How can we help keep our waterways healthy?

Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway

What can aquatic life tell us about the health of our waterways?

Suitable for grades 4, 5 and 6

Written by: Jill Reade Graphic Design: Lisa Eastman

CONTENTS LIST PAGE PAGE

ENGAGE EXPLAIN
Lesson 1a - What lives in our waterways 6 Lesson 4 - Who needs a home? 12
PAGE and where do they live?
OVERVIEW 1b - Wow! Water critters! 7 ELABORATE
Introduction 2 Lesson 5 - Let's see what we 14
and Teacher Background EXPLORE can find! - an excursion
Lesson 2 - Where are the houses for water animals? 8 EVALUATE
Lesson 6 - What is the health 16
Lesson 3a - How do we classify living things? 9 of our waterway?
3b - Classifying and identifying water animals 11 www.waterwatch.org.au
1
OVERVIEW

OVERVIEW Introduction and Teacher Background Information

ENGAGE Lesson 1 What I Want to know How will I find
Examine out of a range of aquatic
pictures Whatlife Iand
have Learnt
name
Facts
a - What lives in our waterways as many as possible. What is distinctive about these animals?
and where do they live?
b - Wow! Water critters! Plan and go on an excursion to a local waterway to collect
information about the waterway.

Lesson 2
EXPLORE Where are the houses for water animals?
Sketch a model of a waterway as a class group, showing
habitats for the animals - both aquatic and riparian.
Lesson 3
a - How do we classify living things? How and why do scientists classify animals and plants?
b - Classifying and identifying water animals Using a classification key, identify the names of
common aquatic and riparian species.

Lesson 4 Research water animals and their homes. Look at what

EXPLAIN Who needs a home? the animals tell you about the health of a waterway.

Lesson 5 Organise and conduct an excursion to a local waterway

ELABORATE Let's see what we can find! - an excursion and assess its health.

Lesson 6 Present a display of information about the local waterway

EVALUATE What is the health of our waterway? and plan how it may be looked after into the future.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 2
OVERVIEW
INTRODUCTION
This series of learning activities is part of
a wider learning sequence based around
the guiding question - How can we help keep
our waterways healthy?
The entire unit consists of five parts
– an introduction to water, then sections
on turbidity, temperature, salinity and
a final section on water life and habitat.
The sequence uses the 5Es model for
teaching and learning in Science.
SCIENCE OUTCOMES
Students will be able to:
• Identify habitats in waterways – riparian
and aquatic, e.g. reeds, under rocks.
• Describe some animals and plants
which would be seen in a local waterway.
• Classify types of animals that live in
waterways, e.g. fish, snails, worms.
• Explain how to help care for water fauna.
• Conduct simple investigations about
the life in a waterway.
• Identify some ways in which living things
depend on the environment and on
each other.
• Explain how types of animals provide
information about the health of
a waterway.
What does aquatic life tell us about
Teacher Background Information the health of our waterways?
Waterways can contain a huge variety of
organisms in and around them. Some of
the better known and prominent animals
are frogs, fish, platypus and birds. While
generally not as obvious to the eye, the
animals known as macro-invertebrates are
the most abundant.
Macro-invertebrates are also known as
water-bugs however macro-invertebrates
are really a much broader range of animals
than just the group correctly called bugs.
Other macro-invertebrates are worms,
snails, crustaceans (e.g. prawns and
yabbies) as well as insects such as mayflies,
stoneflies, dragonflies, mites and beetles.
Macro-invertebrates live all or part of their
lives in water habitats such as streams,
rivers, ponds, estuaries, wetlands, drains
and lakes.
Macro-invertebrates are different from
frogs and fish in that they do not have
a backbone.
Some macro-invertebrates are very small,
e.g. water fleas, while others are relatively
large and easily seen with the unaided
eye, e.g. dragonflies. Looking for macro-
invertebrates in water environments,
when water monitoring, is particularly
useful as the number and type of these
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 3
animals present in a stream is a useful
indicator of waterway health.
Many macro-invertebrates belong to
the class Insecta, which is an extremely
large group of animals within the animal
kingdom. (More information about animal
classification can be found in most
children’s science encyclopaedias. This
is one of those topics which might be
more easily researched from books rather
than on the net, however the following
link has some useful information:
http://www.kidport.com/RefLib/Science/Animals/Animals.htm )
Where do macro-invertebrates live?
Animals choose their homes for
camouflage, protection and for food.
This means they may be found in all
different parts of a waterway. Some of
the different types of habitat are:
• Edge habitats – the edges and the water
surface including overhanging vegetation
from the banks.
• Pools – deeper areas where the water
is still or has slower flow. The bottom of
these pools can consist of mud, silt, sand,
gravel, rocks or boulders.
• Aquatic plants – plants growing in
the water.
Continues on next page!
OVERVIEW
Water Life - Continuing from previous page

