The way animals and plants behave is so complicated because it not only depends on climate, water availability, competition for resources, nutrients available, and disease presence but also having the patience and ability to study them close-up.
We’re going to build an eco-system where you’ll farm prey stock for the predators so you’ll be able to view their behavior. You’ll also get a chance to watch both of them feed, hatch, molt, and more! You’ll observe closely the two different organisms and learn all about the way they live, eat, and are eaten.
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This experiment comes in two parts. The materials you need for both parts are:
- four 2-liter soda bottles, empty and clean
- 2 bottle caps
- one plastic lid that fits inside the soda bottle
- small piece of fruit to feed fruit flies
- aluminum foil
- plastic container with a snap-lid (like an M&M container or film can)
- scissors and razor with adult help
- tape
- ruler
- predators: spiders OR praying mantis OR carnivorous plants (if you’re using carnivorous plants, make sure you do this Carnivorous Greenhouse experiment first so you know how to grow them successfully)
- soil, twigs, small plants
Fruit Fly Trap
In order to build this experiment, you first need prey. We’re going to make a fruit fly trap to start your prey farm, and once this is established, then you can build the predator column. Here’s what you need to do to build the prey farm:
Download Student Worksheet & Exercises
Did you know that fruit flies don’t really eat fruit? They actually eat the yeast that growing on the fruit. Fruit flies actually bring the yeast with them on the pads of their feet and spread the yeast to the fruit so that they can eat it. You can tell if a fruit fly has been on your fuit because yeast has begun to spread on the skin.
When you have enough fruit flies to transfer to the predator-prey column, put the entire fruit fly trap in the refrigerator for a half hour to slow the flies down so you can move them.
If you find you’ve got way too many fruit flies, you might want to trap them instead of breed them. Remove the foil buckets every 4-7 days or when you see larvae on the fruit, and replace with fresh ones and toss the fruit away. Don’t toss the larvae in the trash, or you’ll never get rid of them from your trash area! Put them down the drain with plenty of water.
Predator-Prey Column
You can use carnivorous plants, small spiders, or praying mantises. If you use plants, choose venus flytraps, sundews, or butterworts and make sure your soil is boggy and acidic. You can add a bit of activated charcoal to the soil if you need to change the pH. Since the plants like warm, humid environments, keep the soil moist enough for water to fog up the inside on a regular basis. You know you’ve got too much moisture inside if you find algae on the plants and dirt. (If this happens, poke a couple of air holes.) Don’t forget to only use distilled water for the carnivorous plants!
Keep the column out of direct sunlight so you don’t cook your plants and animals.
Exercises
- What shape is the head of the mantis?
- Â How many eyes does a praying mantis have?
- Â How else has the mantis head evolved to stalk their prey?
- Â How does a praying mantis hold its food?
- Â Do fruit flies eat fruit?
- Â How do predators and prey change over time?
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According to the Victoria Bug Zoo, the Chinese Green Praying Mantis is the only Praying Mantis allowed as a pet in Canada. All others are illegal to keep.
can you get mantis in canada?
Wolf spiders are not a good choice. You want spiders that build webs between objects. Spiders that you find in windows or at corners of ceilings will most likely be web building spiders.
would wolf spiders work ?
what kind of spiders work best you said ones who build webs what kind of webs? cobwebs, funnel webs, sheet webs?
They should make one that requires bulldog ants.
Carolina Biological is one of the most popular places to get live species.
Do you have any recommendations on where to purchase the mantis eggs online and also does it matter what type of mantis. I didn’t realize there were so many!
so cool
There’s not a lot of “action” with a terrarium in terms of movement, but here are photos of completed projects using the terra aqua column:
Do you have any photos of a column in action?
That’s Sooo COOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!:)
That is AAAMMMAAAZZZIIINNNGGG!!!!!!!!!!:)
I don’t have any predators, but I do think the experiment will be fun!
If you don’t have charcoal, what could you use instead?
the yeast that growing on the fruit should be that’s growing on the fruit
oh that is awesome !!!!!!!!!!!
cool
I had only tiny holes that were bigger than the preying mantis, and fruit flies also stayed in the container. You can put a fine mesh screen over the holes if you are concerned about it, though. Check hardware store for mesh cloth or use a couple of layers of cheesecloth.
With a bottle brush? 🙂
how do you clean the inside of the bottle? another thing, can’t they escape through the hole in the cap?
how do you clean the inside of the bottle? just wondering.
I think it is cool. But I hate bugs and spiders so I do not think I will do it. But I looks fun to see the lifecycle! it would be fun to mak it!