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  • Garden Creature Spotter

Garden creature spotter

  • Estimated Time 45 minutes
  • Location Outdoors
  • Time of Year Summer , Spring & Autumn
  • Curriculum L1/2 , L3 & L4
  • Subject Science

Discover a range of creatures found in a typical New Zealand garden.

Learning Intentions

Students will be able to:

  • appreciate the diversity of creatures in a garden
  • begin to recognise and name some of them.

Spot creatures found in a garden

  1. Use the spotter guide below to find and name some New Zealand garden creatures. To do this, find a garden that has a variety of plants, especially ones that are in flower. Another option is to search a wasteland area, a mixed native tree shelter belt, or the unkept margins of fields.
  2. Carefully search high and low to find as many creatures as you can.
  3. Record what you find by ticking the boxes and recording your observations by writing about them, drawing, or taking photos.

Garden creatures spotter pdf download (optimised for colour printing on A4).

Hints and tips

  • For best viewing of detailed structures, view the spotter guide pdf pictures on-screen.
  • Print the spotter sheet on heavy weight paper.
  • Laminate the sheets so students can tick the boxes with marker pens when they find a creature. Erase with methylated spirits for re-use.
  • Students can share what they have found by showing others or taking photos.
  • Records: Students record observations of: 1) where the creatures are found and 2) what they are doing.

Supporting information

English nameMāori nameNative /
Introduced
Pest /
Helpful
Adult able to fly
(Yes/No)
wolf spiderpūngāwerewerenativehelpfulno
hover flyngaro pairanativehelpfulyes
red admiralkahukuranativehelpfulyes
ladybird larvauhu mumutawaintroducedhelpfulno
ladybirdmumutawaintroducedhelpfulyes
NZ blue blowflyngaro ironativepestyes
drone flyngaro pairaintroducedhelpfulyes
European earwighiore kakatiintroducedpestyes (rarely)
spittle bugtātaka hūareintroducedpestyes
aphidsweointroducedpestyes
NZ vegetable bugtākaka huawhenuanativepestyes
NZ praying manitsrōnativehelpfulyes
bumble beepī rorohūintroducedhelpfulyes
monarchkahukunativehelpfulyes
honey beepī miereintroducedhelpfulyes
white butterflypere māintroducedpestyes
garden snailngataintroducedpestno
orbweb spiderpūngāwerewereintroducedhelpfulno
grass grubtūtaerurunativepestyes
ground beetlepāpapanativehelpfulno
harvestmanpūngāwerewereintroducedhelpfulno
centipedewerinativehelpfulno
woodlicepāpapaintroducedhelpfulno
slugputokointroducedpestno

The table information is based on species shown in the 'Garden Creatures Spotter' and is necessarily simplified for young students. It should be noted that some species can be considered pests or helpful in different circumstances.

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