WHAT YOU WILL NEED1. Jam Jar or Old Aquarium or Large Clear Plastic Bowl2. Clingfilm(optional)3. Cotton Wool4. Handful of gravel or sand5. Handfulofsmallpebbles6. Garden Soil7. ColourfulRocksorlargepebbles8. Leaves9. Twigs10. Bananapeelingoreggshellsandoldapples11. Lollystickandcardboard(optional)12. Bugs!
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STEP 1CleanoutyourJamJarorwhateveryouhavedecided tousetospyonyourbugs!Thenfillfirstwithalayer ofsand;smallpebblesthensomeofyourowngarden soilaboutonequarterfull.
TopTip:Forourterrarium,wehaveusedaplastic bowl£1fromthepoundshopwhichisgreatasitis cheapandlookslikeagoldfishbowl.Asthisonedoesn’t havealid,wewillhavetoimproviseandmakealid withcling-filmtapedaroundthetop.
MAKE A BUG TERRARIUM
Ifyoureallywanttogettoknowbugsbetter,thereisnobetterwaytospyonthelittlecreaturesbycreatingyourveryownbugterrariumforyourbedroom.Butremember,these
are living creatures so need looking after!
MAKE A BUG TERRARIUM
www.perrywood.co.uk/garden-explorersFOR MORE CHILDREN’S GARDEN ADVENTURES
STEP 3Gobughunting!Gotoanareawithdirtanddiga holewithashovel.Keeplookingthroughthesoilfor undergroundbugs.Youwillmostlikelyfindearthworms, especiallyafterithasrained.Putthewormsinyour preparedterrarium.Nowthatyouhavewormsand possiblysomeotherbugsyoufoundinthesoil,look forbugsinotherplaces.Scantheoutsidewallsofyour playhouseandtreetrunks.Youmayalsofindinsects crawlingonanysurfaceoftheground.Bugsare everywhere,youjusthavetolook.Pillbugs,beetles, ants,millipedes,andmantiswillworkfine.Placethe bugsinthesoil.Letthemexplorealittleoncethey’rein.
STEP 2Nowaddsomebranchesandleavestogiveyour bugsshadyspotorbuildanestoutofplantsandsticks.Also,ifyouareplanningonfindingsomebeetlesandotherbugsthiswillbeasourceoffood.
STEP 4Decorate!Youdon’twantaboringterrarium,doyou?Neitherdothebugs!Addsomecolourfulrocks,leaves, and twigs.
MAKE A BUG TERRARIUM
www.perrywood.co.uk/garden-explorersFOR MORE CHILDREN’S GARDEN ADVENTURES
STEP 5Addasignontheterrariumsayingsomething like “Bugville” or “Insect Paradise” if you want.
STEP 6Makesurethebugshavefoodandwater.Ifyouonly haveworms,thesoilistheirfood.Addsomefood scrapslikebananapeels,eggshells,andapples.This waythewormswillhavesomethingtodecompose andturnintocompost.Leaves,plants,andwood shouldfeedotherbugs.Trytogetleavesfromthe plantswhereyoufoundthebugs.Makesurethey haveenoughwatertoo,moistenthesoilandadd awaterbysoakingcottonballsinwater.
IfyourTerrariumdidn’tcomewithalid–aneasy waytokeepyourbugsinsideiscovertheroof ofyourJamJarorBowlwithClingfilmandpop acoupleofairholesinthetopwithapencil.
Havefun!Takecareoftheinsectsandcheckonthemnowandagain. Youcankeepthemoutsideinyourbackyardorinsideinyourbedroom, it’syourchoice.Alwaysensuretheyhaveplentyoffoodandwater.
