Year 9's on a Bug Hunt!

News article posted on 2 December, 2015

Two classes from Wanganui Park Secondary College joined John Laing from Goulburn Murray Landcare Network on 2 December 2015 for a arthropod search at Jordan's Bend.

Huntsman found under bark
Huntsman found under bark

Assisted by their keen teacher Ms McKenzie and RiverConnect Education Project Officer Bonny Schnorrenberg, John lead the students through the process of searching high and low for different creatures through the local bushland and in river at Jordan's Bend.

The students searched under bark on the trees, turned logs on the ground, dip netted in the river, dug through leaf litter and used sweep nets to catch flies and butterflies.

The program is similar to the Big Dig that Mooroopna Secondary are involved in annually - a project exploring life in the leaf litter and soil.

Between the two classes, the students found 28 different species of arthropods for the common house fly to three different species of beautiful butterflies; dragon flies, water striders, bee, all sorts of beetles, ants, different spider species, ear wigs and much more. To finish with a bit of excitement, one of the students returned with a big huntsman. Some brave hearted students had the opportunity to let this gentle giant crawl across their hands.