CONNECTIONS TO
THE STATEMENT OF LEARNING • Riffles – shallow rocky sections Examples of common macro-invertebrates
Year 3 Science as a Human Endeavour of rivers with fast flow.
• Students share responsibility for the quality
of their immediate environments.
• The riparian zone - the area of
vegetation directly adjoining a
Year 3 Science as a Way to Know waterway. It includes the bank
• Students begin asking questions vegetation and the verge.
and make predictions.
• Students plan and conduct simple
investigations. They collect, record
Note The quality of vegetation in
and present data. and around a stream is very important
• Students share findings, discuss how as it provides protection against
an investigation could be changed erosion, controls water temperature,
and consider fairness of tests. helps maintain water quality as well
Year 5 Science as a Human Endeavour
as providing a habitat for fauna.
• Students consider appropriate ethical issues
and consequences of human activity. They
investigate how their actions contribute
to sustainability of local environments.

Year 5 Science as a Way to Know

• Students derive questions and predictions
for testing. They plan an investigation,
collect data, checking and repeating
observations.
• Students present data in appropriate ways
and then identify patterns. They compare
results with predictions and draw
conclusions. http://www.waterwatch.org.au/publications/module3/images/figure-6.jpg
(Retrieved 01/09/07)
Note These statements have been summarised.

Curriculum Connections to other learning areas

Numeracy – measurement, reading scales,
using informal and formal measurement.
Literacy –students maintain a journal of their
activities, thoughts and ideas as they proceed
through the unit. Teachers use a word wall. Continues on next page!

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 4
OVERVIEW
Water Life - Continuing from previous page
What does aquatic life tell us about
the health of our waterways?
Macro-invertebrates are often very
sensitive to pollutants, because a big
part of their lives is spent in a water
environment. This means that the variety
and number of macro-invertebrates can
be a good indicator of water quality.
Water animals including macro-
invertebrates can be divided in to three
groups: those that are sensitive to pollution:
those which are tolerant; and those which
are very tolerant. For example, stoneflies
belong in the sensitive grouping as they
like clear, cool, well oxygenated streams so
they are very sensitive to changes in
temperature and turbidity. By comparison
midges are very tolerant to low levels of
oxygen so they can survive changes in
temperature or increased turbidity. Worm
like animals and animals with shells tend
to be tolerant or very tolerant, whereas
crustaceans and insect like animals tend
to be more sensitive.
More information about macro-invertebrates may also be found in the Tasmanian Waterwatch Reference Manual.
The role of macro-invertebrates
coarse
particulate
organic
matter
Some animals require a range of nutrients larger plants
(e.g. mosses, red algae) epilithic
in streams so they are better suited to a algae
microorganisms
stream where there is a range of leaf litter (e.g. hyphomycete fungi)
dissolved
in the water. organic
matter
microorganisms
flocculation
Each group of macro-invertebrates has fine
invertebrate
particulate
been allocated a pollution sensitivity invertebrate
shredders
organic scrapers
matter
grade number based on how sensitive
each group is to various pollutants.
invertebrate invertebrate
Pollution sensitivity grade numbers range collectors predators
vertebrate
from 1 (most tolerant of pollution) to 10 predators
(most sensitive to pollution). The SIGNAL
Index value (a measure of stream health)
is calculated simply by averaging the
pollution sensitivity grade numbers of Macro-invertebrates are an important
the families of macro-invertebrates part of the aquatic food chain. The energy
present at a site. The higher the SIGNAL in sunlight is captured and stored in
value, the better the condition of a site. organic (food) molecules during photo-
synthesis by aquatic plants (large water
In summary the wider the variety of animal plants and algae). Some plant material
types and the greater the number of each type breaks down to fragments and becomes
the healthier the waterway. If only one or detritus (rubbish) which is carried down-
two species are present even if they are in stream. Detritus and plant eating macro-
large numbers then the stream is probably invertebrates are eaten by other
degraded( polluted). macro-invertebrates which in turn
are eaten by larger animals.
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 5
 ENGAGE
Lesson 1a

