Insect Science (BIOL2205)

Course overview

They left the water, conquered the land, and took to the skies. They can be friends: providing invaluable pollination and nutrient recycling ecosystem services, but they can be foes: pest species can sometimes reach plague proportions. Some are masters of disguise, while others flaunt their spectacular beauty. Insects are undoubtedly the most successful animal group, in diversity, geography and ecology. They are also a rich part of our environment, economy and culture. This is a course for the budding entomologist and will train you in professional entomological skills: (1) insect identification, (2) specimen preparation, (3) advanced microscopy, and (4) communication.

Watch this video for an introduction to studying BIOL2205 Insect Science.

You will engage with course content in the following ways:

• Insect Science Open Textbook (by Dr Gurion Ang and Dr Kathy Ebert) contains all the asynchronous online learning you are required to complete.
• Online weekly practicals to learn entomological skills and sampling techniques, including two on-campus fieldwork opportunities. If you are enrolled in External mode, you are not allowed to attend the practicals in-person. Please choose to enrol in the In Person mode if you would like any in-person engagement.

Majority of the student cohort in BIOL2205 are science students who have declared the Minor in Entomology , but you'll learn with other students from agricultural science, ecology, environmental science, environmental management, biomedical science, biotechnology and wildlife science who are taking the course as elective study.ﾠ

Course requirements

Assumed background

ﾠ

Prerequisites

You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:

BIOL1030

Recommended prerequisites

We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:

BIOL1020 + BIOL1040

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

ENTM2011

Jointly taught details

This course is jointly-taught with:

• Another instance of the same course

BIOL2205 Insect Science is offered in both In Person Mode and External Mode.

Course contact

Course staff

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

BIOL2205 Insect Science (External Mode) expects students to attend online 4-hour practicals during weeks that these are scheduled. While a 4-hour practical block has been timetabled, there is a chance that External Mode students do not need to attend the full duration of the practical. These have been designed for you to develop entomological skills that are highly relevant to entomology careers: including specimen preparation, scanning electron microscopy, field sampling techniques and more. Most practicals are laboratory-based, and will be delivered to students enrolled in the In Person Mode, while students on External Mode can join via Zoom and ask questions online.

Aims and outcomes

To enable students to recognise the major groups of insects and appreciate the role these insects play in the ecosystem.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment

Assessment summary

A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.

Assessment details

Scanning electron microscopy report

Mode

Written

Category

Creative Production/ Exhibition, Paper/ Report/ Annotation, Project

Weight

30%

Due date

25/09/2025 4:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L04

Task description

Submission guidelines

Online submission by Turnitin only by the due date and time. No hard copy or assignment cover sheets are required. Submission via email is not accepted.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

See the Additional assessment information section below for information relating to extension applications.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the maximum possible mark for the assessment item (the assessment ‘marked from’ value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date.

For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late, you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late, you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 

Insect collection

• Identity Verified

Mode

Activity/ Performance

Category

Creative Production/ Exhibition

Weight

40%

Due date

10/11/2025 4:00 pm

Other conditions

Student specific, Longitudinal.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L02, L03

Task description

Submission guidelines

The Assessment submission procedure is as follows:
1. You will be sent the cover sheet for your assignment by e-mail approximately 2 weeks before it is due.
2. You must submit your assignment, with the coversheet attached to the front, through the assignment slot at the SIB Help Desk (Room 229, Goddard Building) by 4.00pm on the above date/dates.
3. You will then receive a receipt. Please retain this receipt as proof of submission. If assessment submission is disputed, you MUST produce this receipt.
4. Please ensure that you keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

See the Additional assessment information section below for information relating to extension applications.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

You are required to submit assessable items on time. If you fail to meet the submission deadline for any assessment item, then 10% of the available marks (assessment marked from value) will be deducted as a late penalty for every day (or part day) late after the due date. 

