Pre experiment Study: What is Ethology?
In a nutshell, Ethology is the study of animal behaviour. So today's experiment is on the study of mealworms' behaviour.
Using the following diagram, we can formulate an experiment and put it into place to observe mealworms behaviour.
Stage 1: What is needed for an experiment?
Planning an Experiment requires...
1) A general question leading to a specific question with assumptions. The questions must be testable and valuable.
2) The aim followed by the hypothesis. the aim is a statement on what you want to find out and the hypothesis is a detailed prediction with the possible explanation for the expected result. It must be specific and not be a Cause and Effect statement.
3) Variables: namely, Independent (the variable changed based on what one wants to test), Dependent (The variable changed due to change in independent variable, also known as the results) and the Constants (Unchanged factors, remain the same)
4) Control and experimental groups
Control: Serves as a basis for comparison of results, does not have the independent variable, but all other variables.
Experimental: Has ALL variables including the independent variable, the aim you want to find out.
5) The number of subjects: the number of guinea pigs for your experiment must be the same. and testing on all of them is different from...
6) The number of times test takes place.
How many times you conduct the experiment.
Stage 2: Pre-experimental observations on the mealworms (except for taste)
Sight: Brown, small and thin worm-like shape, many distinctly segmented parts on body, 6 legs, 2 antennae (feelers)
Smell: Odourless
Sound: Not really many sounds
Feel: Smooth, can feel the deep divisions very distinctively
The mealworm drawing:
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Stage 3: Carrying out some experiments
Experiment 1: Can the mealworms HEAR?
Aim: To find out if mealworms can respond to sound.
Hypothesis: We believe that the mealworm can hear and will respond to sound as sound (or vibrations) are important to ensure that it can get its food.
Procedure:
1) Have 2 groups: Control and Experimental, where each group has 4 mealworms.
2) Control--Assumption of No sound exposure. Observe movement for 5 minutes
3) Experimental--Exposed to the sound of the castanets for 5 minutes Observe movement.
4) Record observations.
Results:
For control group: Mealworms moved in random direction, not moving to anywhere in particular.
For experimental group: Moved towards source of sound, even if location changes.
Hypothesis proven RIGHT!
Experiment 2: Can the mealworms SMELL?
Aim: To find out if mealworms can respond to smell.
Hypothesis: Mealworms can respond to smell as they also need smell to look for food.
Procedure:
Once again the same 2 groups of mealworms who will be our KIND guinea pigs. They are in an air tight container with holes for air to enter.
Control: Assumption that they are Exposed to NO SMELL.
Experimental: Placed with a vinegar soaked cotton wool piece.
Observe and record movements for 5 minutes.
Results:
Control group: No change in movement. Random movement.
Experimental group: Moved towards cotton wool before turning away from it.
This once again proves our hypothesis right. However, we were kind of surprised that the mealworms actually moved AWAY from the vinegar since we thought that they would actually not mind vinegar...
Experiment 3: Does it prefer light or dark? Or, can the mealworm SEE?
Aim: To find out how mealworms react when placed under light.
Hypothesis: We think that the mealworms will move away from light. We're not sure why, but it is probably due to the fact that most worms don't really like light.
Procedure: the same 2 groups of mealworms.
Control group not exposed to any light, placed in darkness.
The experimental group is also placed in darkness, but there is always a patch of light.
Observe movement for 5 minutes.
Results:
Control group: No change in movement, always in random directions.
Experimental group: Moves towards light, but once senses light moves away.
Experiment 4: Can the mealworm feel?
Aim: To find out how mealworms react when being touched by something.
Hypothesis: It will mostly squirm away from most objects.
Procedure: The same 2 groups of mealworms.
Control group is not being touched by any object. However experimental group is being touched by cotton bud and paintbrush.
Observe movement for 5 minutes.
Results:
There was no difference in the movement of the control experiment. For the experimental group, the mealworms mostly backed away from the objects, although, for the first time, they actually climbed on the cotton bud, then they squirmed away from it.
Modifying your experiment:
The experiment chosen: Light
How would I modify it?
For the experimental setup, ensure that 1 part of the box is in total darkness while the other part is in bright light. Also, one can actually find out if they prefer dak or light by simply counting the number of mealworms in each side of the box in the end, or by just observing how they move.
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