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Killing Insects

thoughts?

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.jasmine. QLD • Posts: 18

1 25 Sep 2012

I have a moral dilemma. I have to do an insect collection for university, and it requires that I kill and pin 45 insects from 15 different orders.

So far, I have a cockroach that I found half dead behind the bin in my kitchen. I waited until he died and now he is sitting next to me on my desk. I already feel awful and I haven't even stuck a needle through him and set his wings etc

HOW THE HELL AM I GOING TO DO THIS? The course coordinator does not allow exceptions for this assessment anymore, regardless of religious or personal beliefs. I will fail if I don't do this.

Can anyone possibly make me feel better about this? I feel like I'm going to cry myself to sleep at night for murdering these poor insects. I know they die everywhere but it's different when I'm intentionally doing it...

What would you guys do in this situation? cry

+ 1

Jesse VIC • Posts: 1117

2 25 Sep 2012

Hmm.. that sucks sad

Which uni are you at? It may be different for insects, but my understanding was that schools need to provide an alternative if someone does not wish to participate in dissection-type activities. I'll shoot you an email and put you in touch with someone who might be able to give you some advice on this.

+ 1

.jasmine. QLD • Posts: 18

3 25 Sep 2012

We were given a 'killing jar' that has plaster of paris and ethyl acetate in the bottom to suffocate the insects. WTF. I seriously can't do this... sad

.jasmine. QLD • Posts: 18

4 25 Sep 2012

UQ St Lucia..... thanks heaps. I might make an appointment with the course coordinator because I am literally in tears. This is awful.

Jesse VIC • Posts: 1117

5 25 Sep 2012

.jasmine. said:

I might make an appointment with the course coordinator

Good idea. Hold in there... I have friends who've completed their entire vet/biology degrees (and got top marks) without doing dissections. It can be done.

+ 2

SaRa_aRaS QLD • Posts: 54

6 25 Sep 2012

If you can't not do the assignment then just keep looking for dead insects. They don't have to be big do they? you could look in the bottom of lights (you know how they sometimes get caught in them). I find dead moths between my window and screen sometimes too. Dead beetles are easy to find in this weather especially if you have a pool. I wish I kept my bio assignment from last year with dead insects, I could have given some to you. I had to do it, wasn't allowed to not do it sad

my sister froze them for me because I didn't want to but a lot of mine had died before I got them. We were not even given a killing jar, we were told they "go to sleep" in the freezer and it's the most humane way confused

Look in places like the pool filter, compost bin, mailbox, window screens and under lights the next day for dead ones. Good Luck

Shorty QLD • Posts: 479

7 25 Sep 2012

SaRa_aRaS said:

We were not even given a killing jar, we were told they "go to sleep" in the freezer and it's the most humane way.

I wouldn't put them in the freezer. My uni changed to gassing their toads this year instead of freezing after more research into it. From what I remember being told, with ice crystals forming in their veins, it wasn't the nicest way to go out.

The same applies to fish, though I'm not up to date on the general consensus as to whether or not insects feel pain, or even if it would have a similar painful effect, so yeah.

SaRa_aRaS QLD • Posts: 54

8 26 Sep 2012

Shorty said:

SaRa_aRaS said:

We were not even given a killing jar, we were told they "go to sleep" in the freezer and it's the most humane way.

Yeah I didn't think it was very good. Luckily enough, I never have to do anything like that again.

KirstyGirl TAS • Posts: 754

9 27 Sep 2012

Pretty certain your teach can't possibly do that. Definitely go higher up and complain.

Mary6 NSW • Posts: 152

10 28 Sep 2012

I think you shouldn't kill them but if you fail your course becoz of it then bring it up with the head of the uni saying u were wrongfully failed! And explain y u couldn't do it.hope this helps!

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