Trouble Shooting

Trouble Along The Way:

Some issues that we encountered during our expirimentation included rainfall as well as animal life disturbing and overturning our traps.

During the evening of our first trial it rained heavily, filling our traps with water. As a result, the boiled corn syrup that had been painted on the sides of the container were washed off. This prevented the bugs that crawled on the sides to withstand the intention of the trap. Though the rain did cause an unexpected change in the trap's design to capture the arthropods, it did infact provide a way to mix the corn syrup with a water source and lessen the density for the filteration process. If youencoounter rainfalll during your experimentation, simply skip steps 15 and 16 of the procedure.

 Another issue we encountered during our experimentation was that our traps had been manipulated by animal life overnight. During our last trial, four of our six traps had been disturbed. Some had their metal wire lids removed and others were ripped from the ground and over turned. All four of the traps that had been manipulated had their contentes removed (both the collected arthropods as well as the corn syrup that was used to catch them. I this occurs during your experimentation, simply gather all parts of the trap and carry on with the original procedure (even if the trap appears to have no contents.)

Further problems we encountered were that some of the arthropods were still alive when we brought the traps inside. In order to count with the most accuracy the arthropods need to be dead (to prevent confusion if they move around when counting.) After the contents of the container have been filtered out, pour some petroleum ether (alchohol can be used as a substitute) inside the filter and place cotton ball inside. Cover up the top of the filter with another coffee filter and wait about a minute or until arthropods are dead.

The final problem we encountered was that some of the arthopods that had be captured were too small to see. A magnifying glass or microscope can be used as an aid in the counting process.

Safety First:

When boiling the corn syrup for the traps, be sure to be very careful. Use eye safety protection as the boiling may cause some corn syrup the be expelled form the flask.

When taking the pan with corn syrup off of the  hot plate or stove, be sure to wear oven mittens to protect your hands from the hot contents of the flask.

When using the petroleum ether to kill the arthopods, gloves are suggested. Be sure not to inhale the fumes, as they can be harmful to humans.

Other Suggestions:

It is reccomended that when going outside, one should wear long pants and long sleeves as protection from poisonous plants as well as ticks and other bugs. Additionaly, bug spray is suggested as sites three and four have alot of mosquitos.

In addition to long sleeves and long pants, rainboots are also reccomended. Site four is a muddy area and there is quicksand in some places, so water proof shoes or rain boots will best protect your feet.