As I worked very hard to complete this experiment I was able to successfully complete all the the needed tasks to make sure this experiment was done correctly.This was demonstrated by going outside and completing the designated tasks such as:collecting invertebrates, gathering data, field equipment, and taking as many pictures as possible.

After testing my key question and collecting all the data needed I've concluded that my hypothesis was incorrect. This was discovered because invertebrates were not always seen in various locations. My hypothesis was also in correct because in some areas where the weather was cool there were multiple invertebrates seen. For example when I conducted my experiment in the butterfly garden where there were more invertebrates at the time when the heat index was 78 vs the fewer amount that were collected at time where the heat index was 79. However in a way my hypothesis was correct because from previous data that was collected from South Pond showed that heat index didn't matter in some locations. To explain this in more detail, as I sampled south pond I discovered that there were twenty six invertebrates there with a heat index of 105 which is very high.

The purpose of this study is to determine multiple things such as: Does heat affect invertebrates? Do inverts prefer to be near plants in hot or warm weather? Is there a specific time of day when invertebrates prefer to come out? What invertebrates are popular in certain locations? Do certain invertebrates prefer a specific plant over others? 

My Results:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15_-e-aQxbqPbQ4JJIo4LiLKiM9vWNyYziuNSI1AZ4V0/edit?usp=sharing

 

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1qOh6X6_hTSJe1-B15hbzlqun97CcAKtL&usp=sharing

 

What I learned was that in a way the heat index does play a part in what invertebrates are seen in specific areas on different kinds of plants.I also learned that around the Nature Museum there are a repetition of invertebrates that are typically seen based on the temperature. I also learned how many invertebrates tend to come out in hot weather rather in cooler temperatures.

​

               Next Steps

                  Questions:

Are invertebrates more attracted to invasive plants or non-invasive plants? What type of invertebrates are attracted to the different types of milkweed plants? Are there more native invertebrates attracted to native plants vs being attracted to non-native plants vs 

native invertebrates being more attracted to non- native plants?

​

​

Future Research

For future research testings something different that could be done is just testing specific locations. In the future I could also just test specific invertebrates rather than multiple different kinds.

​

Contributors:

Shawnae Adams

A huge thanks goes to The Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum for letting me use their area as a sample location.

http://www.naturemuseum.org/

​

I would also like to Dee, Dave, Mario, and Aby for taking me to different sampling locations, so I could collect data. I would also like to thank them for helping me with all the questions I had about my project along with getting me my materials to conduct my project.