For example, if you submit your assignment 1 hour late you will be penalised 10%; if your assignment is 24.5 hours late you will be penalised 20% (because it is late by one 24-hour period plus part of another 24-hour period). 10% will be deducted per day for up to 7 calendar days, at which point your submission will receive a mark of zero (0) unless an extension has been approved

Practical Exam

• Hurdle
• Identity Verified
• In-person

Mode

Activity/ Performance, Written

Category

Examination, Practical/ Demonstration

Weight

30%

Due date

End of Semester Exam Period

8/11/2025 - 22/11/2025

Other conditions

Student specific.

See the conditions definitions

Learning outcomes

L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Hurdle requirements

Exam details

Submission guidelines

As an external student, you have two options to attend the practical exam.

Option 1: if you are able, you are encouraged to attend the in person practical exam alongside the In Person enrolled students.

Option 2: You will complete the exam via live interview format at the same time. You will be interviewed by an academic staff member who will require you to have your camera and microphone switched on for interactivity. Specimens may be shown to you for specific components of the exam.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to defer this exam.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Additional course grading information

Course Hurdle

In order to pass this course, you must meet the following requirements (if you do not meet these requirements, the maximum grade you will receive will be a 3):

You must obtain 45% or more on the Practical exam, and a grade of at least 50% overall to pass the course.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to s for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.

Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.

If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.

Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.

To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.

Additional assessment information

Applications for Extensions to Assessment Due Dates

• Read the information contained in the following links carefully before submitting an application for extension to assessment due date.
• For guidance on applying for an extension, information is available here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/applying-assessment-extension
• For the policy relating to extensions, information is available here (Part D): https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=184
• Please note the University's requirements for medical certificates here: https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/uq-policies-and-rules/requirements-medical-certificates

UQ is presently rolling out a new assessment tool, Inspera Assessment.

Inspera Assessment provides additional functionality to complement the existing suite of digital learning tools at UQ with a greater range of question types, accessibility provisions, and non-English languages.

Inspera Assessment will be used in BIOL1020. The assessment item(s) could include non-invigilated/invigilated on-campus assessment/exam/quiz and students will complete these using their own device. Further details, including an introduction to Inspera functionality, practice opportunities, and where to go for support, will be provided in the Blackboard site for this course in Week 1 of the semester.

If you don't have a suitable device for your assessment, please go to the Library site for information on Short-Term Laptop loans.

ﾠSUBMISSION OF ASSESSMENTS

All appropriate assignments must be submitted through Turnitin. Submissions by email are not accepted.

The course coordinator may also request a hard copy submission of the assignment.

Hard copy:

1. You will be sent the cover sheet for your assignment by e-mail approximately 1 week before it is due.
2. You must submit your assignment, with the SIGNED coversheet attached to the front, through the assignment slot at the Help Desk (Room 229, Goddard Building) by 4.00pm on the above date/dates.
3. You will be emailed a receipt. Please retain this receipt as proof of submission. If assessment submission is disputed, you MUST produce this receipt.
4. Please ensure that you keep an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.

Turnitin submission

1. Access the Assessment folder on the course Blackboard site
2. Upload an electronic version through the Turnitin site for the assignment
3. Assignments can be uploaded multiple times before the due date/time. The last upload before the due time will be the final version.
4. You will be sent a receipt, retain the receipt as proof of submission.
5. If you don't receive a receipt, your assessment wasn't submitted.

Failure to submit both a electronic and hard copy (if required) on time will result in the late penalty (10% of maximum marks per day) being applied - you need to ensure that both the HARD copy and ELECTRONIC versions are submitted by the due date.

ﾠPLAGIARISM WILL NOT BE TOLERATED: You should be aware that the University employs purpose built software to detect plagiarism. It is very important that you understand clearly the practical meaning of plagiarism.

DEFINITION OF PLAGIARISM: Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

EXAMPLES OF PLAGIARISM:

1. Direct copying of paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence;

2. Direct copying of paragraphs, sentences, a single sentence or significant parts of a sentence with an end reference but without quotation marks around the copied text;

3. Copying ideas, concepts, research results, computer codes, statistical tables, designs, images, sounds or text or any combination of these;

4. Paraphrasing, summarising or simply rearranging another person's words, ideas, etc without changing the basic structure and/or meaning of the text;

5. Offering an idea or interpretation that is not one's own without identifying whose idea or interpretation it is;

6. A 'cut and paste' of statements from multiple sources;

7. Presenting as independent, work done in collaboration with others;

8. Copying or adapting another student's original work into a submitted assessment item.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Course material isﾠprovided via a password-protected website. Students are given access details in the first week of semester. An ebook version of the online resources is made available vie the Blackboard site.

