Survey
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How to hunt... Equipment needed • • • • • • • • • 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: • Wheredidyoufindit? • Whatseasonisit? • Werethereanyotherbugsaround?(Similarordifferentones?) • Whatcolourisit? • Doesithaveanydistinctivefeatures? • Howmanylegsdoesithave? • Doesithavewings? • 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: • Insects-6legs,3segments(eg:beetles) • Arachnids-8legs(eg:spidersandharvestmen) • Gastropods-0legs(eg:slugs) • Myriapods-manylegs(eg:millipedes) • Annelida(eg:worms) • 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? • Thebestplacestolookforbugsareinsmallcracks,underobjectslikepots,logsandrocksandin leaves.Remember,somebugsmovefast • Caterpillarsareusuallyfoundunderleavesandaresometimeshardtospot! • Nowyouseeit,nowyoudon’t.Besuretoreallystudytheareayouaresearching.Somebugshave excellentcamouflagewhichmeanstheyblendinverywell.Spendingextratimelookingatanarea mayrevealbugsyoudidn’tevenrealisewerethere. • 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