Collecting Ant Specimens - IELTS Reading Sample with Explanation

The IELTS reading section examines a candidate’s comprehending skills within the stipulated amount of time. The IELTS reading section comprises passages followed with different kinds of questions to holistically judge a student’s grasping abilities while reading. This IELTS Reading sample- Collecting Ant Specimens - is an Academic topic, consisting of following question types.

• True/False/Not Given
• Classify the statements
• Label the diagram

Topic: Collecting Ant Specimens

1. Collecting ants can be as simple as picking up stray ones and placing them in a glass jar, or as complicated as completing an exhaustive survey of all species present in an area and estimating their relative abundances. The exact method used will depend on the final purpose of the collections. For taxonomy, or classification, long series, from a single nest, which contain all castes (workers, including majors and minors, and, if present, queens and males) are desirable, to allow the determination of variation within species. For ecological studies, the most important factor is collecting identifiable samples of as many of the different species present as possible. Unfortunately, these methods are not always compatible. The taxonomist sometimes overlooks whole species in favour of those groups currently under study, while the ecologist often collects only a limited number of specimens of each species, thus reducing their value for taxonomic investigations.
2. To collect as wide a range of species as possible, several methods must be used. These include hand collecting, using baits to attract the ants, ground litter sampling, and the use of pitfall traps. Hand collecting consists of searching for ants everywhere they are likely to occur. This includes on the ground, under rocks, logs or other objects on the ground, in rotten wood on the ground or on trees, in vegetation, on tree trunks and under bark. When possible, collections should be made from nests or foraging columns and at least 20 to 25 individuals collected. This will ensure that all individuals are of the same species, and so increase their value for detailed studies. Since some species are largely nocturnal, collecting should not be confined to daytime. Specimens are collected using an aspirator (often called a pooter), forceps, a fine, moistened paint brush, or fingers, if the ants are known not to sting. Individual insects are placed in plastic or glass tubes (1.5-3-0 ml capacity for small ants, 5-8 ml for larger ants) containing 75% to 95% ethanol. Plastic tubes with secure tops are better than glass because they are lighter, and do not break as easily if mishandled.
3. Baits can be used to attract and concentrate foragers. This often increases the number of individuals collected and attracts species that are otherwise elusive. Sugars and meats or oils will attract different species and a range should be utilised. These baits can be placed either on the ground or on the trunks of trees or large shrubs. When placed on the ground, baits should be situated on small paper cards or other flat, light-coloured surfaces, or in test­ tubes or vials. This makes it easier to spot ants and to capture them before they can escape into the surrounding leaf litter.
4. Many ants are small and forage primarily in the layer of leaves and other debris on the ground. Collecting these species by hand can be difficult. One of the most successful ways to collect them is to gather the leaf litter in which they are foraging and extract the ants from it. This is most commonly done by placing leaf litter on a screen over a large funnel, often under some heat. As the leaf litter dries from above, ants (and other animals) move downward and eventually fall out the bottom and are collected in alcohol placed below the funnel. This method works especially well in rain forests and marshy areas. A method of improving the catch when using a funnel is to sift the leaf litter through a coarse screen before placing it above the funnel. This will concentrate the litter and remove larger leaves and twigs. It will also allow more litter to be sampled when using a limited number of funnels.
5. The pitfall trap is another commonly used tool for collecting ants. A pitfall trap can be any small container placed in the ground with the top level with the surrounding surface and filled with a preservative. Ants are collected when they fall into the trap while foraging. The diameter of the traps can vary from about 18 mm to 10 cm and the number used can vary from a few to several hundred. The size of the traps used is influenced largely by personal preference (although larger sizes are generally better), while the number will be determined by the study being undertaken. The preservative used is usually ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, as alcohol will evaporate quickly and the traps will dry out. One advantage of pitfall traps is that they can be used to collect over a period of time with minimal maintenance and intervention. One disadvantage is that some species are not collected as they either avoid the traps or do not commonly encounter them while foraging.

Questions 1-4

Do the following statements agree with the information given in Reading Passage 3?
In boxes 1-4 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE if the statement agrees with the information
FALSE if the statement contradicts the information
NOT GIVEN if there is no information on this

Question1: Taxonomic research involves comparing members of one group of ants.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “For taxonomy, or classification, long series, from a single nest, which contain all castes (workers, including majors and minors, and, if present, queens and males) are desirable, to allow the determination of variation within species”

Keywords: Taxonomy

Keyword Location: Para 1, line 3

Explanation: The taxonomy contains all castes of animals be it workers, minors, majors, queens, and males, and the determination of variation within species.

Also, check:

Question 2: New species of ant are frequently identified by taxonomists.

Answer: Not Given

Explanation: There is no such information provided in the passages.

Question 3: Range is the key criterion for ecological collections.

