Bean Beetle Lab Report

Introduction Oviposition is described as one of the final steps in reproduction in insects. It includes the deposition of mature eggs onto an object that is outside the body of the female insect (Saunders 2003). Where and how the organism oviposits depends on the behavioral aspects of different species. Another factor that can influence the oviposition of eggs involves the release of chemicals. The Diving Beetle chooses plants that have readily available food for their newly hatched young. They also position them in areas that provide substantial cover and protection from predators to enhance their survival rates. For example, areas such as holes of submerged plant stem to shield them for them to be covered from all predators and after hatching providing them shelter for their transition (Inoda, 2011). For our experiment, we specifically studied the Callosobruchus maculatus or the Bean Beetle. The life cycle for the Bean Beetle is extremely fast and does not require much attentiveness or monitoring. Mature beetles of this species do not need a source of fresh food or water. Female Bean Beetles oviposit specifically on the seeds of legumes allowing us the limit the variables in this experiment, allowing us to easily observe and collect data with our …show more content…
We plan to have two chambers filled with seven Northern beans and 7 black beans. The chambers have four compartments and the beans were placed next to one another in order to make switching between the two chambers easier. We placed two males and four females in each chamber. The beetles were kept in their containers for seven days without and source of food or water. After this time, the amount of eggs on the beans were counted and recorded. We hypothesize that the light Northern bean will have the most eggs on them since the egg has a light coloring, making it the most useful in regards to