Download Rugby Borough Council - Bug Hunt education pack

How to hunt...
Equipment needed
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Plasticbeakerstwopotsperpairofchildrenonelabeleddry,onelabeledwet
Paintbrushes
TwosmalllittertraysorTupperwareboxes,onemarkedwet,onemarkeddry
Magnifyingglass
Identificationkeys
Pensandpencils
Insecttweezers
Drawingpaper
Labels
Step 1
Thefirstthingtodoistosetboundaries.Kidscangetcarriedawayandwanderoffonthehuntforbugs.
Step 2
Grouptogetherthekidsandtalkaboutwhataminibeastis.Trytogettheinformationfromthem.Inform
thechildrennottoputtheirhandsintoholesorplaceswheretheycan’tsee.Youneverknowwhatmight
behiding!
Step 3
Workinginpairsandensuringeachpairhasatwopots(onefordryinsectsandoneforwetinsects),brush,
insecttweezersandamagnifyglass.PairsaretolookforinsectswithintheboundaryandGENTLYbrushdry
bugsintothedrypotandwetbugsintothewetpot.Teachersshouldgoroundandaskchildrenwherethey
thinktheywillfindbugse.g.underlogs,stones,wetleavesetc. Note: There should be no more than three bugs per pot.
Step 4
After10to15minutesgatherthechildrenaroundthetwotraysandgetthemtoputtheirbugsinthe
correctwetordrytrayi.e.wormsareawetbugandspidersaredrybugs.Oncethereareaselectionofbugs
askthechildrentousetheidentificationkeystoseeiftheycannamethem.
Step 5
Askthechildrentodrawaminibeastusingtheworksheetprovided,andgetthemtothinkaboutnumber
oflegsandeyesetc.Conductasurveyusingtheworksheetprovided.Youcaneitherjusttickorrecordthe
numberofminibeastsseen.
Whenthebugshavebeencollectedaskthechildrenquestionssuchas:
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Wheredidyoufindit?
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Whatseasonisit?
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Werethereanyotherbugsaround?(Similarordifferentones?)
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Whatcolourisit?
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Doesithaveanydistinctivefeatures?
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Howmanylegsdoesithave?
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Doesithavewings?
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Howmanyeyesdoesithave?
Step 6
Attheendofthebughuntemphasisetheimportanceofreturningthemtotheirhabitat‘backintonature’.
Teachers’ notes
Introduction
Animalsincludemanydifferentkindsofcreaturesincludinginsects(minibeasts).Insectsareinvertebrates,
whichlackbackbones.Ninety-fivepercentofallanimalsareinvertebrates.Some,likeworms,havesoft
bodieswithnobonesatall.Others,likesnails,havesoftbodies,butcarryahardshellforprotection.
Soft-bodiedinvertebratesthatliveinwateroronlandaregroupedasmollusks.
Invertebratesthathavetoughcoatingsontheoutsideoftheirbodies(exoskeletons),jointedlegs,anda
segmentedbodyarecalledarthropods.Insects,spiders(arachnids),centipedes/millipedes,sow‘bugs’(land
crustaceans)areallarthropods.
Thereareover900,000speciesofinsects,whichmakesthemthebiggestgroupofarthropods.Insectshave
distinctivefeatures,whichinclude:threebodyparts(head,thorax,andabdomen),eyes,mouth,antennae,
sixlegs,andmostoftheadultshavewings.Theyoungdonotlookliketheparents.
Note: for the purposes of this activity it is termed “bug hunt” but as you will see not everything you catch
is a bug or insect.
All insects are found under the Insecta class, which includes over a million species that have been
cataloged and more being discovered on a regular basis. Bugs are part of the Insecta class and found
under the order name of hemiptera and the suborder name of heteroptera. “Bugs” are a specific order of
insect and set apart from other orders of insect by two distinctive features: their mouths and their wings.
