Biology - Characteristics of Insects - An Introduction

There are about a million species of insect and many more yet to be discovered. They include, for example, ants, bees, wasps, beetles, butterflies, dragonflies and fleas. They range in size from microscopic soil-dwelling insects to large beetles and butterflies but they all share certain common features.

Their bodies are divided into about 20 segments which are grouped into the head (6 fused segments), the thorax (3 segments) and the abdomen (11 segments). All insects have an exoskeleton consisting of a firm cuticle.

Biology

The head bears sensory organs and mouthparts. There is a pair of antennae which are sensitive to touch and to smell. There is also a pair of compound eyes made up of hundreds of separate lenses and sensory cells. These can detect light, movement and colour and can form crude images of shapes. In bees and butterflies these senses allow the insect to find sources of nectar in flowers by their colour, shape and smell.

Biology - Characteristics of Insects - An Introduction

There are three sets of mouthparts carried externally on the head. A pair of mandibles (jaws) bites off portions of food and passes them into the mouth. A pair of maxillae help taste and manipulate the food and the labium (lower 'lip') has a variety of functions depending on the species of insect.

All insects have three pairs of legs, one pair on each thoracic segment. There are five sections to each leg with joints between each section which give the leg the ability to move in different directions. The exoskeleton at the joints consists of a flexible cuticle which allow freedom of movement.

Also on each of the second and third segments of the thorax there is, typically, a pair of wings though in some insects (e.g. flies and mosquitoes) these may be reduced to one pair and a number of species have no wings at all.

In the mature insect the abdomen carries no appendages other than some apparatus on the final segment to assist with egg-laying.

The firm exoskeleton supports the insect, maintains its shape and protects it from damage and from evaporation. The rigid exoskeleton prevents insects from growing in a continuous manner and growth takes place in spurts. The outer layer of cuticle is shed and the insect expands its body until the new layer of cuticle forms and hardens. This moulting process (or ecdysis) takes place 5 times or more until the mature insect appears, after which there is no further growth or ecdysis.

The intermittent growth takes place in the larval or nymphal stages of an insect's life cycle. Insects such as butterflies or bees, which exhibit complete metamorphosis, have larval stages quite unlike the adult e.g. fly maggots or butterfly caterpillars. The penultimate moult results in a quiescent stage, the pupa, in which the adult features are formed. The final moult reveals the mature insect.

In insects such as the cockroach or grasshopper, which have incomplete metamorphosis, the early stages are called nymphs and they closely resemble the adult except that their wings have not formed. Small changes of form take place at each ecdysis until the mature winged insect emerges.

Biology - Characteristics of Insects - An Introduction

D G Mackean is the author of GCSE Biology, IGCSE Biology, and many other Biology text books. He has a site of Biology Teaching Resources at http://www.biology-resources.com which includes a bank of Biology Experiments for teachers, sample PowerPoint presentations, and many biological drawings

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Butterfly Life Cycle - The Caterpillar

The caterpillar is only one of four stages in the life cycle of a butterfly. This article will introduce you to the caterpillar life cycle stage and a few interesting facts about caterpillars. But first, let's look at the entire life cycle of a butterfly to put things in perspective.

Butterfly Life Cycle - Egg: Adult butterflies lay their eggs on the leaves of their host plant. Each butterfly species has certain plants that their caterpillars must eat to live and grow. Some butterfly species are very specific to one or two plants while others may be able to eat a family of plants. Butterfly eggs are small in general (like the size of a pin head) and usually hatch in about 3-7 days.

Biology

Butterfly Life Cycle - Caterpillar: The caterpillar hatches from the egg and usually the first thing it does is eat the egg shell. After that it will start consuming the host plant. The caterpillar will spend the next several weeks eating and growing since that is its main purpose.

Butterfly Life Cycle - The Caterpillar

Butterfly Life Cycle - Chrysalis: This stage is often a called a cocoon, but generally a cocoon is the pupa stage of a moth while a chrysalis is the pupa stage of a butterfly. At this point the caterpillar has made its final molt into a pupa and in about 1-2 weeks an adult butterfly will emerge.

