Pets In A Jar

Pets In A Jar — page 9
Glass jars are usually not a good container for collecting collecting in the field because they are difficult to hold on to and break easily Plastic containers of all kinds are much better for collecting Another useful container for collecting trips is a plastic bucket or pail You’ll be able to see small animals better if the pail is white or a light color plastic Other useful items include a thermometer for checking air and water temperature a small spade or shovel for digging and overturning rocks or logs and a net The kind of net depends upon its use Although you can probably purchase a small fishnet from most pet stores you will find that it’s not of much use in catching a frog in a pond or a butterfly on the wing To make a larger more useful net at home all you need is an old broom or mop handle a stiff wire clothing hanger adhesive adhesive or friction tape some mesh material see below and a needle and thread First bend the wire hanger into a loop Twist the hook part of the handle around the end of the broom handle and tape it tightly in place The kind of mesh material you need depends upon the use you have for the net A water net useful for pond or seaside animals requires a strong cloth with small holes such as scrim For an insect net use a lighter material such as tulle You can use any kind of mesh material if these are not available Cut the material in a circle five feet in diameter Now fold one inch around the wire loop Sew this in place with a strong nylon thread The bag should hang down about two feet to be most useful