Minibeasts

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Minibeasts
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What is a minibeast?
Arachnids (spiders)
Crustaceans (woodlice)
Insects
Myriapods (centipedes/ millipedes)
Worms
Molluscs (slugs and snails)

• All of these creatures can be called minibeasts

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They are all small!
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What do they all share in common?

• They do not have a backbone (spine)!
• They are called
• INVERTEBRATES

We have a backbone! We are called VERTEBRATES
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They have an outer body skeleton
What do they all share in common?
As well as keeping the body solid, it also helps
to protect them from harm.
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Where do you find minibeasts?
Many places!
soil
leaf litter
rotten logs
under stones and bits of wood
on trees and bushes
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How do you find them?
You have to look very carefully!
Many minibeasts use camouflage to protect
themselves
This means they try to look like part of their
habitat (the place where they live)
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What should you avoid?

• Areas where trees or branches have recently
  fallen.
• Exposed tree roots
• Wasps they can sting
• Wasps nests
• Woodlouse hunting spiders they can bite

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How should we handle minibeasts?
We must be careful
We must be gentle

• Remember they are small and fragile

If you pick up a minibeast to take a closer look
remember to put it back where you found it
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Simple ways to identify your minibeast

• Use a key

• Use a good wildlife book

• Count the legs and follow the simple rule
• 0 legs Worms, slugs and snails
• 6 legs insects
• 8 legs spiders
• 14 legs woodlice
• More than 14 legs centipedes and millipedes

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Back in the classroom

• Science - Make your own key
• Art - Draw some minibeasts
• Creative writing a day in the life of a
  millipede, snail etc
• IT - Minibeast game
• www.museumwales.ac.uk/en/learning/
• Drama how do minibeasts move?
• Music - Learn the insect song

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The insect song
Head, thorax, abdomen, abdomen Head, thorax,
abdomen, abdomen And 3 legs here And 3 legs
there Eyes, and antennae on my head, on my head