Summertime Science - Experiments on Insects

It started with a buzzing fly.
That fly was annoying.
Zooming here and there.
Flying by our heads like a jet by a control tower.
Then I remembered.
While planning for next year's science class, I had read how to torture experiment on an insect.

We captured the fly.
Use a small Ziploc baggie. Wait for fly to land and 'rest' on a wall or screen. Encase the fly in the baggie by opening it and pressing the opening against the wall or screen. Patiently wait for fly to move off screen and quickly close opening.

Next, we placed the fly in a tub of water to 'drown' it.
It doesn't really drown after a few minutes. It simply goes into a shut down mode; hence why this experiment works.

One of our daughters gingerly lifted the fly from the bowl and placed it on a paper towel.

Then, one of our boys poured regular table salt over the fly.

And, I uncovered it a bit.
So it wasn't crushed by the excess salt.
Then we waited.

 

 

Revived fly lived another day.

Well, eventually.

After this experiment, we refrigerated it to see how the cold temperatures would effect it.

Then, we let it go.

 

 

 

It had earned its freedom!


*The science behind this experiment and the exact procedure are found in Apologia's Exploring Creation with Zoology 1.