Butterfly Life Cycle - Adult Butterfly: The adult butterfly will spend its time eating nectar and mating/laying eggs. Many butterflies only live about 2 weeks, however, some species such as the monarchs will overwinter by migrating south and thus will live for many months.

The Caterpillar:

Caterpillars are truly eating machines. Before they become a chrysalis their body mass will increase thousands of times. With all this rapid growing they end up molting several times before their final molt into a chrysalis. They grow their new exoskeleton beneath their current skin then when the time comes they split the old skin off. Many times they will eat the old skin before returning to their leaf-munching.

Caterpillars will change their appearance sometimes dramatically between their molts. An example is the black swallowtail caterpillar. When it is very young it is black with a white saddle. By the time it becomes ready to pupate it has become a beautiful mix of stripes and dots with colors of yellow, white, black and green. That can make identification more difficult since their appearance depends on their age.

Caterpillar identification is not really that difficult if you happen to know what plant they are eating. If you can identify the plant then it becomes much easier to identify the caterpillar since they are so particular to their own host plant. Just Google the "plant name" plus "caterpillar" or "host plant" and you are very likely to find the butterfly or moth species to which the caterpillar belongs.

Butterfly Life Cycle - The Caterpillar

The butterfly life cycle is fascinating and caterpillars are great fun to raise into butterflies indoors. For more information about the caterpillar life cycle visit Life Cycle of a Butterfly.

Kelly Ballard has a website dedicated to raising caterpillars indoors. Come learn more about this fun and educational hobby at Joyful Butterfly

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Maslow on My Mind: How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Affects Business and Society

Introduction: Maslow in the Big Apple

Abraham Maslow was born in New York in 1908 to poor, uneducated Russian immigrants. He was the oldest of seven children, and therefore pushed by his parents to succeed in education where they had not. Originally studying to be a lawyer, he found it to be of little interest and eventually shifted over to psychology where he excelled. Maslow went on to receive his PhD in Psychology at the University of Wisconsin, under the tutelage of Harry Harlow, famous for experimentation with rhesus monkeys and attachment behavior. After some time he returned to New York and began studying human sexuality. In addition to this study, during the years of teaching, he had the opportunity to meet many well-respected psychologists which further helped to shape his thoughts on the human needs. The final event which led Maslow to move in the humanistic direction came from the study of the development of the concept of "self-actualization". It was this study that led Maslow to develop his famous Hierarchy of Needs Theory.[1]

Biology

Food for thought: What humans really need

Maslow on My Mind: How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Affects Business and Society

Until Maslow began to develop his theories, most studies on human nature focused on biology, achievement or power to explain the forces that drive us.

Maslow postulated that there were five levels of basic needs that every human attempts to attain:
Externally-Satisfied Needs (basic needs that every individual must satisfy before they can progress).

1. Physiological - I'm hungry.

2. Safety - I'm scared.

Internally-Satisfied Needs (needs leading to enlightenment and understanding.

3. Social - I'm lonely.

4. Esteem - I can't.

5. Self Actualization - I can!

In the 1970s, Maslow further split this hierarchy up into a total of eight levels:[2]

1) Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;

2) Safety/security: out of danger;

3) Belonging and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and

4) Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.

5) Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore; (new)

6) Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty; (new)

7) Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; and

8) Self-transcendence: to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find self-fulfillment and realize their potential. (new) (This concept is relatively new and many authors such as Dr. Stephen covey express similar views.)[3]

Another way to look at the Needs is to break it into "D-Needs" (Deficiency) and "B-Needs" (Being). Maslow believed that the deficiency needs, once satisfied ceased to be a driving force for the individual, and they were then free to move upward to developing themselves.

