1. 270 cm (9 feet) length of string (1 per group)

2. popsicle sticks (4 per group)

3. magnifying glasses (1 per child)

4. bug boxes (1 per child)

5. pooters (1 per child) (see instructions) 

6. overhead transparency identifying the main physical aspects of bugs (i.e.  thorax, abdomen, antennae etc.)  - These can be found in most theme books about bugs, such as the "S&S series", "Carson Delosa", "Frank Schaeffer" etc.

7. journal - for recording data and observations while the children are caring for their bug at home

Getting Ready

1. Before going outside to explore, use the overhead transparency to identify the major physical characteristics of bugs.

2. Remind the children to respect the environment, and to handle the bugs with care.

Finding the Bugs and

 Identifying the Body Parts

1. Divide the children in to groups of 2 - 4.

2. Using the string and sticks, each group will make a 30 cm x 30 cm (2' x 2') square.   This minimizes the area for exploration, making it much easier to locate bugs.

3. The children can pick up the bugs with the pooter and release them into the bug box.

4. Allow the children some exploration time to identify the body parts and share data.

5. After the exploration the children can take their bug home for a few days to care for it keep a journal.

6. After a few days, the children will release their bugs back into their natural habitat.

How To Make A Pooter

1. Cut a plastic straw into 2 pieces (1/4 - the short piece and 3/4 - the long piece).

2. Place a small piece of a nylon stocking over one of the ends of the long piece.

3. Place the small piece over the long piece to hold the nylon in place.

The pooter allows you to retrieve the bugs without hurting them.  You simply suck through the long end of the straw, and the bug is drawn up into the straw, but stopped by the nylon.  Then just tap the pooter until the bug lands in the bug box.

The word bug  is used very loosely, and most people tend to call anything with lots of legs bugs.  The scientific name for TRUE bugs is Hemiptera (hemi means "half" and ptera means "wing"). 

The Hemiptera is the largest and by far the most successful of the Hemimetabolic insects (having young that look like wingless adults and a sort of metamorphosis that does not involve a pupa). There are at least 80 000 named species and probably many more.  About 11 000 named species occur in North America, 5 600 from Australia and 1 600 from the UK. Traditionally they are divided into two groups the Heteroptera and the Homoptera (Sternorrhyncha, and Auchenorrhyncha) based basically on wing structure, but now their order is divided into three suborders, Sternorrhyncha, Auchenorrhyncha and Heteroptera ,with the Auchenorrhyncha now believed to be more closely related to the Heteroptera than the Sternorrhyncha.

The hemiptera range from 1 mm to 11 cm in length, their antennae usually only have 4 or 5 segments. Two or 3 ocelli are usual and their compound eyes are normally well developed. The main feature of the group is the mouthparts which are of the piercing/sucking type.   The mandibles and maxillae form 2 pairs of piercing stylets and are contained in a flexible sheath derived from the labium. All the Homopterans and many of the Heteropterans feed on plant juices, though many of the Heteroptera are predatory and some are useful as controllers of plant pests. The 2 groups can often be distinguished easily, with the Heteropterans having a large pronotum and a relatively small mesonotum and metonotumu, whereas most Homopterans have a small pronotum and a large mesonotum and slightly smaller metanotum.  Aside from these features, the wings of the Heteropterans are usually held flat over the body and the forewings which are hard and stiff almost like beetle elytra have the end part soft and membranous; therefore Heteropteran forewings are referred to as 'hemi-elytra'. Homopterans usually hold their wings over the body like a tent and the forewings are entirely sclerotised with no membraneous tip.  The information comes from http://www.earthlife.net/insects/hemipter.html

  Comments

"Is a butterfly a bug?!"

"Look! There's the abdomen!"

"I'm gonna name mine Bob!  Bob the Beetle!"

"Boy are these little guys ever fast!"

"I got a ladybug!"

"Is this long, crawly thing a bug?  I can find any antennae."

 This web page has been contributed by

Mrs. Ewasiuk's Grade 1A

Mary Hanley Catholic School

and

Mrs. Greaves Grade 1G

Good Shepherd Catholic School