Every night, a special team called the herp team goes out between 7 PM and 3 AM to look for amazing creatures like snakes, frogs, and salamanders. They bring these animals back to their camp to learn more about them. Let’s join them on their adventure and see what they find!
During their search, Markus found a little lizard called an Anolis sleeping on a twig. It was either sleeping or pretending to be a stick, hoping not to be noticed. The Anolis was bright green with lines on its body, which is why it’s called Anolis transversalis. It had funny little webbed feet, like a gecko, and a pretty blue eye that seemed to be staring at us. How cool is that?
Next, Pablo discovered a spiny-backed tree frog. This frog had a beautiful white back that helped it blend in with the branches. It was quite slippery and jumped out of Emily’s hand! The frog had sticky fingers and even jumped on the camera. Emily was warned not to touch her face after holding it because its skin could be irritating.
While exploring, the team encountered stink bugs. These bugs had a surprising smell, like pineapple juice mixed with tangerines. However, they could also cause a burning feeling if they landed on your skin. Tom experienced this firsthand when a stink bug landed on his neck, leaving a burning sensation. The team realized they were under a vine that seemed to attract these bugs, so they decided to move away quickly!
After a long walk with Pablo, the team was eager to find a snake. Just as they were about to head back to camp, they heard Pablo shout, “un serpiente!” which means “a snake!” in Spanish. They rushed back to see what he had found. It was a whip snake, known as Chironius fuscus, and it was a juvenile, meaning it was still young. This snake was very fast and seemed interested in biting, but its bite was small, like a fish bite.
Exploring the forest at night with the herp team was an exciting adventure. They discovered fascinating creatures and learned how these animals survive in their natural habitat. Remember, if you ever go exploring, be careful not to touch unknown plants or animals, as they might cause irritation. Nature is full of wonders, and there’s always something new to learn!
Imagine you are part of the herp team. Write a short story about your own adventure in the forest at night. Include at least two creatures you discover and describe what makes them unique. Share your story with the class and discuss the different animals everyone found.
Choose one of the animals mentioned in the article, like the Anolis or the spiny-backed tree frog. Create an art piece showing how this animal uses camouflage to blend into its environment. Use colors and materials that represent the animal’s natural habitat. Present your artwork and explain how camouflage helps the animal survive.
Work in small groups to create a field guide for the creatures found by the herp team. Include illustrations, interesting facts, and safety tips for handling or observing each animal. Use your guide to teach your classmates about the different species and their habitats.
Conduct a safe experiment to learn more about the smell of stink bugs. Research why stink bugs produce their odor and how it helps them survive. Create a simple experiment to test different scents and discuss how animals use smell for protection. Share your findings with the class.
Learn about how snakes move by playing a simulation game. Use ropes or strings to represent snakes and practice different types of snake movements, like slithering and sidewinding. Discuss how these movements help snakes catch prey and escape predators. Reflect on what you learned about snake behavior.
Here’s a sanitized version of the provided YouTube transcript:
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– So every night the herp team goes out between the hours of 7 PM and 3 AM looking for snakes, frogs, and salamanders. Then they bring them back to camp, so we’re going to go with them and see what we find.
– Ooh, a bat.
– (Emily) What was that? A bat?
– Yeah.
– So Markus found this Anolis sleeping up here on the twig. It’s either sleeping or pretending to be a stick, hoping that we won’t see him. He’s looking at me like, “Please don’t pick me up.” For one thing, it doesn’t blend in with its stick very well. It did a pretty poor job picking a stick to sit on. But it’s bright green and has these lines on it. It’s an Anolis transversalis?
– (Markus) Yes.
– (Emily) Yes? Because it’s named after the lines that it has on its body. It has funny little webbed feet, kind of like a gecko, and a pretty blue eye that it’s using to stare at me. Kind of cool.
