Go Outside-The Small Things Hunt
Want an adventure?
You do.
Have some money for admission?
No need. It’s free.
Call this “small things hunt.”
Answer this question: What is the smallest thing living in your backyard?
You wonder…do I need equipment?
Yes: curiosity, patience, time… to be really fancy a magnifying lens is optional.
How do I do a small things hunt?
You’re trying to answer the question about the smallest thing in your back yard try:
-Sitting in one place by flowers.
-Try your garden-if you have one.
-Look on tree bark.
-Look in grass.
-Look at the photos and captions for more ideas.
Lay on your stomach…is white clover in our lawn our smallest living thing? Sorry, not small enough.
How about one flower on this prairie onion? Small right? Not small enough-sorry!
You might like trying a hand lens for your future small things hunts. Is the heart shaped hole smallest? No…and it is not living…its a hole. We have to follow the question-it must be a living thing.
Are you thinking this spider on the hummingbird feeder pole is the smallest? I did too-before I saw the final photo…not yet…
This garden string bean is just beginning to develop. It is living and it is small-but it is not our winner. You”ll be surprised!
How about this Syrphid Fly on a string bean plant? Sorry…not small enough. Look at the last photo.
We have a winner! Look in the center of the cucumber blossom…do you see the little black object on the left side of the center of the pistil? That is a small bee or fly of some kind…it is the smallest living thing on our hunt. We have a winner! Now its your turn. Go outside…take your own small things hunt. My hunt took me about 20-25 minutes. I saw a lot of life…in our back yard. You can do these hunts in a park or a near by wild place…try all three and compare. Which place do you like best?