OVERVIEW What lives in our waterways

What animals live in the water and why do
they live there? What are their homes like?
Students
• Match pictures of animals and their
home environments.
• Suggest ways that animals are suited
to living in particular environments.
• Share ideas about which animals live
in waterways and where they live.
• Read the book - Strange Beginnings
– a book about insects that live in a
water environment and how they
change during their life cycle.
HELPFUL HINTS
• Animals have adapted to live in different
places depending on the food they eat,
shelter they need and reproduction.
• Collect suitable pictures of a range of animals
from various habitats e.g. kangaroo, koala,
possum, fish, tadpole, frog, kookaburra,
dragonfly, bee, brown snake, devil, yabby,
penguin, dolphin, earthworm, huntsman spider,
and crocodile.
and where do they live?
Lesson steps
1. What are the different groups of animals
and where they do they live? Which ones
live in and around waterways?
2. Look at the pictures of animals together
with a picture of various habitats. Try to
name the animals and match them with
where they are likely to live.
3. Share matchings as a class. Check the
animals' common names. What features
(adaptations) do the animals have that
make them suited to live in a particular
place? (For example fish have fins to help
them swim and gills to breath in water.)
Share ideas on what the animals eat, how
they like to live, what shelter they need
and how they gain protection from predators.
Compare animals that live around waterways
with ones which live in non-water habitats
4. Read the book Strange Beginnings written
by Karen Needham and illustrated by
Launi Lucas. This is a book about some
insects and their lifecycles. Research
the life cycles of several groups of insects
such as dragonflies, stoneflies or mayflies
using an encyclopaedia. How are these
animals different from us and other animals
we are more familiar with? Make a list of
life cycle
as many differences as you can find. Why
do they look different at different stages adaptation
in their lifecycles?
Life cycles - references habitat
http://www.mov.vic.gov.au/bugs/life/cycles.aspx
http://www.kidfish.bc.ca/stonefly_cycle.htm predator
fa stonefly
c ycle o
ife

l
to see how they are different.

• Aim to illustrate that a range of habitats
is available to living creatures.
• Choose a range of Australian, preferably
Tasmanian, animals with a very few well
known exotic species to provide a contrast
e.g. beaver, grizzly bear, carp.
The
Setting up a reference collection Nymph
To build a reference collection of aquatic invertebrates Egg
place up to three or four of each kind in a small glass jar.
Fill the sample jars with methylated spirits. Add a label
that records the type of macro-invertebrate, date and Adult
place of collection. Samples should be checked every few
months and the liquid topped up if necessary. You may
need to get permission from your state government
agency to sample and preserve macro-invertebrates.
By building a reference collection you will come to know
the macro-invertebrates much better and it will make it
easier to identify them. Get your collection checked by
an aquatic ecologist.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 6
 ENGAGE
Lesson 1b

OVERVIEW
Visit your local waterway and see first hand
the animals that live there and where they live.
Wow! Water critters!
Lesson steps
Students
• Visit a local waterway. 1. Visit a stream/ pond/ wetland with fine 6. Plastic spoons or eye droppers will also
• Collect water and air samples and look sieves or nets, gumboots and some white help you to catch things for a closer look.
for different species of living creatures. trays. (Ice cream containers are suitable, Anyloupes, magnifying glasses and
• Record where the creatures were found. but make sure they are filled only to one microscopes let you see identifying
• Make a display of pictures of the animals third with water otherwise creatures will features and characteristics more easily.
and where they live. be difficult to see.) Use a digital microscope to record
pictures of what you see.
HELPFUL HINTS 2. Look for water creatures on the water
• White meat trays make good surfaces for 7. Record what you have found using a
surface, in the water column and on
looking at little animals. camera or draw a picture. Look for
• When using anyloupes place the specimen the bottom.
the animal’s number of legs and claws,
on a flat surface, otherwise the image wings, breathing tubes and what its
is blurred. body is like. In addition make a record
• For microscopes use a plastic dish on 3. Use the sieves/nets to swish through
water weed and reeds, lift and rinse rocks of where the animals were found.
a white base.
• Make sure there is a little water on the tray into containers, dig carefully into the
or plastic dish and return the animals to water stream bed and place the dirt in sieves 8. Make a display of your pictures showing
within a reasonable time. and kick sample from downstream. which animals you found in various parts
of the stream.
Click h
STUDENT EXTRA
er
this wo e to see 4. Take a look around, on or under snags in
rkshee
t! 9. In lesson 3 you will be looking at
For some help on ways to collect the water, as snags provide a good place
the types of animals found in waterways
macro-invertebrates see the student worksheet. for animals to live.
so keep your information for looking
at them.
5. Rinse the contents of the sieves until
excess mud has been washed out.
Tip the washed contents out into
the white container which has clean
stream water in it. Wait till it settles
out and begin to look for living things.

