You will need:
- 1 clear plastic cup
- 2 straws
- 1 square of either kitchen wipe or leg stocking
- Rubber bands
- Soldering iron
- Paper towel or a kitchen bag
- Blu-TackTM or play dough
With the help of an adult, heat up the soldering iron and melt two holes at the base of the cup.
Cut up a small piece of leg stocking and secure it on the end of one straw using a rubber band. The stocking is there to act as a filter to stop you getting little insects in your mouth when you use the insect pooter.
Put a straw through each hole and secure with the Blu-TackTM or play dough (keeping the stocking within the cup).
Use the rubber band to secure the paper towel on the cup opening (BTW: kitchen bags work better as you don’t lose suction due to small holes as per the paper towelling… variable testing!).
“Simple insect pooter completed”
Use the rubber band to secure the paper towel on the cup opening (BTW: kitchen bags work better as you don’t lose suction due to small holes as per the paper towelling… variable testing!).
“Using an insect pooter to catch a line of ants”
Place the straw with the stocking end in your mouth and position the other straw end over a small insect. With some practice you should find that you can suck a small insect such as an ant into the insect pooter!
“Using an insect pooter to catch a small ant”
Go further – buy 5 x student activity sheets as extension worksheets.
This student science booklet has been created by experienced science educators from the Fizzics Education team.
Use these student worksheets as blackline masters for your science class!
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More Information
Insect pooters are a great tool for collecting small insects without damaging them. You can find small insects amongst leaf litter as well as crawling up tree trunks and walls. Have an adult with you to identify what you’re collecting. Happy hunting!
Classroom activity sheets for this experiment
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Years K to 6
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60 or 90 minutes
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