If we follow the traditional hierarchical form, we can see that each need forms the basis of the next need above it in the pyramid. Without these previous foundations, Maslow believed that it is impossible to move on to the next stage in the hierarchy.[4]

In spite of the fact that it is very well-known and intrinsically comforting, there seems to be little hard evidence that the theory actually applies to people in general. Even Maslow admitted to this.[5]

A learning experience

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs has had a dramatic influence on the field of education. Traditional beliefs regarding educational methodology have shifted to a more humanistic approach, with the focus on meeting the students' basic needs in order to assist them to progress.

The most important goal in education is to learn, followed by developing an understanding of the material to retain it, and apply it in life. In order to do this, the students need to be motivated enough to work hard to achieve this goal. Without motivation to learn it is unlikely that the education will succeed to the extent that it is intended.

In order to maximize this motivational desire, the educators need to attend to the needs of the student. By understanding Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, teachers can work toward realizing the basic needs that develop the foundation for higher learning, or actualization.

Here is an example of how the school can meet the basic needs of the students:

If the school understands that in order to function at school, students need the basic physiological needs satisfied before they can absorb their studies, they may consider providing lunches if a great deal of the students do not have their own. This would then propel the learners to the next level. By fostering a trusting, safe environment, with a classroom social network, and providing praise in the form of positive reinforcement from the teachers, the students will be able to focus on their learning.[6]

A real example that has come up near the end of the 20th century with respect to this is the problems that have arisen due to the beliefs on "special education". During the 70s and 80s when where the traditional beliefs of segregating children with special needs (physical, intellectual, or emotional) was employed in the school system anomalies arose that called into question these beliefs. It was believed that by placing these students in separate learning atmospheres they would be able to learn at a pace more appropriate to their abilities, receive special attention and eventually progress through the system to receive the same education at the end of the program. As it turns out, this did not happen and the children’s learning was hampered.[7]

Managing expectations

Focusing on such human needs for successful motivation can very easily be ported over to the business world and applied in the field of Management. In fact, Maslow himself became fascinated with the field of management and attempted to explain the ability of good managers to motivate their employees using a solid understanding of the Hierarch of Needs. He even went so far as to regularly visit a high-tech company in California to study the management practices in the 1960s. Maslow discovered that managers who treat their subordinates with trust and respect created an environment that promoted a better work situation and improved productivity.

Peter Drucker, the famous management guru has said that "Maslow's contribution to management was a big one. He pointed out hat you have to have different personnel policies for different people in different situations for them to be truly effective."[8]

Why 'Y'?

Theories X and Y, as developed by Douglas McGregor fit very nicely into the Needs Theory. If humans are intrinsically searching for something to help propel them to the next level, and have an internal desire to progress, and give back to society, as is believed by the followers of "Theory Y", then it goes to reason that the humanistic approach, as laid out by Maslow would assist these individuals in reaching their goals. If we believe that human nature responds best to a positive, nurturing atmosphere, then managers that hold the following beliefs with respect to their staff should be able to raise them up higher in an attempt to improve productivity, and the individual goals of the worker:

1. Employees view work as natural.

2. Commitment to goals leads to self-direction and self-control.

3. People will look for situations where they can receive accountability for their work.

4. Decision-making on various levels can be spread among the company and not be the sole responsibility of upper management.[9]

What's 'Humanism' got to do, got to do with it?

Humanism is the "third force" in psychology, following the traditional studies of behaviorism and psychoanalysis. Maslow, Carl Rogers, Rolly May and many others helped to advance this way of looking at the human condition.

Humanism has a long history going back to the times of the Greek philosophers of the 6th century BC. It has come forward in time and developed into three broad categories: religious, secular, educational humanism. When people discuss "humanism" they generally mean the understanding of secular humanism.
"Humanism is a broad category of active ethical philosophies that affirm the dignity and worth of all people, based on the ability to determine right and wrong by appeal to universal human qualities— particularly rationality, common history, experience, and belief. Humanism is a component of a variety of more specific philosophical systems, and is also incorporated into some religious schools of thought.