anyloupes
Anyloupe
snags specimen
water column Suggestion ! Add to the word wall as you go through the lessons.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 7
 EXPLORE
Lesson 2
OVERVIEW
Provide students with a shared visual
Where are the houses for water animals?
understanding of what a water environment
would be like and where animals might live.
Students
• Assist in the modelling of a waterway.
• Identify areas where water animals live.
• Construct a model waterway (if desired).
• Suggest the types of animals that might
live in particular places.
EQUIPMENT
• White board markers of four different colours.
• Pictures of macro-invertebrates, specimens
or a giant lobster. (optional)
Note This diorama could also be built as
a 3D model.
HELPFUL HINTS
• A rocky area is called a riffle zone.
• Rocks disturb water flow, which may help
re-oxygenate the water and provide a home
for animals.
• Plants stabilise the bank, provide homes and
shelter and food for animals, and provide
shade to help keep water cool.
• Some animals to include are the giant
freshwater lobster, platypus, frogs, fish
and macro-invertebrates such as snails
and insects.
• If strange and inappropriate animals are
suggested query whether they have been
seen around this area.
• Concentrate on finding the range of places
where animals live rather than listing lots
of animals.
• Add in any extra points from the teacher
graphic near the end to give students
the extra information.
Lesson steps
1. Use a blue marker to draw a pair of blue lines across the whiteboard to represent a stream.
Make the stream more interesting by varying the width and placing a bend in it.
2. Build a picture of a stream. Consider
what a stream looks like and what
features you would find in and around it.
3. Think about streams in your local area.
Start with the stream bed, then the water,
then the plants. Think how a stream
can be a good place for lots of animals
to live.
4. Some questions:
• Will we put rocks on the stream bed?
How do rocks change a stream bed?
How do they change the water flow?
• Will the stream have a rock pool?
Why is a rock pool a useful feature
to find in a waterway?
• What should the water in our waterway
look like and feel like if it is to be a good
home for animals?
• Will there be plants around or in
the waterway?
• Will there be plants in the water?
Will there be trees? Will plants grow
under the trees? What happens to
the leaves that fall from the trees?
What happens if a tree dies and it falls
into the water? What jobs do plants
do around a waterway?.
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 8
5. Now that the stream has lots of places
for animals to live we can think:
• What animals will live in and around
our stream?
• What animals have we found when
we went to the local stream?
• Make a list of animals that might live
in waterways in Tasmania.
6. Now think:
• Where are the animals’ homes?
Draw in pictures of some animals
in suitable places.
7. To make a record of the drawing take
a digital photograph as you go along
and make a display. Write about
the activity in your science journal
listing any new things that you learnt.
Acknowledgement Todd Walsh Click h
er
this wo e to see
rkshee
t!
A teacher graphic: EXPLORE lesson 2
- is available to download to show you a picture
of what your drawing might look like when complete.
EXPLORE
Lesson 3a
OVERVIEW
How (and why) are animals classified
How do we classify living things?
into groups?
Students
• Classify common objects from
everyday lives.
• Share ideas on why animals and plants
are classified.
• Explain what classification means.
• Use a chart to classify some
macro-invertebrates.
• Identify several different classes of animal
and explain some differences.
• Know the difference between invertebrates
and vertebrates.
HELPFUL HINTS
• To talk about living and non-living it
would help to have some examples
of actual living things as well as pictures.
Use a pot plant or a student from
the class to illustrate the idea.
• Kingdom classification is based on
characteristics such as: plants produce
their own food, animals must consume
food to live, and fungi consume food
but are more like plants in other ways
such as they do not move.
Reference
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_classification
Note Part 2 of this lesson on classification
focuses on macro-invertebrates. If you
want to incorporate vertebrate animals
please do so as long as at least a
reasonable number of invertebrates
are included as well.
Lesson steps
1. What is classification? A library classifies 5. Now choose a living organism from
books into fiction and non-fiction sections. the group of animals you used in
Vehicles are classified into cars, trucks, or lesson 1a and group it with two other
vans for vehicle registration. Films are animals shown in these pictures on
classified into G, PG, M and MA. A stamp the basis of a characteristic they have
collection can be classified in many ways, co
in common.
by country, by purpose or type. People
classify or group lots of things.
tth
hinking questio
ns
1 Why did you
1.
put th
heesse
e an
niim
mals in the same
2. Collect a group of objects you use at 2. What feat group?
a ures did they
e have in comm
school such as pens, books, and so on. on ?
3. What might be
Think of two different ways to group the purpose of th
e e features?
es
or classify them, e.g. things I write with
and things I don’t write with.
A more comprehensive introduction to classification
3. Put together a class group of objects. could be achieved using an activity such as this
Add (pictures of ) other objects such as using stamps
plants or animals to the collection.
(Have quite a range.) Line up the objects • Create a dichotomous key using stamps. Start with a
on a table or in one area of the room. pile of stamps and ask students to divide the stamps
into two groups using an observable characteristic;
Look at the materials.
e.g. Australian stamps vs. foreign stamps. Continue
to divide the stamps using different characteristics,
until only one stamp remains in each group.
4. Ask questions such as: • For younger students suggest that students group
• How many different ways can you find their stamps by using the pictures on the stamps. For
to group or pair these objects? Is one very young students provide containers marked with
of your ways of grouping living and categories (e.g. flowers, people, animals, hearts).
non-living? • To introduce the scientific concept of classification
• Which objects are non-living? explain that, in the same way that they developed a
system to categorize and classify stamps, biologists
• Which are living organisms or pictures
have a system that classifies every living organism.
of living organisms?
• How do you know if something is living http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/educators/smm/activities.html
or non-living?
Continues on next page!
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 9
EXPLORE

