRODUCTION Agriculture is important for human and animal survival.
Farmers and agriculturists are using pesticides on our foods that are not
safe for humans, fish, birds, and many other environmental species.
Poisons such as pesticides are used in farming. There
are four types of pesticides: insecticide, rodenticide, fungicide, and
herbicide. Specific types include Chlorpyrifos (Durban) and Methyl Parathion.
Methyl Parathion was banned from the United States and Chlorpyrifos injures
humans. Many people used poisons such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane
(DDT) in gardening and farming. In 1939, there was a discovery about DDT.
At the end of World War II, DDT and other synthetic pesticides were used
worldwide. For almost 50 years scientists saw no problem with DDT. By the
1960’s scientists realized that pesticides were affecting birds, fish,
and the people who handled these dangerous pesticides. DDT killed many
organisms besides the intended pests. Two of these animals are eagles and
fish. Eagles sometimes ate fish that were contaminated with DDT. Eagles
that ate these fish were then contaminated, and female eagles that were
contaminated could produce deformed eggs. Scientists found high levels
of pesticides in animals.
Ladybugs are a type of insect that most farmers and gardeners admire. Ladybugs eat aphids, a type of pest that many farmers, gardeners, and agriculturists are trying to get rid of with the use of pesticides. Ladybugs get affected when farmers and gardeners try to get rid of the aphids. Ladybugs are small and have a body shaped like half a pea. Their main body parts are under the shiny, black part of the body. Ladybugs have many colors and patterns on their hard pair of wings such as yellow and bright red for their base color and black, red, white, or yellow spots. Ladybugs have a sense in which they can know when winter will come. Ladybugs are not able to camouflage because of their bright color. Scientists determine their species by the color and their patterns. Scientists believe that humidity and temperature cause the different patterns and spots. Ladybugs' wings are not just used for flying to find food, but their wings are used to fly away from predators. Ladybugs will play dead and produce a bitter orange substance that protects them from predators. Environmental Working Group The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a group of people
that are against using pesticides on the foods humans and animals eat.
In August of 1999, high levels of pesticide use were found on Washington
Apples by the EWG. The EWG found that 2 out of 25 apples had a pesticide
level so hazardous that a 2-year old that eats an apple like that would
exceed the government’s safe daily exposure level.
Ladybugs are an important part of the environment. They eat aphids and many other types of garden pests. Gardeners, agriculturists, and farmers are effecting ladybugs and other organisms. Farmers' use of pesticides and poisons effect them and humans who handle them. The EWG have been trying to prevent the use of pesticides that damage humans. |
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"Aphids/Insects," Microsoft Encarta Deluxe 2000. 2000\ "Dangers of Pesticides." Available at http://www2.actden.com/writ_den/eo2/direct.htm, November 22, 2000 Knopf, Alfred A. National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1980. Pp. 502-503 Cat Lazaroff. "Dangerous Pesticides found on Washington Apples." Available at http://ens.lycos.com/ens/apr2000/2002-04-05-06.html, 12-5-00 Leahy, Christopher. Insects. Boston; New York: Richard E. White, 1987 Linker, H. Micheal. "Pest Control," World Book Encyclopedia, 2000. "Marigold Flowers." Available at http://www.hort.purdue.edu/, October 26, 2000 McGavin, George C. Bugs of the World. London: Ken Preston-Mafham, 1993 O’Toole, Christopher, The Encyclopedia of Insects. North America: Facts on Files Inc. 1989 "Plant Care Information/ Aphids." Available at http://www.forestry.mpw.net/html/aphids.html, October 30, 2000 Van Dyck, Sara. Insect Wars. New York, London, Hong Kong,
Sydney: Franklin Watts, 1997. Pp. 26-28, 33-34
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I would like to thank the following people for their help with my science
project.I would like to thank my mother, Sandra, for paying for some of
my materials. Mrs. Pasckvale for assisting me in putting ladybugs in containers.
I would also like to thank Mr. Newkirk for staying after school and for
helping me order ladybugs.
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