8.+Shelter+Skelter

= //** Shelter Skelter **// =

**Question:** Do mealworms prefer shelter?

**Materials:** - paper cup - shoe box

**Manipulated Variables:** There are none.

**Responding Variables:** The mealworms' choice to enter the shelter/cup.

The mealworms will show a preference for the either climbing into the cup or remaining in the box. This preference will be evident by where they move.
 * Hypothesis:**

**Predictions:** Sara Belliveau: I predict the mealworms will not move because they are lazy today. Sarah Blackadar: I predict the mealworms will go to the cup because they like to climb. Carol Burroughs: I predict the mealworms will move around but not go into the cup because it is too big. Emily Jay: I predict the mealworms will hide under the cup and in the corners of the boxes because they like to burrow.

**Plan/Procedure:** 1. Place a paper cup on its side at one end of a shoebox 2. Place five mealworms and the beetle in the box at the opposite end 3. Observe the mealworms for five minutes

**Controlled Variables:** - The size of the shoebox - The placement of the cup

**Observations, Data, Tables, Graphs:** Results: The mealworms stayed in the same end of the box for most of the experiment. One crawled into a slit in one end of the box, got squashed, and died. The beetle crawled up the sides of the box, around, and under the cup. No mealworms or the beetle crawled into the cup.

**Conclusion:** The mealworms did not enjoy crawling into the cup for shelter or any other reason.

**Comments:** Their unwillingness to move was a general observation today. They are likely conserving energy for their transformation into pupas.