There's plenty of Nature right outside your door! And today I'm going to share an easy way to see some that you might not otherwise find. This week I set up a couple of simple pitfall traps in my backyard. All you need to do is dig a small hole for a container (mason jar, empty soup can, whatever) so that the top of the container is flush with the surface of the ground, or slightly below. Then, place something overtop, about 2 inches or so above so that creatures (insects, spiders and other arthropods) can climb in through the gap and fall into your trap but rain won't accumulate as much and drown your specimens (swipe to see my setup). Check your trap every day and if there's something (or many somethings) in it, spread the contents over a white piece of fabric so you can see the creatures more easily. Take photos, make sketches, write descriptions, or just watch the fascinating animals that share your backyard with you. In the first photo is a Rustic Wolf Spider (Trochosa ruricola) atop several Millipedes and a centipede. There were many creatures in this one jar that I set out there. If you can take photos of the creatures you find, be sure to post them on iNaturalist. It's free to make an account and the website allows experts and amateur experts around the world to identify your finds and even contributes to scientists' understanding of the ranges of animals and plants. I use it extensively for Identification purposes as I'm not a real expert in any group of creatures, but I want to learn more about them all. So Stay Home, but Stay connected to Nature! #nature #ontario #backyardwildlife #pitfalltrap #invert_macro #invertebrates #arthropods #stayhome #naturecrafts #gardeninsects #exploreyourbackyard #macrophotography #insects_of_our_world #simcoeontario #norfolkcounty #norfolkwild #spidersofinstagram #spidersoftheworld #wolfspider #dscvrnc (at Simcoe, Ontario) https://www.instagram.com/p/B-rYj9jgN5x/?igshid=334mcdryqdaj
