Citizen science relies on the data collected by everyday people, and your participation is key! Remember to collect, photograph, and upload ladybug data as often as possible with your class. Refer to the supports provided in August/September for tips on photographing and recording your data.

To help students examine their predictions related to the two overarching questions, pose the following questions to the class:

• Species variance: Which species did you find the most of this month?
• Geographic variance: Were the species you found and the counts for each species similar to what you found in previous months?

Questions like these will help students consider the data most relevant to answering the overarching scientific questions posed in the August/September supports.

Mr. Jones knows that ladybugs mainly eat aphids and other soft-bodied insects, but he realizes that many students think plants are ladybugs’ primary food source because that is where they are found. (The squash ladybug does eat plants; Mr. Jones will later clarify this point with students, but for now he plans to focus on the food sources of the species the class has found most frequently: Asian multicolored and 7-spot ladybugs). He starts by showing photos that the class has taken of other insects, like aphids and other insect larvae, that mainly eat plants. He has not been able to capture a photo of a ladybug eating an aphid but uses photos sourced online to show students how both larvae and adult ladybugs prey on aphids. Similarly, students have not seen a bird preying on a ladybug, but Mr. Jones makes students aware of that relationship. The class uses these photographs to construct a food chain, and he labels the ladybugs “consumers.” In later lessons, Mr. Jones plans to continue to build out this food chain as a food web, incorporating decomposers. The next time students go outdoors, they will look for evidence of feeding relationships in their schoolyard ecosystem.

Help students build their knowledge of food web related vocabulary words by referring to the Media Guide​ “Organism Roles” section. This section of the media guide includes books and video resources that help students understand the various roles organisms have in an ecosystem.

aaThere may be times when no ladybugs are found during an outdoor exploration and may prove disappointing for students, but it is important to submit these data on the website nonetheless.

Why is it important to submit a zero?
A zero is still an important number to submit, as it still gives scientists data for research. For Lost Ladybug, scientists can compare where and how you collected, how many people collected for how long, the time, date, weather and habitat, and would benefit from knowing that no ladybugs were found during that time, or at that location, just as much as they would from knowing what ladybugs were found.
The following article discusses “The Positive Side of Zero.”

How do you submit a zero?
During the submission process, complete the form and record a “no” under the heading “Did you find and photograph ladybugs?”

Tips for handling student disappointment

• Remind students of the importance of collecting zeros for data entry for the scientists’ analyzing the data and that ladybugs can be challenging to find.
• Harness this disappointment for the activities in April and the culminating activities when students can choose to advocate for “no pesticide zones,” more garden spaces on campus, or other habitat enhancements to attract more ladybugs.
• Return to one of the hook activities from August/September to build student enthusiasm once again.
• Play a game by hiding pictures of ladybugs around your school grounds. (See December Outdoor Protocols support for more detail).
• The more frequently you search for ladybugs, the greater the chance you will have of spotting them. Give students ample opportunity to search for ladybugs, perhaps by adding extra time to “go a long way” to a specials class or the cafeteria, extending recess time to include time for searching, or taking students to a different location on your school grounds.
• Encourage students to look for ladybugs at home.
• Guide students in identifying the methods that are most successful for finding ladybugs and documenting those methods for use in the future.

Prior to taking students outside to search for evidence of ladybugs as consumers and of their survival in an ecosystem, the following guidance might be helpful to consider:

• Return to a spot where ladybugs have been seen during the school year. If none have been found, refer to How to Find, Collect and Photograph Ladybugs on the Lost Ladybug website for tips on where to continue searching.
• Students will be observing to find evidence of ladybugs as consumers. Once ladybugs have been found, remind students to move slowly, trying not to disturb the ladybugs, so that they won’t fly away.
• Guide students to track the ladybugs with their eyes first, and then move with their bodies second. Students should attempt to “follow” the ladybug to search for more evidence of the ladybugs seeking food, water (in the form of condensation, dew, or from their food), or shelter. However, specific guidelines should be established about how far a student can “follow” a ladybug. If they fly away, the ladybugs will move faster and farther than expected. Be sure to reassure students that it will be okay if they miss it or are unable to “follow” it.
• Don’t forget to record any ladybugs you find on your Ladybug Data Recording sheets!

The following prompts offer ideas for assessing students’ understanding of the activity’s focus vocabulary terms. Use one or both prompts that will best assess the vocabulary focus of your work with students.

Prompt 2:

Explain how predators and prey are consumers in an ecosystem. Include a specific example in your explanation.