Humans and Minibeasts

Questions to think about... What effect does human behaviour have on mini beasts and their habitat? How can humans help with making sure that the natural habitats of mini beasts are not destroyed?

Your task: Make a brochure, pamphlet or poster that shows how humans can help care for the natural habitat of minibeasts and the environment they live in.

Where do minibeasts live? We can find minibeasts living in all sorts of environments including: Around buildings In gardens In ponds and streams

Around buildings Have you noticed ladybirds, spiders, moths and butterflies living in window frames and window sills? Some small minibeasts also live on the walls of buildings. Minibeasts also live outside buildings under pot plants, under cracks in the ground and behind guttering pipes.

If you move further away from the buildings and look for creatures in the grass and topsoil, you will find ants, earthworms, millipedes and centipedes.

In Gardens In gardens, you might find long grass, wildflowers, shrubs, trees, rotting logs, large stones and rocks, and sometimes a pond. You might find many different small animals living their according to the season.

Rotting logs provide an excellent habitat for many minibeasts Rotting logs provide an excellent habitat for many minibeasts. Some beetles need rotting wood to provide food for young grubs as soon as they are hatched. Both slugs and snails like the moist conditions in the damp ground beneath a log.

If you lift the moss on rotting logs, you may be able to find tiny spiders and larvae. Some slugs live under stones and are never exposed to light. If you dig gently in the soil under stones, you might be able to find earthworms and flatworms.

Ponds and Streams Ponds and streams are home to many creatures. Many species can be found in the mud layer at the bottom of a pond. At the edge of the pond you might find mosquitoes, and many insects might be found in flower heads. Sometimes, you might find a variety of creatures on the surface, such as pond skaters, beetles and water spiders.

Care must be taken near water and when dipping in ponds Care must be taken near water and when dipping in ponds. To avoid disturbing the animals, study them in their natural habitats without removing them. This is best done using the appropriate equipment. Nets can be used to capture creatures living in ponds and streams.

Pollution Humans can effect the habitats of minibeasts and other animals through pollution. In some cases wildlife populations have suffered severe losses or even faced extinction due to pollution.

What is pollution? Pollution occurs when the natural environment becomes contaminated with harmful substances as a consequence of human actions. Some forms of pollution can kill wildlife, they are known as toxic pollutants. Examples include some types of chemicals, oil, toxic metals, and acid rain. Other forms of pollution can affect wildlife by changing or destroying their habitat. Examples include the destruction of grasslands and swamps.

Food Chain What happens, if for example, we kill all the spiders? What eats spiders? Birds, snakes, frogs, toads, lizards, beetles, centipedes, wasps, and bigger spiders like to eat them. Why spiders are good? Even though they can bite, spiders are our friends. They eat more insects than birds do, especially yellow flies, which really bite people a lot. Spiders don’t see very well. If you stay more than a foot away from them, they can’t even see you, and they certainly can’t bite you. If a spider gets on you, the only thing it wants to do is get off. Don’t squash him; just flip him off. He may eat the bug that was going to sting you tomorrow!

how can you help protect it? Environment – how can you help protect it?

The following slides include ideas to help reduce the threats to our environment.

Ideas to Help Avoid using chemical sprays in the garden - some of these can be poisonous to wildlife. The use of pesticides and herbicides contribute to a reduction in minibeasts. If you have a garden at home, you could transform it into a mini nature reserve for wildlife. The same could be done in your school grounds. It's best to let the birds eat the cabbage-munching caterpillars, the hedgehogs and toads deal with the lettuce-loving slugs and the ladybirds dine on the greenfly!

Creating a wildlife garden: 1. Make a pond. Even a small pond will attract frogs and toads etc. Birds and foxes may use it for drinking. 2. Make a wildflower meadow. Wildflower plants and seeds may be bought from garden suppliers and, if planted correctly, a colourful meadow will result, attracting birds, butterflies and other insects.

3. Provide logs and stones and allow a few autumn leaves to remain lying around. These provide shelter for minibeasts. 4. If your garden is big enough, you could plant a tree. Always grow native trees such as oak, ash or birch - these attract more insects than foreign trees.

Brainstorming Activity What effect does human behaviour have on mini beasts and their habitat? Think about, when for example We lift up a log? We dig up plants?

The End