Humanism entails a commitment to the search for truth and morality through human means in support of human interests. In focusing on the capacity for self-determination, humanism rejects transcendental justifications, such as a dependence on faith, the supernatural or divinely revealed texts. Humanists endorse universal morality based on the commonality of human nature, suggesting that solutions to our social and cultural problems cannot be parochial."[10]

Humanists generally believe the following:[11]

1. Humanism is a philosophy focused upon human means for comprehending reality. Humanists make no claims to possess or have access to supposed transcendent knowledge.

2. Humanism is a philosophy of reason and science in the pursuit of knowledge. Therefore, when it comes to the question of the most valid means for acquiring knowledge of the world, Humanists reject arbitrary faith, authority, revelation, and altered states of consciousness.

3. Humanism is a philosophy of imagination. Humanists recognize that intuitive feelings, hunches, speculation, flashes of inspiration, emotion, altered states of consciousness, and even religious experience, while not valid means to acquire knowledge, remain useful sources of ideas that can lead us to new ways of looking at the world. These ideas, after they have been assessed rationally for their usefulness, can then be put to work, often as alternate approaches for solving problems.

4. Humanism is a philosophy for the here and now. Humanists regard human values as making sense only in the context of human life rather than in the promise of a supposed life after death.

5. Humanism is a philosophy of compassion. Humanist ethics is solely concerned with meeting human needs and answering human problems--for both the individual and society--and devotes no attention to the satisfaction of the desires of supposed theological entities.

6. Humanism is a realistic philosophy. Humanists recognize the existence of moral dilemmas and the need for careful consideration of immediate and future consequences in moral decision making.

7. Humanism is in tune with the science of today. Humanists therefore recognize that we live in a natural universe of great size and age that we evolved on this planet over a long period of time, that there is no compelling evidence for a separable "soul," and that human beings have certain built-in needs that effectively form the basis for any human-oriented value system.

8. Humanism is in tune with today's enlightened social thought. Humanists are committed to civil liberties, human rights, church-state separation, the extension of participatory democracy not only in government but in the workplace and education, an expansion of global consciousness and exchange of products and ideas internationally, and an open-ended approach to solving social problems, an approach that allows for the testing of new alternatives.

9. Humanism is in tune with new technological developments. Humanists are willing to take part in emerging scientific and technological discoveries in order to exercise their moral influence on these revolutions as they come about, especially in the interest of protecting the environment.

10. Humanism is, in sum, a philosophy for those in love with life. Humanists take responsibility for their own lives and relish the adventure of being part of new discoveries, seeking new knowledge, exploring new options. Instead of finding solace in prefabricated answers to the great questions of life, Humanists enjoy the open-endedness of a quest and the freedom of discovery that this entails.

What is holding us back?

If reaching the summit of the mountain of self-actualization were easy, everyone would be enlightened, happy, hard-working, creative, and wealthy. We would all strive to take responsibility for our actions, and attempt to improve the situation around us by developing new and unique ideas. Unfortunately, this is not happening. What is holding us back from reaching our "fully functional, healthy personality"?

I concur with Maslow that society and the education system are preventing individuals from reaching their full potential. Here is what Maslow has to say on the matter:

"The state of being without a system of values is psychopathogenic, we are learning. The human being needs a framework of values, a philosophy of life, a religion or religion-surrogate to live by and understand by, in about the same sense he needs sunlight, calcium or love. This I have called the "cognitive need to understand." The value- illnesses which result from valuelessness are called variously anhedonia, anomie, apathy, amorality, hopelessness, cynicism, etc., and can become somatic illness as well. Historically, we are in a value interregnum in which all externally given value systems have proven failures (political, economic, religious, etc.) e.g., nothing is worth dying for. What man needs but doesn't have, he seeks for unceasingly, and he becomes dangerously ready to jump at any hope, good or bad. The cure for this disease is obvious. We need a validated, usable system of human values that we can believe in and devote ourselves to (be willing to die for), because they are true rather than because we are exhorted to "believe and have faith." Such an empirically based Weltanschauung seems now to be a real possibility, at least in theoretical outline." [12]

If society is not instilling the proper values into the youth of today, they are unable to develop a healthy outlook on life. This will hamper their journey to self-actualization. The education system is also currently not providing the proper morals, and positive, nurturing environment for students in order for them to grow. The schools need to focus on the areas of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs that are deficient in the student body, nurture them, and help their students to excel in ways that go deeper than just good grades.