Lesson 3a - Continuing from previous page

6. To help people work with all the plants
and animals that exist in our world scientists
have grouped them into just five large
groupings called "kingdoms". The three
kingdoms we see most often around us
are the Animal Kingdom, Plant Kingdom,
and the Fungi (like mushrooms). A living
thing is placed in a particular kingdom
because it shares a few really major
characteristics in common with other
members of its kingdom, like how they
get their food and whether they move
around.
11. Use a dictionary, encyclopaedia or the internet
to find out more information about classifying
and in particular some common species.
Find out about some important larger
groupings such as the vertebrates and
invertebrates or mammals, amphibians
and reptiles, insects and spiders.
Parasol mushroom
Photographer: Kim Eastman

7. Each kingdom is broken up into smaller

and smaller groups that have more and 10. A group that you will come across a lot
more characteristics in common. One in waterways is the insect group. There
example of a characteristic that is used are many species of insects but all insects
to help divide the animal kingdom into are grouped together because they are
smaller groups is whether or not an animal invertebrate animals with six legs.
has a backbone.
Berosus beetle
© The Water Bug Book
8. Each subgroup has a special name such
as Order or Family so that scientists can
keep track of how similar or different
the groups are. tth
hinking questio ns
1 Can a bird be
1. e an anniim
mal
a and a veerrtte
9. Animals or plants which belong to the 2. Can a dog be ebraatte
e?
relate
edd to a cat?
same species have many characteristics 3. Why are vert
in common. All humans belong to the ebrate ess pl
p aced in a large
group together?
same species and our species name is
Homo sapiens. 4. When classify
ing, why are scie
• What characteristics do humans all interested in wha ntists more
t animals look lik
have in common?
Synlestes weyersii than how they be e inside
• Make a list of the special characteristics © The Water Bug Book have or look on th
e outside?
that humans have.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 10
 EXPLORE

Lesson 3b

Classifying and identifying water animals Activity

Lesson steps
1. Some freshwater water animals belong
to groups of vertebrates such as fishes,
amphibians or reptiles but most freshwater
animals belong to the invertebrates or
animals without backbones. These are
the animals we know as macro-invertebrates.
Some of the types of macro-invertebrates
are worms, insects, snails (Molluscs) and
Prepare a written report in your journal on your
4. Choose a macro-invertebrate from group of macro-invertebrates or other animals
the chart and find out: and make a poster or booklet ready to share your
• What is its group name? For example information with others.
worms, beetles and bugs, stoneflies.
• What does it look like? (Does it have
an exoskeleton? Does it have legs and Click
how many, a head, a tail, a soft body? Extra information for this section this whoere to see
rkshee
Is its body made up of segments?) is available to download: t!

crayfish (Crustaceans). • What is its life cycle? Student Worksheet EXPLORE – Lesson 3
• Where does it live? Why does it live - Where do macro-invertebrates live?
2. Research which types of animals belong in that type of place?
to the worms, insects, molluscs and • What special features if any does it
crustaceans and find out what have to help it live in its environment?
characteristics each group has in common. • Many water animals are sensitive to
changes in their environment – if you
3. Now use the Waterwatch Macro-invertebrate can, find out how sensitive your macro-
Identification Chart to Click h
invertebrate is to changes in the temperature,
identify some of the animals sampleeore to see a salinity, or turbidity in the environment?
f this c
found on your excursion hart!*
and put them in their group.
ll a
Word W

