Water Boatman Minibeast Adventure with Jess

Hello, adventurers! I'm Jess.

It's time for a Minibeast Adventure!

# Feelers out, what's about?

# Creeping, sleeping, under stones, here and there

# Nesting, resting, minibeasts are everywhere

# Minibeasts are everywhere, look and listen, stop and stare

# Minibeasts are everywhere, a Minibeast Adventure

# Feelers out, what's about?

# Minibeasts are everywhere, look and listen, stop and stare

# Miniworlds for us to share, a Minibeast Adventure

# With Jess! #

INSECT CLICKS

Listen, can you hear that sound?

-INSECT CLICKS

-There it is.

That's the sound of today's minibeast.

There it was again!

That noise is made by an insect called a water boatman.

It's a male trying to find a girlfriend.

I've been catching some here.

Let's take them inside and have a better look.

Oh, we've got lots of them in here, swimming around.

Can you swim?

There are two different types of water boatmen.

The small ones that swim on their fronts

and big ones that swim on their backs.

Why do you think it's called a water boatman?

Let's have a closer look.

Well, it clearly lives in water, but have a look at the way it moves.

It looks a bit like a rowing boat.

You sit in a rowing boat with your oars out to the side.

It's like...

# Row, row, row the boat... #

Do you know that one?

Well, a water boatman looks a bit like it's got oars out to the side

and it's rowing around.

But it doesn't really have oars.

Those are actually the water boatman's legs,

which it uses like paddles to help it swim.

The water boatman is an insect, so it has six legs.

There are the two big ones, then another two in front of those

and then another two tucked up right at the front.

It uses these ones to scoop up food.

As well as swimming, the water boatman can fly.

It is a type of bug, so it has wings tucked under its shell.

Wow, a minibeast that can swim, walk, dive and fly.

Isn't that incredible?

Water Boatmen live all over the UK, in ponds and other still water,

so there should be one living near you.

Shall we go and find one?

Come on.

Whatever the weather, we're off together on a Minibeast Adventure!

Hi, Charlie. Hi, Bill.

-BOTH:

-Hi, Jess.

Brilliant to see you. Today, we're going on a water boatmen adventure.

Do you know what a water boatman is?

It's something that walks on water.

Oh, so where do you think we might find one?

In a river.

In a river, in some water, maybe in pond?

-Shall we go and look for one?

-Yeah.

-OK, get your feelers ready.

ALL: Feelers out, what's about?

We're off on a Minibeast Adventure! Come on.

We're looking for water boatmen in some water,

but where around here would there be water?

Ah!

What's this?

Is this a boat full of water?

-How are we going to...?

-Oh!

-Oh, what's that?

What are they, on the top? Do you know what they are?

Water boatmen.

No, they're called pond-skaters.

Water boatmen, that we're looking for, live under the water.

So, how are we going to find something

-that lives under the water?

-Nets.

Nets, yeah. Let's see what we can catch.

Oh, you've got something. Well done, put it in there.

-It's spiky.

-It is spiky.

-A water snail.

Yes, this is a water snail, isn't it cool?

-Oh, I got something.

-You got a pond-skater, well done.

Shall we try and go a bit deeper and see what else we can get?

-Oh!

-A fish!

-Oh, my goodness, a fish. Wow.

Look at that.

Oh, look at all that weed.

Oh, we've got one, we've got one!

That looks like a grasshopper.

-What sort of movement does it do with its legs?

-Chopping.

-It's like a boat.

-It is like a boat, isn't it? Yeah.

It's like when they row it.

Exactly right, yes. They look like they're rowing, don't they?

You've got loads there.

Well done. Oh, my goodness.

Oh, what happened there?

-That was funny, wasn't it?

-Fighting!

-Do you think they're fighting?

Did you see what it just did then? Came up to the surface.

-Why do you think it came up to the surface?

-To get air.

Yes, that's exactly right, to get air.

How long are they going to hold their breath for?

I think they can stay under there for about 30 seconds,

maybe a minute.

And if you look carefully,

you can see little air bubbles around it, as well.

Can you see the air bubble on its tummy?

We've caught lots of different creatures.

But now we've had a good look at them,

-what do you think we should do?

-BOTH: Put them back.

Put them back, yes. So, bye, pond-skaters.

Bye, snail.

Bye, fish and water boatmen.

We all need to breathe,

but you can't breathe underwater, can you?

It's the same for water boatmen.

So when it goes underwater,

it cleverly takes a bubble of air with it.

A bit like a diver.

Even in a small pond like this,

there are lots of creatures living in and around the water,

so I thought we could have a little game of Pond I-Spy,

to see what we can spot.

-In the pond?

-Oh, yes, it's going to be in the pond.

I thought you could play along at home, too.

I spy with my little eye...

something beginning with "S".

Ice skates.

Oh, a skater, that would have been a good one.

It's IN the water...

-A squirrel!

-A squirrel?

But that's not in the pond, is it?

What else did we catch that begins with a "S"?

-Water snail.

-Yes, water snail!

Well done, Charlie. Snail.

What else is living around this pond?

I spy with my little eye something beginning with "F".

Can you see anything, Bill?

-Frog.

-Frog! It's very still, isn't it?

A very still frog.

Looking at an animal that it can eat.

Looking for an animal that it can eat? What do frogs eat?

Flies.

Yeah, they do eat flies.

I spy with my little eye

something beginning with "W".

Water boat...

Water boatman, well done, Bill.

Yes, that's right.

There are so many minibeasts living in and around the water.

Maybe you could go on a water boatmen adventure, too.

Because they live in the water,

you'd need to take a grown-up adventurer with you.

And if you take anything out of the water,

always put it back again at the end.

Off you go.

Feelers out, what's about?

Happy hunting, adventurers!