As part of the requirement for this course, your job is to become an expert on a family of insects that occur in Nebraska. You will research this family, gathering appropriate keys and determining current distributional records. You will then seek new records in the counties near Kearney. Although this may seam challenging at first, insects are so incredibly diverse and abundant that few specialists can collect every possible locale in which a given species may occur. For example, last fall, Andy Bishop collected carrion beetles in Kearney County.
County records are extremely valuable because they help create distributional records.
In addition, county-level records associated with date of capture add pieces to the puzzle of when and where species occur seasonally, etc. Another valuable contribution is an early warning when exotic species have become introduced and may potentially establish. Research as current of keys as possible and contact specialists via email and the internet. Add at least five new species records for counties during this class. Properly curate specimens and add them to the University of Kearney Insect collection.