classification
invertebrates
crustaceans
Glytophysa
macro-invertebrates © The Water Bug Book
vertebrates
mammals Engaeus
© The Water Bug Book
fungi amphibians
molluscs
reptiles
* If you would like to purchase this chart from North West Waterwatch Inc., please log onto www.healthywaterways.org.au
and visit the online shop.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 11
EXPLAIN
Lesson 4
OVERVIEW
Summarise and extend learning about
macro-invertebrates and their habitats.
Make connections to previous learning
about turbidity, temperature and salinity.
Construct an action plan to investigate
the health of a waterway.
Students
• Share and summarise findings about
macro-invertebrates and their habitats.
• Identify characteristics of a variety of
macro-invertebrates.
• Plan and produce a poster which will
represent understandings.
• Explain how knowledge of macro-
invertebrates helps indicate the health
of a waterway.
• Produce a flow chart action plan to show
how they would investigate the health of
their local waterway.
For extra help look at these guidelines
for assessing water health:
http://www.watercare.net/wll/bio-bioindicators.html
Who needs a home?
Lesson steps
1. The animals?
• Work in big groups to share your
research findings collected in the previous
lessons about macro-invertebrates or
other animals. (Organise your group
around a particular type of animal
e.g. insects, worms, crustaceans, frogs.)
Aim to answer these questions:
• What are the characteristics of this
type of animal?
• Where do these animals live in waterways?
• What factors affect where they live?
For example temperature, water flow.
• What does the presence or absence
of this particular type of animal tell
us about the health of a waterway?
Each big group will deliver a short
presentation to the class about their
group of animals.
Click h
er
printa e for
ble ver
sion!
Water animals and waterway health
2.
Sampling provides information about
the animals in a waterway and will help
you tell its story. When you are finding
out about a waterway you want to look
at the abundance, diversity, composition,
and pollution tolerance of the groups
of animals that are there as this will tell
you about how healthy the waterway
really is.
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 12
Abundance
• Abundance refers to the number of
animals present. Very large numbers
of macroinvertebrates, particularly snails,
tend to be found in water with extra fertiliser
or rotting leaf litter. However, small numbers
may indicate erosion, toxic pollution or
scouring by flood waters.
Diversity
• Diversity refers to the number of different
types of animal present. Healthy streams
usually have a greater diversity than less
healthy streams, although sometimes lack
of types of food can also cause low diversity.
Communities with many different species
appear to be more stable and healthy than
ones with few species.
Composition
• Composition of the community refers
to the proportion of different types of
animals living together. A sample from
healthy streams tends to contain a good
number of mayflies, stoneflies and caddis
flies. However, if the sample contains a lot
of worms and midge larvae (chironomids),
the stream is probably less healthy.
Pollution tolerance
• Pollution tolerance refers to the tolerance
of animals to pollution from sewage etc.,
e.g. most stonefly families are intolerant of
pollution whilst worms are more tolerant.
Pollution tolerant animals also occur in
natural streams where oxygen is being
used up by rotting plant material.
Continues on next page!
EXPLAIN

Lesson 4 - Continuing from previous page

Click h
Activity - Lesson step 1
er
sample e to see a
of this
chart!*
Use the Waterbug Identification Chart from
North West Waterwatch to find the Macro-
invertebrate Sensitivity Score for the animal
group you researched. (This score tells how
sensitive the animal is to pollution. The higher
the number the more sensitive the animal.)
Record the score and write a short explanation
to say what this score tells you about the
animal’s sensitivity and what its presence
or absence would tell you about a waterway’s
health.
* If you would like to purchase this chart from North
West Waterwatch Inc., please visit the online shop at
www.healthywaterways.org.au .
Activity - Lesson step 2
For the group of animals that you researched
draw a food chain showing at least one thing
that they eat and one thing that eats them.
3. Food chains
Macro-invertebrates are important
members of the food chain in a waterway.
Macro-invertebrate can be grouped
according to their eating habits:
• grazers - feed on algae attached to
rocks or logs in the water, e.g. snails,
some mayflies and water pennies.
• shredders - eat larger pieces of food
(> 1 mm) such as wood and leaves
that fall into the water, e.g. dragonfly
larvae.
• collectors - feed on small bits of food
(< 1 mm) either by filtering the passing
water e.g. black fly larvae, or gathering
it from the bottom, e.g. caddis fly larvae.
• predators - capture and eat other animals,
e.g. water striders.
Suggestions for planning an excursion.
4. What else affects water health?
To review learning from previous units
about water health parameters work as
a class to answer these questions:
Turbidity
• What does turbidity look like in a stream?
• How do we measure it?
• Why does it cause problems to animals?
• What action can we take to help if it is a problem?
Temperature
• How do we measure temperature?
• Why does it cause problems to animals?
• What action can we take to help if it is a problem?
Salinity
• How do we know there is a problem?
• How do we measure it?
• Why does it cause problems to animals?
• What action can we take to help if it is a problem?

