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A bug safari is a great way to discover lots of insects and other invertebrates. You can go on a bug safari in your home, garden, or out on a walk.
No matter how clean and dust-free you keep your home, you will probably still find some bugs around! This is because they are often attracted by the dark small spaces and food that they find in our homes. You can usually find bugs in dark corners or cupboards. These might include insects such as flies, beetles or moths, or other invertebrates like spiders or woodlice.
Some bugs love plants. You will find aphids, beetles, and caterpillars on different plants. Look for flowers if you want to see bees or butterflies. Look carefully under logs and stones or on the trunks of old trees. These are all great places to find bugs such as centipedes. Make sure to replace any objects you have turned over in your hunt.
Daytime bugs are often easy to find, but many bugs are nocturnal. To lure them out, cut a grapefruit in two, scoop out the flesh and then place the halves face down outdoors overnight. Check the halves in the morning to see if anything has dropped by to feed.
Peacock butterfly © Ashleigh Whiffin.
Bugs come in different shapes and sizes. Here are some tips of how to identify the different types you may find.
All insects have six legs and a three section body (head, abdomen and thorax).
Spiders are a type of arachnid - all arachnids have eight legs.
Woodlice are crustaceans, a group which also includes crabs and lobsters!
Centipedes belong to a group called myriapods which means they have lots of legs.
Header: Great yellow bumblebee seen on Orkney, Scotland © Ashleigh Whiffin.
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