Here are 5 tips to help you find insects the next time you go outside.  Insects are fascinating creatures that are all around us and easy to find.

The two main types of animals that I first began to get to know were birds and insects.  Both of them can be found everywhere and they are easy to see.  I have memories of hanging out in our front yard when I was a kid looking in our garden to find pill bugs (roly polies).  Those moments were some of my early introductions to the natural world and I loved them at the time.  Well, here are some tips to help you find more insects.

What Is An Insect?

Before I give you my tips to help find insects I want to remind you what is an insect.  An insect is a type of animal that has 4 common characteristics – an exoskeleton, six legs, one pair of antennae, and a three part body.

There are lots of other tiny bugs, spiders, and such that you may find that are not insects.  They are all fascinating and you should try to figure out what they are if they aren’t insects.

BE CAREFUL!

I want to put a notice here to remind you to be careful when looking for insects.  Most insects and tiny creatures you find will be harmless to you, but there are some that are poisonous and can hurt you.

When looking for insects please be careful if you are looking through leaf litter on the ground or under rocks or logs on the ground.  You may come across animals other than insects.

5 Tips To Find Insects

Look on flowers – Many insects visit flowers to feed on nectar or pollen.

Look on plants – Don’t just look at the flowers, but also look on the leave and stems of plants.  You are likely to see lots of insects eating or hiding.

Decaying plant or animal matter – Look on the ground at the leaves or other material on the ground.  I know this may sound gross, but look closely at animal scat as some insects can be found there.

Check under rocks or logs -Very carefully, lift or roll up a log or rock.  You may see lots of insects under the rock on the ground or even attached to the underside of the log/rock.

Look under rocks in streams – This is always a fun activity to do in water.  Pick up small rocks or sticks that are submerged in the water.  Then look on the bottom of the rock and you may see some larvae form of aquatic insects, such as mayflies, caddisflies, or even dragonflies.

Another Trick – A Pitfall Trap To Catch Insects

One other trick you can use to find insects is to create a trap to catch some.  A pitfall trap is easy to make and you can put it in your yard to learn what insects live around your house.