Non-insects that are fairly easy to catch are:
- earthworms
- roly-poly bugs
Insects and non-insects to avoid:
- bees/wasps/hornets
- cockroaches
- termites
- spiders
There are many insects you can keep to watch in your classroom. Ones that are fairly easy to catch outside are:
- caterpillars (moth or butterfly larvae)
- praying mantids
- katydids
- box elder bugs
- milkweed bugs
- grasshoppers
- crickets
- beetles (including ladybugs and lightning bugs)
You can also purchase insects from teacher/scientific catalogs, such as Carolina Biological: www.carolina.com Common insects these catalogs sell are:
- caterpillars (monarch and painted lady butterfly larvae)
- waxworms (wax moth larvae)
- hissing cockroaches
- praying mantis egg cases
- crickets
- mealworms (beetle larvae)
Pet stores also sell insects and non-insects such as:
- mealworms
- crickets
- earthworms
- waxworms
Remember, if you catch something outside, you will want to release it in the same spot.