Summary: Change Your Socks, Change Your Attitude

In the contemporary business world, a product-centered business style is no longer successful. Companies must now, more than ever before, develop a consumer-centric approach to business. The market is demassifying, and this means that individual needs must be met.

In order for the education system to produce individuals that can reach the peak of Maslow's pyramid, the schools should also take a similar approach and rather than focus on the product (education), they should instead focus on meeting the needs of the client (student). This will by no means be an easy task for it requires a tremendous amount of time and energy on the part of the supplier (schools), but the end results will produce a much more satisfied customer who is able to benefit from the interaction.

Maslow lists 10 points that educators and teachers ought to consider in order to change their style so as to move toward the self-actualization of the individual. A summary of these points can be found below:

1. Be true to yourself.

2. Do not be bound by your culture.

3. Discover your calling.

4. Life is precious.

5. Do not judge people.

6. See to the satisfaction of basic needs.

7. Take time to smell the roses.

8. Learn self-control.

9. Don't sweat the little things.

10. Make the right decisions.

These can and should be applied to all aspects of life, from your private time, through education and even in the work environment in order to work toward improving yourself and society.

References

1. C. George Boeree, ‘Abraham Maslow, 1908-1970’, http://www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/maslow.html

2. Huitt, W. (2004). Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved [date] from, http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/maslow.html.

3. Stephen R. Covey, ‘The 8th Habit, From Effectiveness to Greatness’, FranklinCovey Co., Free Press, 2004.

4. Wikipedia, 'Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs

5. Educational Psychology Interactive

6. Jones, Michael. “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Can Lower Recidivism.” Corrections Today 66.4 (2004): 18–22.

7. Norman Kunc, 'The Need to Belong:　Rediscovering Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs', Axis Consultation and Training Ltd,, [http://www.normemma.com/armaslow.htm], 1998.

8. Excerpted from Maslow on Management, by Abraham H. Maslow, with Deborah Stephens and Gary Heil, 1998.

9. Robbins, Stephen P., 'Essentials of organizational behavior, eighth edition', Pearson Education Inc., 2005, p50

10. Wikipedia definition for 'humanism', http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humanism

11. Frederick Edwards, 'What is Humanism?', American Humanist Association, 1989, [http://www.jcn.com/humanism.php4]

12. Maslow, A., & Lowery, R. (Ed.). (1998). 'Toward a psychology of being (3rd ed.)', New York: Wiley & Sons.

Maslow on My Mind: How Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Affects Business and Society

Cameron Switzer

Intrmarket Solutions

Fukui, Japan

=============================================

Cameron has lived and worked in Japan for over 15 years. Originally a researcher and educator he has a penchant for details and a natural born flair for communication "soul to soul". His extensive experience in the culture, coupled with language fluency and a deep understanding of Japanese ethics, morals and thought processes has allowed him to develop a special niche market in the business world.

While working to develop a global presence for a titanium material, parts & accessories distributor for the global eyeglass industry for 5 years, Cam saw the difficulties small/medium sized companies were having trying to expand their businesses outside of Japan. He decided they needed help.

Currently Cameron owns and operates a one-man (one dog) SOHO business designed to help foreign and Japanese companies in a variety of industries come together in business in a very efficient, effective, and cost-effective successful manner.