– Pablo found this spiny-backed tree frog over here. One of our botanists found one in the same genus earlier today. You can tell that it has this beautiful white back to it, which helps it camouflage with the branch. Oh, there it goes. I got him. He jumped out of my hand as I—Whoa! They’re slippery.
– Yeah, whoa. Okay, I got a frog. This has been an ordeal trying to catch this guy this evening. He’s got sticky fingers, too. He jumped on the camera a minute ago. I’ve also been told that I shouldn’t touch my face after holding him because their skin can be irritating.
– They’re stink bugs, but they kind of smell like pineapple juice with tangerines in it.
– (Alvaro) And you know what? It was here, and now it sort of hurts here.
– Oh. Ow. Ooh!
– So what you should do is just pour some water.
– Hoo! Ugh. That was a bad idea!
– Mine is going away.
– Mine’s not. Don’t pick up random things you find in the forest.
– Do you want some?
– I’m just getting a little rash. Yeah, just put some water there, please. Thank you. I’m not sure what the association with this vine is, but they all love it. You saw how strong it was; I felt it over my t-shirt, and yours was over bare skin.
– Yeah, it was on my skin.
– But now it’s gone. Now I don’t feel it anymore.
– Aww. Good for you.
– Oh, Tom. What just happened?
– I smelled a fruity smell, and then a burning feeling on my neck… and then a stink bug.
– A stink bug happened?
– Yeah, apparently it had attached itself to my camera.
– Yeah, that’s why it flew off when I started recording you?
– Exactly, yeah. I’ve been feeling some more jumping on me right now.
– Yeah, now I’m going to be paranoid all night.
– Yeah. I think we’re under one of those vines.
– Yeah, let’s get out of here!
– So we were walking along with Pablo for quite a while, waiting for him to find a snake. We kept asking, “Pablo, when are you going to find us a snake?” We got kind of tired, turned around to head back to camp. We were probably 5 minutes away when we heard “un serpiente!” We came running back, and this is what he had found.
– It’s a whip snake, Chironius fuscus.
– And you think it’s a juvenile?
– Mhmm. It’s a juvenile.
– So when we came into camp on the first day, both Tom and I stepped over something that was like 2 meters long—don’t bite me—and very fast. Was that a relative of this guy?
– Uh huh. Other species, bigger.
– And this one seems to be very interested in biting you at every opportunity.
– It’s like a fish bite.
– Like a fish bite?
– Small.
– (Alvaro, off camera) Well, sharks are fish…
– Yeah, sharks are fish, too.
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This version removes any inappropriate language and maintains a focus on the content of the transcript.
Herp Team – A group of people who study reptiles and amphibians, like snakes and frogs, in their natural environment. – The herp team went into the forest to observe the behavior of different frogs and snakes.
Anolis – A type of small lizard often found in warm climates, known for its ability to change color and its long tail. – We spotted an anolis lizard on the tree, and it quickly changed color to blend in with the leaves.
Frog – An amphibian with long legs for jumping, smooth skin, and often found near water. – During our nature walk, we heard the croaking of a frog near the pond.
Snake – A long, legless reptile that slithers on the ground and can be found in various habitats. – The herp team carefully observed a snake as it moved silently through the grass.
Bugs – Small insects or creatures with six legs, such as ants, beetles, and butterflies. – We used a magnifying glass to get a closer look at the bugs crawling on the forest floor.
Habitat – The natural environment where a plant or animal lives and grows. – The wetland is a perfect habitat for many species of birds and amphibians.
Creatures – Living beings, especially animals, that are found in different environments. – The forest is full of fascinating creatures, from tiny insects to large mammals.
Nature – The natural world, including plants, animals, and landscapes, not made by humans. – We learned about the importance of protecting nature to keep the environment healthy.
Adventure – An exciting or unusual experience, often involving exploration of the natural world. – Our adventure in the rainforest taught us a lot about the diverse wildlife that lives there.
Explore – To travel through an area to learn more about it, often involving discovery and observation. – We set out to explore the meadow, hoping to find new plants and animals.
