The effect of using specimen color to increase college student interest in and comfort with live arthropods

When people interact with arthropods, these animals are often judged based on their aesthetic: their shape; their size; their color. This study focused on if the color of the specimen influenced student interest in entomology, as well as their comfort level observing and interacting with live arthropods. Groups of college students were given either brightly colored live specimens (blue, orange, yellow) or dull-colored specimens (brown, black, grey) of similarly sized/shaped arthropods, including praying mantids, tarantulas, beetles, millipedes, and cockroaches. Over two years, students were surveyed before, immediately after, and one month after the interaction. Groups with the brightly colored specimens reported significantly higher levels of interest in entomology and comfort with the animals than groups that interacted with the dull-colored specimens. This study provides insight into how specimen colors can be used to increase student interest in arthropods and have them feel more comfortable interacting with them. These findings also suggest that using bright colors may be one method to excite the public about entomology and share our knowledge about these fascinating creatures.