Reach Cameron @: http://www.intrmarketsolutions.com

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Adipose Tissue Structure

Adipose tissue is composed of living cells capable of Storing fats. Conversations in a health conscience environment are centered on the cause of obesity. Overweight individuals contain an excessive amount of fat in the body. Fat is not simply a solid white oily material that builds up in various areas just underneath the skin. Fat is a lipid material called triglycerides stored inside individual cells composed of a functional tissue called adipose tissue. Fat storage has several important purposes in the human body and other mammals. Subcutaneous fat lines the body underneath the skin and provides padding and insulation. Animals living in cold regions typically have a thick layer of fat to protect against extreme cold temperature. People have less need to guard against heat loss. However, fat also pads and protects internal organs.

Adipose tissue is composed of living cells like any tissue found in the body. The structure of each cell, called adipocyte, includes the basic components of any cell including a nucleus and the mechanisms to reproduce. Adipocytes can produce new cells in response to the needs for fat storage. Once new fat cells are produced, they become permanent. People that lose a considerable amount of weight typically retain lose baggy skin. The total number of adipose cells is still present even when the amount of stored fat is greatly reduced. The cells are simply smaller.

Biology

Fat cells are very dynamic. Stored fat is constantly moving into the blood stream for energy and replaced by new fat materials. Because the structure of the cell forms a network of elastic connective tissue, each cell can expand providing 80 percent of the volume for storing fat. They are living cells that require oxygen and nutrients from the blood and must be in contact with small capillaries. Therefore, obesity is often linked to additional medical conditions including high blood pressure. The heart works harder to pump blood through the entire structure of adipose tissue.

Adipose Tissue Structure

The human body stores two forms of adipose tissue identified by color. White adipose has the characteristic appearance of animal fat and makes up the majority found in the body. It is generally located underneath the skin and around most internal organs. Brown adipose has a larger supply of blood vessels giving a darker appearance. It is found surrounding important organs such as the brain.

Fat cells are designed to meet several important body needs. The structure and location help pad and insulate the body and internal organs. Energy is stored as triglycerides and can be used when the body has an insufficient energy source during periods of fasting. Excessive amounts of fats are the cause of an overweight condition.

Adipose Tissue Structure

You can learn about visceral adipose tissue, and get more articles and resources about adipose tissue at Adipose Tissue.

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Global Success Club Review: Training Program

Global Success Club is an online money-making club that is a mix between a business opportunity and a self-development program. It teaches its members how to build online businesses through affiliate marketing methods and how to achieve the goals they set out for themselves. Vick Strizheus is the founder of the program, and there are some pretty memorable claims you can find on the success of the program. One of them is you will be able to create an income stream that you could not stopped, even if you tried. Another claim is that the business is simply 'fail-proof' and guarantees to show you marketing strategies that are proven to work.

The other part of Global Success Club are the self-help materials and videos from experts such as Tony Robbins and other top-notch motivational speakers. The main belief of this program is that you have to build your business with a positive attitude, otherwise it is unlikely you are going to succeed. Being able to access positive coaching, encouragement, and content will give you a better chance at getting yourself motivated. This is extremely important because the main reason why so many internet marketers fail to succeed, is simply because they are not motivated enough.

What you get with Global Success Club for $97 a month:

revolutionary turn-key system
access to community center for tips
pre-made web pages for promotion
motivation tools and materials
top-notch coaching
free 14-day trial
$1 donation to Feed the Children Foundation
affiliate marketing training
and more...

What makes this business opportunity stand out from a lot of others is that motivational factor. Global Success Club really emphasizes being positive. This is indeed a very important trait to have while building an affiliate marketing business. Part of the reason is because it takes patience and hard work to see the results. If you think negative all the time, you will be more likely to not take the necessary actions it takes to build a solid income stream. There are a few claims made on the website that sound pretty promising. One claim is that you will able to make $100,000 in 90 days. Although it does sound appealing, it may be a challenge especially if you have had no previous experience.

The truth is, Global Success Club is just another monthly membership to a basic affiliate business training program. The real key to success is going to depend on you and your consistent work habits to make Global Success Club work for you.

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