Answer: TRUE

Supporting statement: “For ecological studies, the most important factor is collecting identifiable samples of as many of the different species present as possible”

Keywords: ecological studies, identifiable samples of as many different species

Keyword Location: Para 1, line 5

Explanation: The most important factor for ecological studies is to collect as many samples of different species as possible.

Question 4: A single collection of ants can generally be used for both taxonomic and ecological purposes.

Answer: FALSE

Supporting Sentences: “Unfortunately, these methods are not always compatible.”

Keywords: compatible

Keyword location: Para 1, line7

Explanation: A single collection of ants are not compatible, for both taxonomic and ecological purposes, because the taxonomist overlooks the whole species in favor of currently studied groups, whereas the ecologist collects only a few specimens of each species.

Question 5 to 10

17. Classify the following statements as referring to

1. hand collecting
2. using bait
3. sampling ground litter
4. using a pitfall trap

Write the correct letter, A, B, C, or D, in boxes 5-10 on your answer sheet.

Question 5: It is preferable to take specimens from groups of ants.

Answer: A

Supporting Statement: “When possible, collections should be made from nests or foraging columns and at least 20 to 25 individuals collected.”

Keywords: collection from the nest, or foraging columns

Keyword location: Para 2, line 5

Explanation: In order to ensure that all the individuals are of the same species, and to increase the value of their detailed studies, it is always preferable to take specimens from groups of ants.

Question 6: It is particularly effective for wet habitats

Answer: C

Supporting Statement: “This method works especially well in rain forests and marshy areas”

Keywords: rain forests, marshy areas

Keyword location: Para 4, line 6

Explanation: The method of collecting ants by placing a leaf litter on a screen above a large funnel. When the leaf dries, the ants move downward and fall into the jar of alcohol. This method of ants collection is done in rain forests and marshy areas.

Question 7: It is a good method for species that are hard to find.

Answer: A

Supporting Statement: “he often increases the number of individuals collected and attracts species that are otherwise elusive. ”

Keywords: attracts species that are otherwise exclusive

Keyword location: para 3, line 1

Explanation: Baits are good methods of collecting species that are exclusive and hard to find.

Question 8: Little time and effort is required.

Answer: D

Supporting Statement: “One advantage of pitfall traps is that they can be used to collect over a period of time with minimal maintenance and intervention”

Keywords: minimal maintenance, and intervention

Keyword location: para 7, line 1

Explanation: A pitfall trap is used to collect ants for a period of time with little effort and time.

Question 9: Separate containers are used for individual specimens

Answer: A

Supporting Statement: “Individual insects are placed in plastic or glass tubes (1.5-3-0 ml capacity for small ants, 5-8 ml for larger ants) containing 75% to 95% ethanol.”

Keywords: Individual insects are placed in plastic or glass tubes

Keyword location: Para 2, line 9

Explanation: Every individual insect is kept in a single plastic or glass tube. The small ants are kept in small containers of 1.5-3.0 ml, and the bigger ones are kept in large containers 0f 5-8ml

Question 10: Non-alcoholic preservatives should be used.

Answer: A

Supporting Statement: “The preservative used is usually ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, as alcohol will evaporate quickly and the traps will dry out.”

Keywords: Preservatives

Keyword location: para 6, line 3

Explanation: alcohol can dry the traps quickly, in order to avoid this, non-alcoholic preservatives like ethylene glycol or propylene glycol are used.

Questions 11-14

Label the diagram below.
Choose NO MORE THAN TWO WORDS from the passage for each answer.
Write your answers in boxes 11-14 on your answer sheet.

Question 11:

Answer: heat

Supporting Statement: “This is most commonly done by placing leaf litter on a screen over a large funnel, often under some heat.”

Keywords: heat

Keyword location: Para 4, line 4

Explanation: Collection of ant species can be difficult, it can be made easier by placing leaf litter on a screen over a large funnel often kept under heat.

Question 12:

Answer: Leaf litter

Supporting Statement: “This makes it easier to spot ants and to capture them before they can escape into the surrounding leaf litter.”

Keywords: leaf litter

Keyword location: Para 3, line 6

Explanation: The Baits help by spotting the ants faster and capturing them before they can escape into the leaf litter

Question 13:

Answer: Screen

Supporting Statement: “This is most commonly done by placing leaf litter on a screen over a large funnel, often under some heat”

Keywords: screen

Keyword location: Para 4, line 4

Explanation: Collection of ant species can be difficult, it can be made easier by placing leaf litter on a screen over a large funnel often kept under heat.

Question 14:

Answer: Alcohol

Supporting Statement: “As the leaf litter dries from above, ants (and other animals) move downward and eventually fall out the bottom and are collected in alcohol placed below the funnel.”

Keywords: Alcohol

Keyword location: Para 4, line 6

Explanation: The ants, while moving downward, fall into the container which contains alcohol in it, below the funnel.