On the subject of . . . . . .

I have been really busy with schools recently especially as this is the 'minibeast term' for many primary schools. I only wish I could remember all the things I hear during my visits to the foundation years in particular! The children are fantastic and I always try to encourage discussion because I believe it helps the learning process. Below are a few that have actually stuck in my mind and made me inwardly chuckle.

"Can anyone tell me the name of a minibeast they have found?" "Nits."

"Luke is a snail. His shell is part of his body just like your finger nail on your finger. If you hurt his shell he could die." "No he couldn't." "Yes he will because it is part of his body." "No he wont." "Look here and you can see where his shell is joined to the soft part of his body. So if you break his shell you really are hurting him and he really could die." " No."  "Yes he will poppet." "No he wont cause he'll be a slug."

"This is a really, really cool insect. She curls up her bottom, that we call an abdomen, and holds out her front legs to look just like pincers. She is pretending to be a creature you can find in the desert, and that can kill you with the venomous sting at the end of its tail. What do you think it is that she is trying to mimic?" "A lobster."

"Some insects go through an amazing change as they grow up. Can anyone here tell me how a caterpillar changes into a butterfly?" "My mum says she wants to change our dad cause he wont grow up."
 
"Does anyone know what a larva is?" "Oooh yes, yes!! . . . . It comes out of mountains!"

Often the joy of working with young children is just listening in to their views of the world around them. There is a hidden danger lurking around every corner of discussion though. The importance of the Tooth Fairy and the very sad (and often very graphic), demise of the hamster are awesome subjects but not always directly related to the topic of the day. The trick is turning it, as quickly and painlessly as possible, back on to the main subject before they all have time to get going on rapidly digressing views!

A child's eye often sees the things we adults do not. Listening to their descriptions gives you a good idea of how much they understand and evaluate the subject you are trying to teach. There is often plenty to make you smile as well!

Pupa, Chrysalis or Cocoon?

Invertebrates go through two types of growth stages. One is called incomplete metamorphosis. This is when the invertebrate undergoes little, or no difference, as it matures into an adult. Grasshoppers are a good example. The young (nymphs) look identical to the adults except at the very last exoskeleton moult (instar). They then develop a usable set of wings. Some stick insect species never experience any change other than size as they mature, but a few do produce wings (sometimes these are only vestigial ). Then we have my favourite, complete metamorphosis. This is the really amazing one! The embryo becomes a larva then pupates into the adult (imago). The pupa is where all the body change is going on and I like to think of it as a mould, as it usually shows all the features of the adult yet to emerge. In the Lepidoptera order (butterflies and moths), the pupa is referred to as a chrysalis. The duration inside the pupa depends on the species and the climate. The cocoon is the casing around the pupa that some, but not all, species choose to make. Some beetle species make a cocoon out of the substrate around themselves. Some moth species spin the most incredible silk cocoons. Whatever they look like, the cocoons are simply made to help protect and camouflage the pupa. Just fantastic!

Chinese Owl Moth caterpillar just starting pupation. The external skin will harden and become black in colour. There is no cocoon as it all takes place hidden underground.

Oxfordshire goes wild!!

Have the most brilliant day out with your family at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History on Saturday 21st April 2012 from 12 to 4pm. This is such a fantastic day on many levels. Its free - that is always a good start! There are going to be loads of organizations there that specialize in the amazing natural world around us. You and your family can take part in lots of practical projects and even take some home with you. Best of all it is hosted by the Museum http://www.oum.ox.ac.uk/  itself. Bursting at the seams with great displays and awesome exhibits, all set in the most incredibly beautiful building. What a fabulous way to spend your day when the April showers are in full swing and you want to get excited about our stunning countryside. Remember, finding out things and learning together is sharing the experience. That really does bond you together as a family. Have fun!

Natural History Museums always seem to be in the most incredible buildings.

Oxford's is no exception. The stone, the carvings, the iron work, the vaulted glass roof.........

What is in a name?

