AP Bio Summer Scavenger Hunt

Dicot plant with flower and leaf: This geranium on my deck is a dicot plant for two reasons. The first is because there are eight petals on the flower directly above the bracelet, and the second is because the leaves are netted, meaning that the veins in the leaf all connect to one another and fan out. A dicot flower usually has either four (or multiples of four) or five (or multiples of five) petals, and netted leaves.

Keratin: I wanted to get a picture of a white tailed deer that has been spotted occasionally around my neighborhood, but since I could not find it, I decided that the next best thing would be my friend's goat, Petey. His horns are made up of keratin, which makes up the hair, nails, and horns of all mammals. On deer, the antlers and feet are also made up of keratin.

Endotherm: An endothermic organism is one that can create its own heat to maintain its body temperature. These male and female goldfinches on the thistle feeder in my backyard are warm-blooded.

Thorn of a plant: This is a picture of a rose bush by my house. On the stems of the plant are thorns. The rose developed thorns to protect it from predators that would want to eat the flower. Thorns stick into the attacker's skin or fur and cause discomfort, and are not easily digested if swallowed.

Insect: In this picture is a lightning bug (also known as a firefly) that was caught in the backyard at dusk. The lightning bug is an insect, in that it has 6 legs, a segmented body, and antennae. The bug also has wings, another characteristic of most insects.

Fruit-fleshy with seed: This is a picture of a pepper from my garden. Though we use it in salads with vegetables, this pepper is technically a fruit. Fruit is the matured ovary of a plant, and protects the dormant seeds until they mature. Vegetables are merely parts of plants, therefore not fruits.

Flower ovary: In this photograph is the carpel of a lily. At the base of the carpel is the flower ovary. The flower ovary holds the ovules, which once fertilized by pollen become seeds.

Style and Stigma of a Carpel: This carpel was obtained from a Stargazer lily. The carpel is considered the female sex organ of the plant. At the top of the plant segment is the stigma, which traps pollen, and the lower section is called the style. The style connects the stigma to the flower ovary.

Deciduous Leaf: This leaf was taken from a deciduous sugar maple from my front yard. Deciduous trees shed their leaves annually, towards the end of their growing season so the trees can conserve energy and water for the unfavorable times of the year (such as the autumn season and droughts). When the leaves start to die, they transform from green to a variety of colors, like red, yellow, and brown. Shortly after, the leaves fall to the ground, leaving the trees bare.

Conifer Leaf: Most conifers are cone bearing trees, such as pines and ferns. Conifers shed their needles frequently throughout the year, but not all at once like deciduous trees. These needles are from a white pine tree in the driveway.