From the eight-eyed spider to the seven-spotted ladybug and six-legged fly, what creatures might live near you? Become a nature detective and discover the weird and wonderful creatures that live in the trees, bushes and hedges by your front door!
– A large white sheet
– A notebook and pencil
– Your Nature Journal, if you have one!
Ask an adult to help you with this experiment.
Read of Health and Safety policy
1. In your garden, school or local park, choose a habitat that you want to survey. This could be a tree, a bush or even a hedgerow
2. With the help of a friend or an adult, hold the white sheet underneath your chosen habitat then give the tree, bush or hedge a wiggle and a shake
3. Have a look and see what critters you caught. How many are there? Can you identify them? Have any surprised you?
4. When you’re finished, let the creatures crawl, climb or fly back to their homes.
At least 65% of all species on planet Earth are invertebrates. That’s a lot of creepy crawlies! So how will we know if some are struggling more than others? Wildlife surveys help us understand how many of one species live in a particular place. Comparing surveys over a long period of time will track changes in the number of species that live there. All this data helps us look after the habitats on Earth that are most vulnerable and the species that depend upon these habitats to survive.
Share your discoveries and tweet a photo using the hashtag #OperationEarth
