Insects provide a wealth of information about the environment in which they are found. In this class, to be held Wednesday, August 11 from 5:50 – 7  in the Hunnewell Building of the Arnold Arboretum in Jamaica Plain with Sue Pfeiffer, you will tune in to insects in the landscape, learn about their life stages, and see how paying attention to their actions and population numbers can guide horticultural maintenance. Sue, who has helped collect insects to assist integrated pest management efforts as well as visiting entomologists at the Arnold Arboretum, will give a brief overview of insect anatomy, their life cycles, and describe the major insect families and their identifying characteristics. She will demonstrate how to assess a population as well as various methods of attracting, capturing, and collecting insects. She’ll also show how to preserve and display some of these complex and delicate beauties. In the process you will gain an appreciation for these creatures, whether beneficial, damaging, or simply irritating. Note: this is not a class on integrated pest management.  Fee $20 Arnold Arboretum member, $25 nonmember.  To register, log on to www.arboretum.harvard.edu.