Creepy crawlies, minibeasts, bugs, insects, invertebrates. So many names are used to describe the life forms that live in and around the under growth. Minibeasts is favored by schools especially pre-school and primary. Insects is not a true term as the word insect means 'cut into' and refers to only those with six legs. Spiders have eight legs and are Arachnids, Millipedes with their many legs are Myriapods and so the list goes on. All of which are actually are members of the Arthropod phylum, the biggest animal group on the planet. Invertebrate means a life form without a back bone and therefore includes creatures such as crabs and lobsters who are Crustaceans and also Arthropods. That leaves us with creepy crawlies, (not keen on that as it sends out entirely the wrong message) and bugs. Bugs is a well rounded word. It does not do anyone an injustice and actually has a rather friendly feel to it, partially thanks to the film Bugs Life. What name do I use? Well I tend to refer to my collection as invertebrates or inverts for slang. It is slightly more scientific than bugs and also it embraces a wider range of creatures. I am certainly not adverse to using the words bugs or minibeasts, but I definitely do draw the line at creepy crawlies or critters!!

A Shield Bug. The perfect name - a bug with a body that is shaped like a shield.
Who said Entomology was complicated?

 Shield Bug nymphs hatching.

Putting the bounce into spring.

Up date on the Giant Floridan Katydids, Stilpnochlora couloniana ( please scroll down the blog for the previous 'Banishing the winter blues' post ). The eggs are hatching and the nymphs are quite literally pinging all over the place! Stunning little invertebrates with incredibly long antenna and beautifully marked legs. Great to see them after such a long wait. Brilliant!

The hatching nymphs squeeze out of their egg cases.

Legs that are designed to put in a sizable jump. Great for escaping potential predators.

Irresistible invertebrates....

Just had the genuine pleasure to spend some great time in the rather fun company of food fanatic Stefan Gates. The man that is BBC1 CBBC's Gastronaut. He is on a mission to put invertebrates on the menu. We in the western world find the concept of eating insects ( Entomophagy ) unusual and even disturbing, however 80% of the worlds nations eat invertebrates as a major source of protein. Beetle grubs, caterpillars, crickets and ants are just a few of the delicacies on offer. There is an environmental reason too, in light of our predicted fresh water shortage, 150g of grasshopper meat requires a nominal amount of water to produce. It takes 3290 litres of fresh water to produce the same amount of beef. Our very existence depends on many factors but one important one is invertebrates. They pollinate, decompose matter, increase soil fertility and provide a direct food source. Forget I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out of Here and think more along the lines of a sustainable future where every option has to be considered. Personally, the Thai Curried Crickets were delicious!

Gastronaut Stefan Gates.

Cooking with a fire extinguisher. At least it will not burn!

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!!

Great, fabulous and fantastic! Grab those sweep nets and get out there! The day time and night time temperatures are creeping up and our wonderful British invertebrates are starting to stir. I get so excited this time of the year! We have baby animals appearing on the farm with a beautiful new red Dexter calf and lots of healthy Wiltshire Horn lambs. It is an absolute joy to see them leaping around in gangs, just simply exuberant in the rays of the warm sun. The clocks are going forward and British Summer Time is on the agenda. I even smelt the wafts of a distant barbecue this afternoon. Something is happening down in the pond too. The water is rippled with the thrashings of Common Toads Bufo bufo trying to mate. The males cluster around the female, pushing off their rivals with their hind legs in an effort to guard her while she spawns. Toad spawn ( the eggs) are laid in strings entwined around water plants and can be up to 10 meters long. These gorgeous chaps can not start to get active until the warmth has bought out the many invertebrates that they need to feed on. All their croaking is the perfect heralding of spring!

Male Common Toads beginning to fight over a female.

Common frog Rana temporaria spawn. Remember, frog
spawn is in clumps and toad spawn is in strings.

There is always one. Tracey the pet lamb, perfectly at home, in her not so natural environment of our kitchen!