Textbook page references are provided for each topic.

Questions that address the objectives of each topic are provided.

General:
Davies, R. G. (1988) Outlines of Entomology. 7th edn. Chapman and Hall, London. Call No. QL463.I59 1988
Chapman, R. F. (1998) The Insects: Structure and Function. 3rd edn. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA. Call No. QL463. C48 1982A
Hinton, H.E. (1981) Biology of Insect Eggs, Volumes 1 &2. Pergamon Press, Oxford. Call No. QL495.5 .H5 1981
Richards, O. W. & Davies, R. G. (1977) Imms' General Textbook of Entomology. Vols 1 & 2. 10th edn. Chapman & Hall, London. Call No. QL463.I57 1977

Insect Taxonomy/Systematics
CSIRO (ed.) The Insects of Australia. A Textbook for Students and Research Workers. Volumes 1 & 2. 2nd edn. Carlton: Melbourne University Press, Melbourne. Call No. QL487.I5 1991
Williams, W. D. (1980) Australian Freshwater Life: The Invertebrates of Australian Inland Waters. 2nd edn. Macmillan Education Australia. Melbourne. Call No. QL367.7 .W5 1980

Insect Biodiversity/Conservation
New, T. R. (1984) Insect Conservation: An Australian Perspective. Dr W. Junk, Dordrecht, The Netherlands. Call No. QL487 .N48 1984

Insect Morphology:
Snodgrass, R. E. (1935) Principles of Insect Morphology. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York. Call No. QL494 .S65 1935
Du Porte, E. M. (1959) Manual of Insect Morphology. Reinhold Publishing, New York. Call No. QL494 .D8 1959

Urban Entomology:
Robinson, W. H. (1996) Urban Entomology: Insect and Mite Pests in the Human Environment. Chapman & Hall, London. Call No. QL463 .R63 1996

Insect Physiology:
Wigglesworth, V. B. (1984) Insect Physiology. 8th edn. Chapman and Hall, London. Call No. QL495.W5 1984
Bursell, E. (1970) An Introduction to Insect Physiology. Academic Press, London. Call No. QL495 .B86 1970
Mordue, W.; Goldsworthy, G. J.; Brady, J. & Blaney, W. M. (1980) Insect Physiology. Blackwell Scientific, Oxford. Call No. QL495 .I53 1980

Agricultural Entomology:
Pruthi, H. S. (1969) Textbook on Agricultural Entomology. Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. Call No. QL463 .P77 1969
Hadlington, P. (1996) Australian Termites, and Other Common Timber Pests. 2nd edn. New South Wales University Press, Sydney. Call No. QL529.27.A8 H34 1996

Insect Behaviour:
Atkins, M. D. (1980) Introduction to Insect Behavior. Macmillan Publishing, New York. Call No. QL496 .A89 1980
Jacobson, M. (1972) Insect Sex Pheromones. Academic Press, New York. Call No. QL495 .J33 1972

Medical and Veterinary Entomology:
Kettle, D. S. (1995) Medical and Veterinary Entomology. 2nd edn. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK. Call No. QL463 .K48 1995
Lehane, M. J. (1991) Biology of Blood-Sucking Insects. Harper Collins Academic, London. Call No. QL494 .L34 1991

Insect Ecology:
Matthews, E. G. & Kitching R. L. (1984) Insect Ecology. 2nd edn. University of Queensland Press, Brisbane. Call No. QL487 .M38 1984
Brian, M. V. (1983) Social Insects: Ecology and Behavioural Biology. Chapman & Hall, London. Call No. QL496 .B83 1983

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

• Student Code of Conduct Policy
• Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
• Assessment Procedure
• Examinations Procedure
• Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.