Identification
“True bugs” have a mouth that is shaped like a straw or needle, which is called a stylet or rostrum. They
also have a very specific membranous wing, which is thick and darkly colored where it connects to
the body, but becomes thin and almost transparent toward its end. Insects that do not have a rostrum
mouth or membranous wings, such as ants, termites, butterflies, mosquitoes, fleas and lice (just to name
a few) would not be considered “true bugs” as they do not have one or both of these features.
Remember:
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Insects-6legs,3segments(eg:beetles)
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Arachnids-8legs(eg:spidersandharvestmen)
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Gastropods-0legs(eg:slugs)
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Myriapods-manylegs(eg:millipedes)
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Annelida(eg:worms)
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Crustaceans(eg:woodlouse)
Bugsareessentialforlifeandplayavitalroleinkeepingourecosystemgoing:Pollinatingflowersandcrops,
aeratingandnourishingthesoil,providingfoodforotherwildlifeandgenerallymaintainingthebalanceof
nature.
Predators vs pollinators
Manybugscanbedividedintotwocategories,eitherpredatorsorpollinators.Predatorsarebeneficial
insectsastheyhelpkeepdownnumbersofotherbugswhocanhurttheeco-system.
Pollinatorshelpflowerstoreproduce.Manyspeciesofbee,wasp,mothandbutterflyarepollinators,
feedingonthenectarofbrightly-colouredflowers.Astheytravelalongtheytransferpollenfromoneplant
toanother,helpingthemtoreproduce.
Bugsaretopgardenpestcontrolagents.
-Ladybirdseatabout5,000aphidsinalifetime.
-Groundbeetleslikenothingbetterthanmunchingonjuicyslugs
Woodlice,wormsandmillipedesaeratethesoilandbreakdownorganicmattertonourishtheearthsowe
cangrowstrongplantsandjuicyfruitandvegetables.
Askthechildreniftheycanfindpollinatorsandpredatorsduringtheirbughunt.Whatkindsofpredatorsdo
theysee,andwhatistheirroleintheinsect–andthehuman–world?
Camouflaged Bugs
Manyinsectsareabletocamouflagethemselvesinordertomakethemselveslessvisibletopredators.A
prayingmantisandstickinsectarejusttwoexamplesofthis.Seehowgoodyoureyesarebylookingfor
camouflagedinsectsduringyourbughunt.
Where to look?
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Thebestplacestolookforbugsareinsmallcracks,underobjectslikepots,logsandrocksandin
leaves.Remember,somebugsmovefast
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Caterpillarsareusuallyfoundunderleavesandaresometimeshardtospot!
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Nowyouseeit,nowyoudon’t.Besuretoreallystudytheareayouaresearching.Somebugshave
excellentcamouflagewhichmeanstheyblendinverywell.Spendingextratimelookingatanarea
mayrevealbugsyoudidn’tevenrealisewerethere.
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Up,Down,AllAround!Rememberbugsdon’tjustliveontheground.Lookontreebranches,under
leavesontrees,ontheeavesofhousesandevenintheskyaroundyou.
Draw your minibeast
Drawyourminibeastinthespacebelow:
Myminibeastisa
Myminibeasthas
legsand
andlives
eyes.Myminibeasthaswings:Yes/No
Circlethewordsthatbestdescribesyouranimal:
slitherswigglescrawlsswims
walksfliespredatorprey
ominvorecarnivoreherbivore
Which creatures did you find?
Putatickintherightboxasyoufindeachcreature:
Name
Minibeasts
Spider
Harvestman
Woodlouse
Centipede
Millipede
Slug
Snail
Worm
Flies
Cranefly
Hoverfly
Bluebottle
Bee
Wasp
Butterfly
Moth
Beetles
Ladybird
Weevil
GroundBeetle
SoldierBeetle
Bugs
froghopper
Aphid
Shieldbug
Plantbug
Grasshopper
Ant
Insectyoung,grubsorcaterpillars
Earwig
Seen