The Power of the Petri Dish!
I really love bugs. There is such tremendous diversity among insects and invertebrates, it's almost impossible to get bored studying and observing them!
One of the most valuable tools that I use to study bugs is the petri dish. I'm not good at taking photos, I don't have a great camera for macrophotography, but with a petri dish, I can contain a bug long enough to get shots of lots of different angles.
Another great thing about having petri dishes with you, especially if you're leading/on a public nature walk, is that you can share the experience of holding the bug without scaring those that may not want to touch the bug. I've been on a lot of walks (leading and just participating), where I'll find a bee or a wasp, grab it in a petri dish, and then even the most fearful person can hold it and examine it closely. And, after it's examined by everyone, you can return the organism without a tremendous amount of trauma/injury.
Great to have some petri dishes handy whenever you're outside! :)
I get my petri dishes here:
https://www.acornnaturalists.com/petri-dishes-90-mm-sleeve-of-10.html
They're relatively inexpensive, but they're also plastic, so they don't always last too long... They scratch and crack, and when I have one in my back pocket, I'll almost always sit on it! Nonetheless, they're super useful.
Have you tried using petri dishes???
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That's a neat idea, I might buy some!
Yes, I use them a lot. And indeed they are super useful!
Susan
Thanks for reminding me I need to make sure I take some when I leave the house tomorrow for our El Camino Real TMN field day. Thank you for sharing this idea with me several years ago. It's about time for me to reorder.
I get through a lot of them and have to re-order often.
It's silly, but I even hold on to the scratched and even minorly cracked ones. I use these bottoms and tops for aquatic stuff, where I don't have to have a lid to prevent the little critters from jumping/flying out.
I know that some folks get glass petri dishes, but knowing my luck, I'd have one of those in my back pocket and would definitely crack that and slice my hiney! :)
They are also useful for examining Cenchrus sandburs.
Petri dishes are the best! They're especially great for getting nice, clear underside shots of spiders and other arthropods.
I always have at least one in my car, just in case... and can hear it clanking around in a cupholder in my backseat while driving, just out of reach :D
Right on.
I use your idea in my high school Biology class just this week! Thank you for this idea.
Great idea, I'll have to get some. I always carry some disposable latex gloves when I'm prowling the woods or prairies so I can see what's inside any wild critter scat I come across.
Got my petris today! To go with the white sheet and mothing setup. But ... I canNOT seem to locate a non-LED blacklight with enough wattage anywhere. The source Mary (rednat) bought hers though a year ago went out of business. Any ideas there? (PS - the HPB invertebrate survey was postponed, so I'll be spending time perfect my game at home with my fellow 6- and 8-legged Earthlings).
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