E . B ’ s Mission
AQUiLA
MAGAZINE MANGA
We ’ re going on a bug hunt !
Have you checked out the Manga issue of AQUILA yet ? Did you enjoy learning all about Pokémon creator Satoshi Tajiri and his love for all things bug related ? Then you ’ ll LOVE this !
E . B ’ s Mission
This mission is all about beetles . So , what ’ s a beetle ? You can tell a beetle by its sheathed ( hidden ) wings and mandibles ( extra-strong jaws ), its six legs , pair of antennae , and its hard , shiny exoskeleton that works like a suit of armour . Unless you live in the Arctic or the Antarctic , there is probably a beetle somewhere near you right now . At this time of year you ’ ll find them at the edges of woods and forests . If you want to see one without leaving home , you could try building a log pile in any outdoor space . You ’ ll soon find some new neighbours moving in !
ACTIVITY SKILLS
1 hour +
Actually , picking beetles to ‘ collect ’ is a smart move – with around 400,000 named beetle species on the planet , ( and that ’ s just the ones we know about !) they outnumber pretty much every other type of species – making up a whopping 25 per cent of all known living species on Earth ! Let ’ s get bug hunting ! How many will you spot ?
DIFFICULTY
CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
YOU WILL NEED o Notebook o Pencil
THE BEETLE LIFECYCLE
A beetle ’ s lifecycle takes them from an egg , buried underground or secreted in a log pile , to the wriggly larva stage . The larva eats and eats and then pupates , builds itself a cocoon , and transforms into a beetle . When it climbs out of the earth as a beetle , it flies around to find a mate , who will help it make eggs . You ’ re more likely to find a beetle in the flying / mating stage .
o Field guide o Magnifying glass o Spoon or paintbrush o Net ( optional ) o Pooter ( optional ) o Plastic tub ( optional )
o Camera ( optional )
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