Learn about insect wings, including components, structure and species-specific adaptations.
Insect wings have adaptations for camouflage, predator warning, flight, and attracting mates. These adaptations help insects to survive in specific environments and maintain their populations.
[insert pictures of insects camouflaged in their surroundings, flying upside down, with a distinct “false eye” spotted pattern on their wings]
Some insect wing adaptations are microscopic and can only be seen with a microscope. Things like scales, hairs, and small branching veins can make all the difference between being able to secure their food, avoid predation, and make it back to the safety of their home or not!
[insert pictures of insects with obvious structural differences]
To begin this activity, you will need some insects. The best place to find an insect is a window sill. If you look carefully, you will probably find quite a few different types of insects. You can also venture outside to look for specimens, just don’t collect any living ones!
Use tweezers to remove the wings from the insects. Closely observe the different wings looking for evidence of distinct vein and color patterns.
Once you have observed the insect wings on the macroscopic scale, it is time to explore the microscopic features of the wings! Use your tweezers (and maybe a scalpel or other sharp blade) to prepare slides of the different insect wings.
Choose a wing to start with and place it on a slide (if it is a very large wing, you may need to cut a small section in order to view it properly under a microscope). Cover the wing with a cover slip and secure the coverslip with tape. Observe the wing with a microscope. If you have a microscope with different lenses, observe the wing under different levels of magnification. What features do you see? What colors do you see? Record your observations in your science notebook - and don’t forget to draw and label what you see! Repeat this with each of the insect wings that you were able to collect.
Bonus: Note the thickness of the veins in each of the wings. Can you give a scientific explanation as to why the trait relating to vein thickness would be passed on to future generations of insects?
Need help answering the questions on the card? Want to learn more about insect wings? Check out these resources to follow your curiosity!
Foldscope In The Classroom: Insect Wing Adaptations
MS-LS4-6: Use mathematical representations to support explanations of how natural selection may lead to increases and decreases of specific traits in populations over time.
Clarification Statement (Assessment Boundary): Emphasis is on using mathematical models, probability statements, and proportional reasoning to support explanations of trends in changes to populations over time. (Assessment does not include Hardy Weinberg calculations.)
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