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As often there is a lot of mud in the buckets, spreading
the bugs in large white trays will help you pick them out
with pipettes, paintbrushes, and plastic spoons. It is easy
to spot the water bugs if the debris is not spread too thickly.
The tray should appear white with dark blotches rather than
dark with the occasional white patch.
In some streams, large quantities of sand can be a problem.
If the tray contains too much sand, pour in some water and
shake the tray, then quickly pour the water (with the water
bugs and other light debris) into another tray.
A magnifying glass may help in spotting smaller water bugs.
It also helps to shake the tray from time to time. Some will
stick to the tray and can be seen more easily if it is tilted
up occasionally.
The water bugs are then placed in containers, such as ice-cube
trays filled with stream water, for later identification.
It’s best to separate the water bugs because some do
EAT EACH OTHER!
Once you have recorded your catch on the Field Record Sheet
for later entry in the results section of this website, it
is important to return your bugs where you found them.
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