Using a pitfall trap

Pitfall traps are useful for collecting ground dwelling minibeasts. The equipment you’ll need is: 

• Yoghurt carton or polystyrene cup
• Trowel
• Foliage and fruit
• A lid to prevent rain entering, a tile or flat stone could be used
• Stones to support the lid
• A garden cane to locate the trap

Method:

Dig a hole in the soil using the trowel and place your carton/cup in the hole. Fill in the soil around the container. Place some foliage and fruit in the container to lure minibeasts inside. Use some rocks to position the lid above the container in order to prevent rain from entering but allowing enough room for minibeasts to crawl underneath. Finally, place a flag or garden cane in the soil to locate the trap.