Module 2

Fly on aster. (Yes, this is a fly, not a bee.)
Photo by Suzanne DeJohn/NGA.

Activity D: A Rainbow of Choices — Determining Color Preferences of Insects

This activity will be most successful in attracting honey bees if done in the fall when nectar is scarce.

If this activity is done as a group, discussion and reflection on the participants' observations needs to be planned for a later session. It can also be used as a "Going Further" take-home activity.

Participants will:

• Conduct an experiment to discover the influence color may have on an insect's attraction to a food source.
• Observe and record information.
• Think critically about their observations.
• Develop hypotheses about the food preferences of insects.

Note on Safety: Yellow jackets and wasps may also be attracted to the containers of sugar water and children should observe from a safe distance. A boundary marker could be placed around the experiment area. The guidelines on the "BEE Courteous, Bee Safe" handout should be reviewed.

Rocks should be large enough to provide
a dry landing place for pollinators.

Materials needed:

• Clear plastic shallow bowls or petri dishes (same number as paper colors)*
• Mesh with 1 mm size holes or several small rocks
• Water, spring or filtered
• Sugar
• Measuring cups and spoons
• A variety of colored papers*
• Large paper pad and markers
• Science Experiment Record Sheet
• Group Observation Record created in from Module 1, Activity A

*colored bowls or food coloring can be used instead of colored construction paper

Getting ready:

• Assemble materials
• Make copies of Science Experiment Record Sheet, 1/participant

Suggested groupings

Whole group

Action Part I

Review:
As a group, make predications about which colors are most preferred by certain insects according to their observations on the Group Observation Record from Module 1, Activity A. Record the predications on a large sheet of paper.

Exploration & Concept Introduction:

1. Introduce activity: "To test your predications we can do an experiment using color."

2. Prepare experiment.

• Place a dish on each sheet of colored paper or use colored dishes or food coloring in the sugar solution.
• Label dishes: 1,2,3, etc.
• Make a sugar solution of 2 parts water and 1 part sugar.
• Place an equal amount in each dish.
• Completely cover the top of each dish with a square of mesh to provide a landing platform; alternatively, place a small rock in each container to provide a dry landing spot.
• Place the dishes outside in a sunny location next to some plants.

3. Distribute a Science Experiment Record Sheet to each participant and explain what to do:

Two times a week for the next 3 weeks, quietly watch the dishes and record what you see, answering the questions on your Science Experiment Record Sheet.

--Which dish attracts the most insects?

--What types of insects are attracted to the different dishes?

Be sure to fill in the time of your observation, how long you observed and the weather conditions (cloudy, sunny, raining, windy, calm, cool, warm, really hot).

Butterfly on cantaloupe. Photo by Suzanne DeJohn/NGA.

Action Part II (1-2 weeks later)

Review
Read the predictions made at the beginning of this activity.

Concept development & application:

4. As a group compare observations and answer the following questions. Record answers on a large sheet of paper.

• What types of insects are attracted to each color? Are they flying or crawling insects? Are they pollinators?
  
• Which color attracted the most insects? Can you identify these insects? Why do you think this color attracts the most insects?
  
• Why do you think certain insects are attracted to certain colors?

Have participants develop statements about their conclusions.

Going further:

Now try new combinations to attract the greatest variety of types of pollinators. Mix and match different colored dishes and amounts of sugar water to find the combination that attracts the most pollinators. Artificial flowers or flowers made of construction paper sprinkled with the sugar water can also be used. Create a chart and record your observations.

Adapted from Vanishing Pollinators, a publication of the Smithsonian National Zoological Park and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation.

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