ENTO 2993 FINAL EXAM STUDY
GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is thermoregulation? - Answer- The ability of an organism to keep its body
temperature within certain boundaries.
What type of organisms are ectothermic? - Answer- Organisms that depend on
environmental heat sources and have relatively low metabolic rates.
What is the difference between ectothermic and endothermic organisms? - Answer-
Ectothermic organisms rely on external heat sources, while endothermic organisms
generate heat through internal metabolic processes.
What is poikilothermy? - Answer- The condition where an organism's temperature varies
over a wider range than homeotherms.
What is homeothermy? - Answer- The ability to maintain a constant body temperature.
What behavioral methods do insects use for thermoregulation? - Answer- Sunning,
stilting, shivering, burrowing, and using evaporation.
How do dragonflies and butterflies adjust their body temperature? - Answer- They
position their bodies perpendicular to the sun's rays when cool and parallel when warm.
What is the significance of the snowy tree cricket's chirping? - Answer- Chirps can be
used to estimate temperature; chirps in 13 seconds + 40 = Fahrenheit.
What is the role of communication in insects? - Answer- To recognize kin, locate mates,
facilitate courtship, warn of danger, and regulate spatial distribution.
What is the risk associated with insect communication? - Answer- It can attract
predators who key in on mate-calling.
What is the role of learning in insect communication? - Answer- Insect communication
skills are innate and not learned; each individual has a distinctive 'vocabulary' shared
with its species.
What happens to smaller insects in terms of heat loss? - Answer- They lose heat faster
due to their small size.
, What adaptations do some ectothermic organisms have for temperature regulation? -
Answer- Some contain antifreeze and can maintain stable temperatures in constant
environments.
What is the function of the Johnston's organ? - Answer- It is used by insects to perceive
sound and vibrations.
What is the purpose of tapping or hitting a body part against a surface in insects? -
Answer- To attract the opposite sex or warn of danger.
What do insects do to generate heat in their thorax during cold mornings? - Answer-
They shiver to create enough heat for their wings to function.
What percentage of flight energy in honey bees is converted to heat? - Answer- 94% of
flight energy is generated as heat.
How do honey bees maintain hive temperature during cold days? - Answer- They beat
their wings inside the hive to generate heat.
What is evaporative cooling in insects? - Answer- Insects regurgitate liquid onto their
heads to cool their body temperature.
What is torpor? - Answer- A state of decreased physiological activity characterized by
reduced body temperature, metabolism, oxygen consumption, heart rate, and breathing.
What is the difference between hibernation and aestivation? - Answer- Hibernation is
prolonged torpor during winter, while aestivation is during summer to survive hot and
dry conditions.
How do adult Mourning Cloak Butterflies survive winter? - Answer- They enter a torpid
state to hibernate without damage.
What is a cryoprotectant? - Answer- A substance that protects biological tissues from
freezing damage, such as glycerol.
What is supercooling in insects? - Answer- Lowering the temperature of a liquid below
its freezing point without it becoming solid.
How do honey bees reduce convective heat loss? - Answer- They have a thick layer of
setae (hairs) covering their thorax.
What are chemoreceptors in insects used for? - Answer- To sense chemical substances
in their environment.
What do olfactory receptors detect? - Answer- Gaseous chemicals perceived as odors,
usually in low concentrations.
GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS
What is thermoregulation? - Answer- The ability of an organism to keep its body
temperature within certain boundaries.
What type of organisms are ectothermic? - Answer- Organisms that depend on
environmental heat sources and have relatively low metabolic rates.
What is the difference between ectothermic and endothermic organisms? - Answer-
Ectothermic organisms rely on external heat sources, while endothermic organisms
generate heat through internal metabolic processes.
What is poikilothermy? - Answer- The condition where an organism's temperature varies
over a wider range than homeotherms.
What is homeothermy? - Answer- The ability to maintain a constant body temperature.
What behavioral methods do insects use for thermoregulation? - Answer- Sunning,
stilting, shivering, burrowing, and using evaporation.
How do dragonflies and butterflies adjust their body temperature? - Answer- They
position their bodies perpendicular to the sun's rays when cool and parallel when warm.
What is the significance of the snowy tree cricket's chirping? - Answer- Chirps can be
used to estimate temperature; chirps in 13 seconds + 40 = Fahrenheit.
What is the role of communication in insects? - Answer- To recognize kin, locate mates,
facilitate courtship, warn of danger, and regulate spatial distribution.
What is the risk associated with insect communication? - Answer- It can attract
predators who key in on mate-calling.
What is the role of learning in insect communication? - Answer- Insect communication
skills are innate and not learned; each individual has a distinctive 'vocabulary' shared
with its species.
What happens to smaller insects in terms of heat loss? - Answer- They lose heat faster
due to their small size.
, What adaptations do some ectothermic organisms have for temperature regulation? -
Answer- Some contain antifreeze and can maintain stable temperatures in constant
environments.
What is the function of the Johnston's organ? - Answer- It is used by insects to perceive
sound and vibrations.
What is the purpose of tapping or hitting a body part against a surface in insects? -
Answer- To attract the opposite sex or warn of danger.
What do insects do to generate heat in their thorax during cold mornings? - Answer-
They shiver to create enough heat for their wings to function.
What percentage of flight energy in honey bees is converted to heat? - Answer- 94% of
flight energy is generated as heat.
How do honey bees maintain hive temperature during cold days? - Answer- They beat
their wings inside the hive to generate heat.
What is evaporative cooling in insects? - Answer- Insects regurgitate liquid onto their
heads to cool their body temperature.
What is torpor? - Answer- A state of decreased physiological activity characterized by
reduced body temperature, metabolism, oxygen consumption, heart rate, and breathing.
What is the difference between hibernation and aestivation? - Answer- Hibernation is
prolonged torpor during winter, while aestivation is during summer to survive hot and
dry conditions.
How do adult Mourning Cloak Butterflies survive winter? - Answer- They enter a torpid
state to hibernate without damage.
What is a cryoprotectant? - Answer- A substance that protects biological tissues from
freezing damage, such as glycerol.
What is supercooling in insects? - Answer- Lowering the temperature of a liquid below
its freezing point without it becoming solid.
How do honey bees reduce convective heat loss? - Answer- They have a thick layer of
setae (hairs) covering their thorax.
What are chemoreceptors in insects used for? - Answer- To sense chemical substances
in their environment.
What do olfactory receptors detect? - Answer- Gaseous chemicals perceived as odors,
usually in low concentrations.