1. What are the known problems 4. Collect equipment.

of this waterway – e.g. Have any
Activity - Lesson step 3 5. Organise working groups
areas been cleared? Is there
much run-off from farms? – who will monitor the turbidity,
• Invite a Waterwatch co-ordinator to visit
the temperature, the salinity
the class to talk about problems in the
2. What time is best to go there? and look for macro-invertebrates.
local area. Make a list of questions about
the waterway that the class can ask. How often can the class go?
6. Will each group look at just
• Produce a flow chart plan of how to 3. Decide on about three sites to one thing or take it in turns
investigate the health of the local monitor at various locations. to monitor different things?
waterway using some of the guidelines
shown in the next lesson section.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 13
ELABORATE
Lesson 5
OVERVIEW
Conduct an excursion to a local waterway
Lets see what we can find! – an excursion
to measure the water parameters and
assess its health.
Students
• Monitor 4 parameters of waterway health
at various sites.
• Analyse the information they have collected
about the waterway.
• Write a report titled:
The health of our waterway
SAFETY NOTE
Clothing and protection for any excursion.
• Wear proper clothing and footwear, including
long pants, long socks, long-sleeved shirt,
and sturdy waterproof shoes.
• Warm clothing and a raincoat are essential
in wet weather. Wear a hat and use sun screen
in sunny weather. Take a towel to dry your
hands.
• If a site is in a heavily vegetated area,
wear bright, easily visible clothing.
• Take gum boots with a good grip for
entering shallow waters.
• Consider packing gloves and a rubbish bag
to collect occasional rubbish found on site.
Lesson steps
1. Surveying the Catchment
Complete a catchment survey of the local EQUIPMENT
stream if you have not already done so.
Walk the stream (or drive through the catchment) General Equipment
to see what it looks like and its condition • Waterwatch Manuals
first hand. Make a sketch of your chosen • data result sheets
site showing its major features. • pens, pencils, note paper
• marker pen (waterproof )/pencil
2. Equipment • clean water
When preparing to go to the site organise • paper towel
• rubbish bag
all the equipment you will need – some
• first aid kit
suggestions are on the equipment list.
• sun cream and hat
Click h
er
see this e to • camera and film or batteries
list!
• drinking water and food
• gum boots/walking boots/raincoat
3. Sampling for Turbidity, Temperature
and Salinity Specific equipment
• First note the appearance of the waterway. • kitchen sieve or net
What does the water look like and smell like? • white bucket or flat tray for holding
Does the water have any unusual material samples during sorting
on the surface such as oil or froth? How fast • four white containers
is the water flowing? e.g. ice cream containers
• What vegetation is in or around the water?
Make a record of how many different types Sorting implements to pick animals
of plants are on the banks and in the water from plants and rocks:
and look for any common weeds such as • tweezers (forceps)
blackberry or willow. • plastic spoon for large bugs
• How is the land around the site being used (with 2-3 very small holes)
– is it farmland, scrub, forest or houses? • plastic squeeze pipette for small animals
• Collect water samples from the waterway. (about 5mm diameter)
Have samples from near the edge and in • fine paint brush for lifting small animals
the middle. Record the turbidity, temperature (small artist type)
and salinity on a table.
Continues on next page!
HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 14
ELABORATE

Lesson 5 - Continuing from previous page

4. Sampling for Macro-invertebrates Now

Sample one of the following areas at
your site using the method suggested.
(Record which method you used on
your record sheet.)
Riffles
a) Rock rubbing method. At your riffle
site, randomly choose several rocks
of about hand size. Place the rocks
in your bucket or tray, add stream
water and with your hands gently
brush off anything which could be living.
b) Kick method. Alternatively, stand in
the stream with gum boots and kick
the rocks to dislodge animals. Hold
the net downstream to catch them.
• Label each ice cream container with
a name, e.g. “worm-like”, “animals with
shells”, “crayfish-like” and “insect-like”.
Add stream water to the containers
(about 1cm deep).
• Sort through your samples. Use a pipette,
spoon or brush to transfer your animals
to the labelled containers for a closer look.
Sort the specimens so that similar looking
animals are all placed in the same container.
• Use the Waterbug Identification Chart to
name major types of macro-invertebrate.
• Record on a table the types of animals you
found and roughly how many of each type
you found.
Upon return to the classroom
review your results
Discuss
• Water - what is the water’s condition?
• Plants - what variety of plants are present
and where are they?
• Animals - what animals are present
and where are they?
• Concerns - are the any obvious problems
on the waterway?
• Future Plans - what needs to happen
to ensure the health of the waterway
into the future?

Leaf packs in edge waters or pools

a) Remove several handfuls of submerged
leaves that have collected on the bottom
and place them in the tray. Remove leaves
one at a time and look closely for the presence
of animals. Use tweezers, spoon or small
paint brush to carefully remove anything
that looks like an animal into the bucket
or tray.
WARNING!
Return all the animals, leaf matter
and rocks to your waterway before
you leave the site. Wash your hands
to remove parasites.
Clean the equipment and leave
no rubbish.

Aquatic plants in edge waters or pools

• Using a sieve or net, sweep backwards
and forwards through any aquatic plants
near the water’s edge to trap animals
attached to the plants or swimming in
the water. Do not collect too much material
in your net. Empty the contents of the sieve
or net into your bucket or tray.

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 15
EVALUATE
Lesson 6

OVERVIEW
Share information and learning about
the local waterway. What is the Health of our Waterway?
Lesson steps
Students
• Create a display, model or PowerPoint
presentation. 1. Create a display to show your parents, other classes in the school,
• Plan action to care for the waterway.
• Reflect on their learning.
or a community group what you have learnt about your local waterway.

