Bugs, Bugs and More Bugs!

Hipswell Primary School visited today.  They had a busy day hunting for minibeasts, pond dipping and then heading off to learn more about the habitats and the plants and animals that live in them.

Out on the moor, sweep netting caught many, many bugs of various sizes, shapes and colours.  Large and small spiders were caught, including this crab spider, so called because it moves just like a crab!

A lacewing was also caught and was released into the grass where a more natural photo could be taken.  Once viewed its brilliant eye is remarkable.  Lacewings look so delicate but this hides the fact that the adult and larvae are carnivores with large jaws.  

Talking of jaws, when pond dipping a Great Diving Beetle adult was caught along with several larvae. The adult is quite capable of flying from pond to pond.

This photo shows those very large jaws.  Obviously they are carnivores and will eat many of the tadpoles in the ponds, along with anything else that moves.  The Pond Snail was a little too large for it to tackle.

As the children walked back to the gate they saw the tadpoles all massed together.