To test the hypothesis the impact of temperature on milkweed bugs, they will be placed in three different temperature conditions. The temperatures include: 10°C (refrigerated), room temperature 22°C and at 28°C. These various temperatures represent the lowered temperatures from the milkweed bugs optimal temperature (28°C). The day and light cycle for these conditions will be 16L:8D. To test the hypothesis of the effect of light regime on development, milkweed bugs were placed in 22°C condition with a 16L:8D cycle and 22°C condition with a 2.5L:21.5D cycle. About 35 milkweed bug eggs will be placed in a clear container for each treatment group.
For each of the condition, about 35 milkweed bug eggs will be placed in clear container (5”x7”x4”) with a fine netting between the lid of the container and the container walls. The netting prevents the milkweed bugs from escaping while allowing for air to come in. Each container
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The average growing period (days between each molt) will be calculated for each sample. This will be calculated by adding the amount of days a newly molted milkweed bug appeared in the specific stadium up until more than 50% of the milkweed bugs are at that stadium. The days will then be averaged to find the average amount of days it takes for the milkweed bugs to develop into that stadium. The final data that we will collect is survivorship rates. This will be calculated by the amount of insects that stay alive throughout the experiment. The survivorship initial sample will be dependent on the amount of milkweed bug eggs that hatched from the 35 eggs that we placed in the containers. The amount that hatched will then be compared to the amount of milkweed bugs at the end of the five week