Insect Zookeeping provides beginning insect zookeepers with the basics of collecting, observing, and caring for insects. Equipment lists, sample care schedules, field collection records, and checklists help the zookeeper maintain a well-kept zoo, stay organized, and improve observation skills. The Arthropod Care Directory details the care of eight different species.

Insect zoos require minimal resources, but their educational potential is enormous. A zoo is a powerful educational motivator because it offers the novel opportunity to observe insects in safety and inspires everyone to take a closer look at their world. The activity is versatile enough to adapt to any age level, learning style, or space. It serves as an excellent hands-on experience for diverse subjects ranging from science to language arts. Insect zoos do not adversely affect local insect populations.

Insect Zoo Educational Objectives:

1. To learn about the life cycle of insects
2. To compare insects with other animals
3. To learn about the habitats of insects
4. To discover the role of insects in the ecosystem
5. To assume responsibility for the care of animals
6. To encourage cooperative learning.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: Please consult school and home vacation schedules. Insect zoos should NOT be left unattended for more than a two-day weekend. It's better to set the creatures free than to jeopardize their lives. The zoo activity can always be resumed with new collections. Alternatively, arrange for temporary zookeeping. Older zookeepers might be allowed to take classroom specimens home.

Zoo Displays:

If this is your first insect zoo, start out small. Select one or two species of insects or other arthropods. Once the care of one species is mastered, add another.

The insect displays can be adapted to different:

• educational goals
• age levels
• available resources

Before proceeding, you need to know where you are going to place the displays and what types of containers you are going to need.

• Clear plastic deli containers or cups are inexpensive, small, and can sit anywhere-even on a student's desk.

• Larger, more expensive containers, like aquariums and terrariums, can house greater numbers of insects and present more opportunities to recreate an insect's natural habitat.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: Avoid placing displays in direct sunlight and cold drafts.

Zoo Supply List:

• Clean sand for egg-laying
• Small dishes or jar tops to hold wet sand
• Paper towels to clean the cages and line the bottoms
• Water spritzer to keep plants and surfaces moist and maintain humidity level
• Food for insects--The Arthropod Care Directory or other resources can help you with particulars

Zoo Containers:

1. Glass aquariums:

• Good viewing
• Easy-to-clean
• Reusable
• Variety of sizes, shapes
• Aquarium kits are available from pet and Biological Supply Houses
• Fitted tops can be purchased or made from screening

2. Two-liter soda bottles:

• Inexpensive aquarium alternative

To make, cut a rectangular window opening along the vertical side of the bottle and tape down a transparent film cover over the opening. Remove the hard bottom covering for maximum viewing. Place bottle (with cap on) lengthwise, window side up, and secure the bottle with bits of clay.

3. Bug cages:

• Good viewing
• Small space
• Reusable

Commercially available cages with screened sides and a fitted top are well-suited for watching individual insects or cocoons

4. Cardboard cages:

• Temporary
• Low-cost containers
• Suitable for larger displays

To make, cut away one side of a cardboard box (shoe boxes and milk cartons are easy for kids to handle). Place plastic food wrap or transparent film over cutaway side and tape securely. Make a top from screening, or use a cardboard top. Secure if necessary.

4. Deli containers:

• Temporary
• Low-cost containers suitable for individual insects

To make, collect clear plastic containers from supermarket or deli. Clean well, rinsing thoroughly to remove all soap residues. Obtain fitted lids and poke small air holes in them only if condensation begins to build up inside the container.

Field Trip Preparation:

• Maximize your field trip by planning ahead. After you've decided what type of habitat(s) you want to recreate, make a list of insects that frequent the selected habitat. Copy pages from field guides that describe these insects. Consult the Arthropod Care Directory for ideas about which insects to collect. Become familiar with their life cycles and feeding preferences.

• Next, determine possible collection sites. If collecting on private property-contact the owner before your trip. If collecting on public property-contact local, state and federal parks well in advance for a permit. Be forewarned--permits are not always granted. For aquatic habitats, you may want to collect several jars of water that can later be poured through a strainer to find the insects.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service prohibits collection of threatened and endangered species inside and outside the United States.

Field Trip Clothing Suggestions:

• Boots for swampy areas and ponds
• Gloves to protect hands from thorns and insect bites
• Long pants and long-sleeved shirts to prevent stings, bites, and poison ivy
• Hats to shield eyes and keep the sun off heads

Field Collection Equipment::

• The equipment required for your field trip depends on the type of display you are planning and the age of the zookeepers. Professional equipment (available through Biological Supply Houses) can be expensive but generally lasts longer. With some ingenuity, many items can be improvised from available materials.

