Freshwater aquatic insects of Strawberry Creek
Patina Mendez, Lecturer
Environmental Science, Policy and Management
Closed. This professor is continuing with Fall 2023 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Spring 2024.
Strawberry Creek is an urban stream the flows through the UC Berkeley campus. Over the past 30 years, the campus has focused on improving water quality, restoring habitat, and using the stream as a campus laboratory. In this project, we will monitor adult caddisfly activity over the year to determine which species are present and how wing morphology varies within species over time. The current phase of the project will focus on collecting samples using malaise traps and ultraviolet lights to collect adults. We will also compare samples with in-stream larvae.
Role: Sort and identify aquatic insects and other organisms from samples collected in Strawberry Creek. Work using a dissecting scope and use dichotomous and pictoral keys to identify organisms. Students will learn how to recognize freshwater aquatic invertebrates and identify organisms to the order and family level. Some fieldwork to make new collections.
Qualifications: Interest in entomology! This group works as a collaboration with undergraduates to learn together. Careful habits and attention to detail. Freshman or sophomores are encouraged to apply if they'd like the opportunity to work on the project for multiple semesters. You don't need a research question to join this project, questions will emerge as we learn about the species present.
Hours: 3-5 hrs
Environmental Issues Biological & Health Sciences