Trapping the Night Stalkers

For this activity you will be using a fun method to collect some of the critters that come out and hunt or forage by night. No, not tigers or wolves, but possibly tiger beetles or wolf spiders!
First you need to make several pitfall traps. Here is what they look like:
Pitfall Trap

(We will not be using antifreeze, but alcohol instead)

It is simply a little cup (with alcohol) inside a bigger cup, topped with a funnel, and then a roof in case it rains. If you do not suspect rain, you can leave off this detail. The funnel keeps the creatures from escaping once they’ve fallen into your trap.

Make the pitfall traps and in the evening go out and bury them so they are just at ground level. Try not to disturb the ground around them too much. Then wait overnight or two) and in the morning you can collect your traps and see what wandered by in the night!
Draw them, identify them, and list what you found in your nature journal. Take pictures and include them in your journal, too!

Here is a link to another pitfall trap lesson plan. This is considerably more “schooly” in approach, but has some nice suggestion.