Insects and other minibeasts are everywhere yet often overlooked, but they play vital roles in almost every ecosystem. From arachnids (spiders) to insects (beetles and bugs) to molluscs (snails and slugs), there are lots of tiny creatures taking up resident in our gardens, parks, ponds, woodlands and more!
A great way to find out which species are in your garden or school grounds is to carry out a survey by using a tumble or “pitfall” trap. Scientists use pitfall traps for insect surveying – it helps them gather important data which can help influence conservation methods.
By setting one of these in your garden, you can start to get an idea of the diversity and abundance of invertebrate species – those that move along the ground at least!
Below you can find out how to make and set up your own tumble trap. This offers a fun way to explore invertebrates for younger children, and a chance to be a little more scientific for teens.
What you will need:
- A clean, old yoghurt pot, tub or jar
- A piece of wood or old slate
- Bait – such as cheese, bacon rind, bread or fruit
- A trowel
How to make and use your tumble trap:
- Dig a small hole somewhere in your garden and place the tub in the hole so that the rim is level with the ground. Fill any gaps around the edge with soil.
- Place the bait in the tub, and prop up a piece of old wood or slate, using stones or twigs, so that it covers the tub. This will stop rain from getting in and harming anything that’s fallen into the trap.
- After a few hours, return to check the trap and see what you have found. (It’s important to check the trap every few hours, as the invertebrates won’t be able to escape otherwise)
- At this point, older children could make a note of what they have seen and repeat this process a number of times. They could then make tables, charts and graphs of their results.
- Once you’ve identified your catch, carefully release everything in the trap and either re-set the trap or pack it away.
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