Keeping Arthropods in the Classroom

• Select a container appropriate for the insect and for human observation. Provide enough room for the insects not to be overcrowded so they can wander and engage in natural behavior. It is better to start with just a few insects.
• Keep containers clean and free of old food, moldy debris and frass (feces).
• Provide adequate light and air. Make sure the arthropod's container does not receive direct sunlight. Do not place container under a heating/cooling vent because it will dry too quickly.
• Provide sufficient food. Remove uneaten food before it starts to decay. Provide a dependable water source since most insects will die without water.

Preventing Escapes
Arthropods are generally much stronger than they appear and can maneuver through cracks or remove lids. Trying to find escapees is time consuming, frustrating and rarely fruitful. It is much easier to prevent escape than to recover escapees. If or when they do escape, flying insects will often fly towards light, so they may be found near windows. Crawlers who seek dark corners can sometimes be recovered by leaving out bait (food) and some material for them to hide in. Petroleum jelly smeared on the top edge of a container will prevent many insects from escaping.

Diplomacy

• Inform your principal, other teachers and custodians that you will be using live arthropods in the classroom. Communication with the custodian is particularly important so that toxic chemicals are not used around the room or outside areas and so that you will be informed if the heater or cooler is to be turned off at some point. It is important to initiate this communication before you begin the classroom project.
• It is not recommended that insects be sent home with the children without prior communication with the parents.

Vacations
Make sure that the arthropods have proper care during vacations. If you leave the arthropod at school, make sure that the temperature in the building is not too hot or cold. (Although cold is better because they just slow down.) Most of the animals used in a lesson will not be affected by short weekends. The only exceptions are caterpillars which may need to go home over the weekend. They will run out of food without daily care.

Insect death

• Insect deaths are unavoidable. Some insects will die from improper care or old age, which for some insects is a matter of weeks. Others are just difficult to maintain outside their natural environment. Death may also result from improper handling, but students learn to handle the insects more carefully with practice.
• If your entire culture dies, something is wrong. Thoroughly clean all containers with hot water and disinfect with Lysol or bleach. Do not add new insects to a culture which is ailing.

When the Lesson is Over
If you ordered them from a catalog, from a university or purchased them from a pet store do not release them outside. Releasing insects to an area can be detrimental to the surrounding area. Pass them on to another interested teacher, parent, lizard, spider or other person. If you cannot find someone who is interested in the live arthropod, you may keep it as a preserved specimen for future use in the classroom. You can kill all arthropods by placing them in the freezer.

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