PURPOSE
The insect contest introduces high school students to the fundamentals of entomology and develops skills in identification of common insects and their relatives using taxonomy and nomenclature used by practitioners in the industry and in the scientific community. Understanding insects and key species is of utmost importance to agricultural crops and animal production, conservation, human and companion animal health and well-being. The basic entomological principles to be covered include: 1) insect structure and function, 2) metamorphosis, 3) insect identification, and 4) importance to people.