Elenco Insect Exploring Kit - Manual (Page 8)

Scraps
13
Springtail
Wolf Spider
Earwig
Scarlet
Mite
Centipede
You will see a whole assortment of insects
in rotting leaves. Some eat parts of plants,
others the bacteria and micro-organisms that
are in the rotting leaves. And of course we
can't forget the creatures that will hunt and chase
these insects. Dashing across the leaves, you can see
wolf spiders, centipedes and beetles.
All Working Together
All living beings have certain tasks that are
required of them. From mites
eating small holes in the leaves to
the wood lice that eats bigger holes in
them before earwigs and centipedes can
come along and clean up the leaf
rips. All of this provides the
decomposing micro-fungi and
bacteria of the leaf.
Rotting leaves on the ground are a unique, tightly
populated habitat
Take a plastic funnel and insert it into
some type of container and fill will
leaves and shine a light on it from
above. The heat and light will
eventually dry the leaves,
causing the creatures to go down
and eventually fall into your container.
12
In your shallow tray,
place roughly 10 to 15
wood lice you have
caught. In one half of the tray,
place a damp paper towel and a
dry one in the other half. Watch
and see where the lice like to hide.
Where?
For this second
experiment, you will
need to place damp
paper towel in both halves of the
tray. Take a piece of cardboard
and cover half of it. Now put the
tray under a light, but not too hot
of a light. Where will the wood
lice go?
From these two experiments, you will
have learned that the lice much
prefer to live in dark and damp
places. You now have the proof that
these creatures descended from the
water crustaceans. On the abdomen
are gills that the lice breathe through
much like a fish does. These gills
need to be kept damp all the time.
Bright Light
Dark places are almost always damper than places in the sun.
This is the reason the wood lice will shy away from bright areas.
The evening is when these creatures will come out looking for
food, as it is cooler and not so bright as it is during the day.
We can now do a few experiments that will not cause the lice any
pain. Make sure to set them free again after you are done.