Essential Equipment:

• Assorted containers for transporting insects
• Ice chest and ice pack
• Notebook and pencil
• Field guides
• Backpacks to transport supplies and collections

Optional Equipment:

• Nets
• Shovel or digging tool
• Hatchet or pocket knife
• Tweezers and/or forceps
• Magnifying glass
• Aspirator (for small insects)
• Portable, bright light source (UV or other), white bed sheet for night collection
• Camera to document specimen collection

The book The Practical Entomologist by Rick Imes (1992) gives instructions for making some of this equipment.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: To collect insects that live underground or inside trees such as beetles, termites, carpenter ants, and millipedes, you will need digging tools and gloves. Young zookeepers need careful supervision when using sharp tools.

Where to Look and What to Look For:

• Insects make their home everywhere-from the top of the rain forest to the closets in your home. Their numbers are staggering. Generally, you won't have a problem finding specimens if you bring a curious mind, alert eyes, and sharp ears.

• First, look for signs of insect activity. A curled-up leaf could be the work of a spider or caterpillar. A partially eaten leaf with insect droppings (tiny black dots that look like pepper) may mean a caterpillar is nearby. Trails and galls (lumps) on leaves are other indications of insect activity. Also take note of local birds or fish; chances are they are lunching on insects.

• During winter, search for cocoons hanging from branches, under eaves, or in wood piles. Keep cocoons in containers outside or in the refrigerator until it is the appropriate time of year for the adult to emerge.

• Many insects survive by hiding. Check for them under leaves, branches, rotting logs, bark, and rocks. Some hide inside flowers or within tall grass. Likely hiding places inside a house or garage are undisturbed piles of boxes or lumber.

• Finally, listen for insect noises. . .the buzzing of bees, chirring of cicadas, and chirping of crickets and katydids are all indications that insects are nearby.

Field Collection Records:

• Learning to record accurate field observations is an important part of the insect zoo activity. A written Field Collection Record can be adapted to the age level of the student. Photographs provide visual records of the collection and tape recorders document insect sounds.

• Keep field collection records in a reference folder or notebook near the display. Include pertinent field information on a display label.

Using Nets:

Approach flying or swimming insects from behind, position the net, and quickly swoop them up. To avoid damaging delicate insects such as butterflies, carefully grab them by the thorax (the body) and place in a temporary container. You can also close all four wings over the insect's back and then insert it in an envelope or bag.

• Aerial insect nets are good for collecting winged insects. They are made of lightweight netting with a cloth-covered rim.

• Sweep nets are used to sweep through grass and shrubbery. They are made of durable material such as muslin. If budgets are tight, you can improvise with a wire coat hanger and some cheesecloth.

• Aquatic nets, sometimes called dip nets, are used to skim the surfaces and dredge the bottoms of ponds and streams and sweep through aquatic vegetation. They are made of heavy muslin and netting on a D-shaped frame. A kitchen sieve also makes an excellent aquatic net.

Night Collecting:

• To collect nocturnal insects, zookeepers can use their homes as collection sites. Incandescent and ultraviolet lights attract many types of insects including moths, beetles, and katydids. To enhance reflectivity, drape a white sheet over a rope strung between two trees and hang a light in front of it. Brush or coax insects into a container. Night collecting works better on dark, warm nights when there is little or no moon.

Transport Containers:

• When you capture a specimen, select an appropriate container to transport it to the zoo. Collect a sampling of the plants where the specimen is found. Identify the plants with a field guide in case you need to gather more as a food source for the insects. Note that most aquatic insects (except for dragonfly and damselfly nymphs and other larvae with gills) can be transported safely without water. Containers with lids and rumpled up paper towels inside should suffice.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: Aquatic beetles and bugs do fly, so don't forget the lids.

• Sealable plastic bags are great for a variety of insects. Place the insect in the bag with associated foliage or packing materials like paper towels that give the insect something to hang onto during transport. Seal the bag part way, inflate it as you would a balloon, and finish sealing it. The insects will have plenty of air and will not suffocate.

• Plastic containers (with tops) are useful for insects with chewing mouth parts like grasshoppers, crickets, beetles, and katydids. Place insects inside as above, and don't forget foliage and paper towels for packing. Suggested sources: deli containers and margarine tubs with lids.

• Paper or waxed paper envelopes are recommended for transporting butterflies, moths, and dragonflies. Fold the wings up over the insect's back before inserting it in the envelope. Make sure you fold over the top of the envelope to prevent escape and place it in some kind of strong box to prevent injury to the specimens. Waxed paper envelopes are available at hobby stores.

