One of the most interesting hikes to go on in a state park, reservoir or forest is a hike with an interpreter to look for insects.
Insects are fascinating creatures, and there are plenty of them. There are more than a million known species of insects in the world. Insects outnumber all other animals at a rate of 4 to 1.
Insects have many adaptations. One of the most obvious adaptations is their eyes. Have you ever looked an insect in the eye? You might be surprised by what you see.
The first thing you might notice is that unlike us, insects do not blink. Instead of an eyeball with one lens, like our eyes, insects have compound eyes, made of many lenses, making it look like a tiny honeycomb.
Scientists think the compound eyes of insects help them see the world in a very different way.
Compound eyes don’t seem to give a nice, clear picture, like the ones we see. However, compound eyes are very good at detecting movement.
Each lens takes its own picture, so as something moves across its field of vision, lenses are turned on and off, giving a “flicker picture.”
That’s why movement attracts their attention. Watch bees gather nectar—the flowers that are blowing in a breeze seem to be much more popular than the ones standing still.
Some insects may have better vision than others. Grasshoppers have only two lenses, while some small flies have five thousand lenses. But the winner in the compound eye world is the dragonfly. It has thirty thousand lenses, probably giving it the clearest flicker picture of them all!
Visit www.interpretiveservices.IN.gov/ for more information about hikes and programs offered by the interpreters at Indiana’s state parks and reservoirs. Click on the Programs link.
