Keeping minibeasts

[banana]

I would like to keep some minibeasts - ladybirds,beetles etc in a plastic tank in the classroom.Has anyone done this before?What works?Doesnt work?

[WendyW]

Ladybirds are pretty difficult to keep as they will only eat greenfly (so you have to breed greenfly in order to keep them alive) a pretty good ladybird site is http://perso.wanadoo.fr/dj/Anglais/crts.html. A site all about beetles (including keeping them as pets) is http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/1803/gatepost.
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[banana]

Thanks Wendy If not ladybirds then anyone have any ideas .It doesnt really matter which minibeasts we keep since its the observation of living (but small) creatures and their health and welfare that matters.

[wildwood]

Perhaps you could keep mealworms. They are the larva of a beetle and in a plastic tank you can observe their whole life cycle. They are very easy to feed (occasional cup of bran and a piece of carrot, depending on the temperature) and definitely do not smell. Mealworms are freely available from many pet shops as they are a high protien food for birds, fish, and small mammals. [If you eat them yourself, make sure you bite the head off first. They have a nutty peanut butter flavour.]

[rekstout]

Stick Insects are pretty good - they breed well and only need some soil substrate and a regular supply of fresh privet or cherry tree leaves.

[darth vader]

Frogs and frogspawn is always easy to keep and popular with young kids! (And it is in plentiful supply if you checkout known frog spawning ponds/streams)

[banana]

Thanks all for your kind answers DV ..I already have frogspawn in the classroom providing lots of interest for the children and lots of passing adults in school( who all stay well away as they think the tadpoles will immediately turn into baby frogs and leap from the tank) Wildwood - Mealworms?? How do I buy them ,keep them? Where do I find out about their life cycle?

[banana]

And thanks for the suggestion wildwood - if I need a snack....