• Ice chests are used to safely transport live insects on hot days. Place a small bag of ice or freezer pack inside an ice chest and keep the chest out of the sun or a warm car. Store collected insects in the chest. Although the insects may get sluggish, they will not be harmed. When you arrive at the zoo, remove the specimens from the chest and let them warm up to room temperature before placing them in their displays.

Zoo Display Label:

The first job of an insect zookeeper is ensuring every display has a Zoo Display Label. Some of the information needed for a complete label comes from the field collection record. Care instructions can be copied from a field guide or the Arthropod Care Directory.

Zoo Care Guidelines:

There are four essentials for a successful insect zoo: a clean cage, constant temperature, proper moisture, and a fresh food supply. Consult the Arthropod Care Directory or published field guides for more detailed zookeeping guidelines.

1. Check for mold or fruit flies in the container. Mold is very unhealthy. Replace any perishable food items like fruit slices frequently.
2. Observe how long it takes for the food source to be consumed. If it is consumed within an hour, add more. If little or none of food source is consumed, the insect might be getting ready to molt or pupate.
3. Watch the temperature. Be sure that weekend and evening temperatures do not fluctuate too widely.
4. Post a realistic schedule of feeding and cleaning. The number of insects in a cage and the amount of frass (insect droppings) indicate when a cage needs to be cleaned.

How to Clean a Display:

• Move the specimens to a temporary container during cleaning. Alternatively, put them in a fresh container and clean the used one for new specimens.
• Replace bottom liners such as paper towels.
• Replenish food source.
• Refresh water and/or mist the inside of the container.
• Wipe down the sides of aquariums with water or soapy water if necessary.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: Do not use window cleaning products because they leave a residue of ammonia that is toxic to insects. Cardboard containers can be wiped out with dry or slightly damp towels or recycled if they are too damaged from use.

• Look for egg deposits. If any are found, move them to a new container.

• With displays that include egg deposits on leaves, maintain the humidity level to keep the leaves fresh. Damp paper towels on the bottom of the container or misting with water should suffice. Once the eggs hatch, you may want to remove the leaf, replacing it with fresh foliage.

• In aquatic environments, use an air stone to aerate the water, or obtain commercially available fish tank filters. If the water needs replacing, remove specimens along with some water to a temporary container. Replace the old water with fresh pond water or conditioned tap water. To condition tap water, let it stand for 48 hours to allow the chlorine to bubble out, or treat with aquarium products to remove the chlorine.

Daily Zoo Care Record

Accurate record keeping is essential to maintaining a healthy insect zoo. Use the Daily Zoo Care Record to help keep up with zoo maintenance.

Learning to Look:

Many beginning zookeepers need help learning how to observe insects and interpreting what they see. Below are some questions that stimulate careful observation. Encourage zookeepers also to record their observations through drawings, photographs, and written descriptions. Art activities and games provide ways for zookeepers with limited writing skills to think about insect life.

Here are some questions that encourage close observation:

1. How does each insect catch or search for food?
2. Does the insect show a preference for certain foods?
3. How does the insect eat the food?
4. Can you identify what the insect eats?
5. How well does the specimen blend into its natural environment?
6. Where in the container is the insect usually found?
7. Does the insect hide behind or under things?
8. How does the insect move from one place to another?
9. Does the insect make any sounds? If so, do they vary throughout the day?
10. What other behaviors do you see? Mating? Egg laying? Resting? Sleeping? Excreting? Fighting?
11. If a number of the same species are together, do they appear to communicate or touch?
12. Can you identify whether the insect is male or female?
13. If both sexes are in the container, do they look alike? What physical differences do you see?

Preserved Specimens:

• Studying live insects emphasizes insect behavior and life cycles. To look more closely at insect anatomy, preserved specimens are helpful.

• The safest way to preserve insects is to put a container holding the specimen(s) into the freezer for a day or two. Freezing is recommended over standard cyanide or ethyl acetate killing jars.

• When zookeepers are ready to examine, draw, photograph, or measure the preserved insects, remove specimens from the freezer. Be aware the frozen insects will thaw quickly. When you finish observing the specimens, return them to the freezer or preserve them by drying on pins. If no toxic chemicals were used, the thawed insects can be used as compost in the garden.

Closing the Zoo:

When it's time to close the zoo, return field collections, along with eggs or young produced in captivity, to their respective habitats at an appropriate point in their life cycle. For example, do not release adult butterflies or moths in winter.

If specimens were obtained from Biological Supply Houses, try to find another class or zookeeper interested in observing these insects. Supply house specimens can also be frozen and preserved.

THINGS TO CONSIDER: DO NOT release live supply house specimens into your local habitat because they may not be native to your geographic region. When the specimens are dead, they can be used as compost.