Fun at Home - Backyard Explorers Part 1 You don’t have to travel far from home to make some amazing discoveries and you don’t need lots of expensive equipment to record your findings either. I've been using my camera phone to take pictures of the some of the Museums insect collection and that got me thinking about what is living in my own backyard. Time to do and skill level 20 to 30 minutes depending on the size of your garden. Easy - but you may need an adult to help record your field notes. Equipment list Drinking water Sun hat and sun block applied Something comfortable to lie on if your chosen insects are ground dwellers Magnifying glass Camera or phone Drawing paper and pencils Ruler or coin (if you can't measure the insect with a ruler then place a coin next to it and photograph it then you can calculate its size afterwards) Field Notes - PDF Instructions Step 1 - Check your equipment list Step 2 - Print off the field notes or create your own version Step 3 - Make sure your adult helper is with you or knows what area of the back yard you are about to explore Step 4 - Here are some of the guidelines that I follow when I am starting out exploring: Look but don’t touch. Don’t touch or handle the insects or arachnids that you find. It’s best to treat them all with some caution, respect and observe their behavior without handling them. Step 5 - What insects can you find living in your backyard? Take a picture if it's safe to do so and share on Instagram hashtag #museumofthegreatsouthern or Facebook remembering to tag us. Go to Backyard Explorer Part 2 This Fun at Home activity is presented by: