Pill Bug Lab Report

Pill bugs, Armadillidium vulgare, are terrestrial isopods [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Thus, they are not very well adapted to land [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Water loss is a reoccurring theme because terrestrial isopods lack “cuticular lipids and the elaborate spiracular apparatus of insects” [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Most of the water loss is evaporation from the respiratory organs [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. The respiratory organs are called pleopods, and are gill-like organs “located on the ventral abdominal segments” [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. Interestingly, pill bugs are capable of conglobation, the ability to roll up in a ball [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008]. In addition to protection from predation, conglobation may also conserve water [Gibbs, Smigel, 2008].

The dependent variable is pulsation rates of L. variegatus before and after they were in the treatments. The standardized variable of this experiment would be the temperature of the surroundings of the L. variegatus, the three pulsation rates taken for each worm before and after the treatments, and also the amount of time each worm was kept in their respective treatments. The level of treatment for this experiment would be ten because of the six different concentration treatments of caffeine and nicotine along with the four household drugs. The sample size of the experiment differed from some treatments to other. For the three different concentrations of caffeine and nicotine, the sample size was 18 black worms each. The sample size of the control treatment of week 1 was 6 black worms. 12 black worms were used for the control of week 2, decaffeinated coffee and instant coffee. 11 black worms were used for the tea treatment and 15 were used for the tobacco treatment. There were three replications of the pulsation rate readings per worm before and after the treatment. With all this information we were able to get the results we got.

Data Tables and Observation: Fill out the data sheet (below) for the experiment and submit with this form. Recording data carefully

The hypothesis that was tested was pill bugs are use to the cooler temperature of the room and natural soil would travel a greater distance once they were in a hotter environment. The hypothesis is rejected on the basis that the p-value of .760 is greater than .05. Furthermore, figure 3 supports this rejection, since the averages are very close to each other and their error bars completely overlap. This rejection means that once the pill bugs where in the hotter environment there was not difference in their behavior compared to the cooler room temperature environment; they did not travel longer distances. However looking at bugs D, F G and H in figure 2, there is a difference in distance traveled that appears to be greater than

each Ob­Scertainer. I formed a hypothesis for each one, then I took retests to make more

This experiment was performed to observe the taxis and kinesis of certain organisms. This is important because the organism’s survival and ability to reproduce depends on how they orient to stimuli using senses. We investigated the behavior of pill bugs to determine if they’ll move towards or away from the vinegar through smell. If I place pill bugs in a behavior tray with different chambers, then they’ll move away from the chambers that contains vinegar. A behavior tray with 5 chambers is used and 2 were control while the other 2 has cotton balls with a few drops of vinegar on it. 5 pill bugs are positioned in the center of the chambers and is covered with a transparent cover to observe the organisms for 10 minutes. Results had shown the class

Wet and Dry Environments To find whether Pill bugs gravitate toward a wet or a dry experiment, two coffee filters were cut to the size of the petri dish and placed inside, however one was dampened before being placed on the bottom. Dirt was then added on top to promote a more realistic environment and five Pill bugs were placed in each side before starting to prevent bias on an environment. A log was taken every thirty (30) seconds for ten (10) minutes on how many bugs were in each chamber and a graph was then made to show the changes of the bugs' positions over time. Again, if a Pill bug was in the transgression tunnel he was determined to be in a dish by the direction he was moving or the way it's head was facing.

This table represents how many pill bugs were on each slice of filter paper, that had a different solution on each of them, over 30 second intervals lasting 5 minutes. This is what were recorded our data on for this part of the lab.

One sowbug was then placed in the 3cm gap of the container and 30 seconds was started on the stopwatch. When time was completed we observed which side, grass or sand, the sowbug had preferred. Then, the sowbug was removed and a new one was placed in the container. The same steps were taken for each of the 20 bugs.

To stay consistent with and avoid error, the number of changing variables will be as close to 1 as possible; the only variable being externally manipulated in this experiment would be bean beetle size in two of the populations. (I.E: One group is a random control group of 10 beetles, one group is a variable group with the 10 smallest size beetles, and one groups is a variable group with the 10 largest size beetles.)

The purpose of this lab was to save a little gummy worm named Sam from drowning. In addition, one of the labs key terms was a hypothesis which is a supposition or proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation. Furthermore, we also learned that an independent variable is a factor that is changed during the experiment. On the other hand, the dependent variable is the factor that is observed or measured during the experiment. To begin with, the experiment the hypothesis formulated was if we reshape the paperclips into hooks and pick up sam, and the lifesaver (without touching them), then the lifesaver would be stretched enough for Sam to go through it.

In this experiment, we tested three different environments, soil, sand, and a leafy mixture to see which one a pill bug would prefer the most. Originally, we believed that the pill bug would find the leafy substance to be most favorable. Five pill bugs and then a single pill bug was placed in the center so that it could select one of the substrates. The data collected at the end of the experiment opposed our original hypothesis as we discovered that the most favored environment was the soil. This finding could correlate with the dark color of the soil closely matching the color of the pill bug or the moisture in the soil.

Then we inverted the tubes so an air bubble would form in the little tube that is now upside-down. Now that we know what to do, we marked the little tube 2/3 full. One tube was filled to that line with glucose solution, another with fructose solution, sucrose solution and the last one with water. Next, the little tubes were topped off with a yeast solution. Then we slide a big tube over the little one and completed the inversion, this is done for every little test tube. After they are all inverted our group measured the bubble present at the top of the little tube. Then we put all of the inverted test tubes into a hot water bath for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes we took the tubes out and measure the air bubbles in the tubes. Next, we recorded the data calculated the net change from the beginning of the experiment to after the hot

The containers were plastic and 18 by 15 by 6 centimeters long. Prior to the experiment being performed, the crickets had spent a week in these residencies. Along with the crickets in the plastic containers, there was wet pieces of paper towel and a slice of carrot.

In this laboratory experiment we will be testing a variable to see what a pill bugs will be drawn to eat. Pill bugs are detritovores meaning they eat decomposing leaves and other types of decaying matter. As well they will eat their own feces if they need re-digest food they had eaten early and will resort to eating their own fellow pill bugs if they get hurt. Pill bugs possess a sense of smell sight and touch and have small eyes with poor vision. They use this smell to find food and mates as well they use aggregate pheromones to leave a trail so other pill bugs can find them. In environments that are dry they will be less active and prefer the night and cooler environments. ( Web, Animal Diversity.)