2. What might be included? 3. To complete your work write a reflection

• A model or diagram of the catchment.
• A record of the water health parameters
from the excursion including an explanation
of how they are measured.
• Pictures with labels showing any problems
that your class have found in the waterway.
• An action plan for the future explaining
how your school can help look after
the catchment.
in your journal:
• What new things did you learn
during the unit?
• What activity did you enjoy most?
Why?
• Which activity would you like to
change or add to? Why?
• What did you learn about human
impact on the environment and
how the community could help
look after it?

For example: make a display showing what creatures inhabit a healthy waterway.
© The Water Bug Book

HOW CAN WE HELP KEEP OUR WATERWAYS HEALTHY? Part 5: Living in a healthy waterway 16
ENGAGE
Some ways to collect macro-invertebrates
Kick sample
This technique samples aquatic
macro-invertebrates that are bottom
dwellers, found on rocks and in the
sediment and mud of the benthic zone.
It is best used in running water.
• Select an area within the waterway
that is shallow enough to stand in
(ideally knee deep).
• Establish a clear path of 5 metres
that can be walked upstream, in
a straight line.
• Begin by facing down stream and
submerge your sampling net so
that it is positioned directly in
front of your feet, on the floor of
the river bed, with the mouth of
the net facing upstream.
• Shuffle and kick the ground so that
the sediment/mud/rocks are
disturbed; the flow of the water will
wash dislodged invertebrates into
the net. Try not to collect too much
mud, silt or organic matter.
• Slowly walk backwards as you continue
this process, for a distance of 5m.
Some references:
The Waterbug Book: A Guide to the Freshwater Macroinvertebrates of Temperate Australia; John Gooderham and Edward Tsyrlin, CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, Victoria; www.publish.csiro.au •
www.ento.csiro.au/education/key/couplet_01.html • www.ento.csiro.au/about_insects/for_kids/colour.html • www.museum.vic.gov.au/bugs/index.aspx
www.teachers.ash.org.au/jmresources/pond/life.html • www.cwmb.sa.gov.au/kwc/programs/a_bugs_life/1.htm • www.cwmb.sa.gov.au/kwc/programs/a_bugs_life/aquatic_invertebrate_id_chart.pdf
Rock and log sample
Vegetation sample
Rock and log sample
• You may also wish to pick
up smaller rocks and logs
that you come across in your path,
and rub the surfaces
to remove any invertebrates that
may be clinging onto
the substrate, e.g. stonefly nymphs.
Make sure you collect this material
in your net and be careful to watch
for sharp edges or foreign material.
Vegetation sample
• Beat and scrape your net against
the base and stems
of aquatic plants to dislodge those
invertebrates that like to live in the
reed zone.
Open water sample
• In slow moving water and pools,
sweep your net across the surface
and drag it through the water in a
figure of 8 motion. This method
covers the surface zone and the
deep zone.
Return to: PART 5, Lesson 1b: Wow! Water Critters!
FOR STUDENTS
Sorting Techniques
1. Half fill your white sorting tray
with water.
2. Turn your net inside out and
empty your sample into your
sorting tray. Wash down
the sides of your net with some
water to make sure you get
your entire sample into the tray.
3. Be careful not to overfill your
sorting trays with sediment
and leaves, as you won’t
be able to see the macro-
invertebrates. If necessary,
spread your sample over
several trays.
4. Place your sorting trays in the
shade, as macro-invertebrates
do not like to be exposed to
strong light.
5. If there is a lot of mud in your
sample, let it settle for about
10 minutes, this will make it
easier for you to find the critters.
6. Pick and sort through the
collected material for at least
10 minutes. Some critters are
great at camouflage and may
take time to find.
 EXPLORE
Freshwater aquatic ecosystem Tasmania
TEACHER BACKGROUND INFORMATION
This graphic can be used to help plan how
you will build a picture of a model stream
and its inhabitants. It is better to work with
the students asking questions and allowing
them to suggest ideas which will create
the picture on the board rather than giving
them a picture to look at and talk about.
The model stream does not have to be
the same as your local stream and may
include extra features in it such as rocky
areas if the students suggest them.
Do not be too concerned that the students
will not know many plant names – if they
do know some it is a bonus.
The focus of this activity is mainly on
identifying where the animals live and
why they live in these places. As features
of the picture are added you can add onto
the picture information about how these
features contribute to make the stream a
healthy attractive environment for a wide
variety of macro-invertebrates and other
animals.
Note If you do not feel able to draw a
picture on the white board then you can
use a large piece of paper and construct a
collage using paper and pictures.
FOR TEACHERS
Trees Shade
Provide shade which helps keep the water cool. Shade prevents too much sunlight reaching
Provide logs and branches which are home for the waterway. This helps keep the water
lobsters and bugs. Help stabilise the riverbank. temperatures cool. Our aquatic creatures
Provide leaf litter which acts as a water filter on the cannot tolerate higher temperatures like those
bush floor. Slow water run-off, helping to on the mainland. Many of the bugs feed on
prevent mud entering the river. Logs help to shade plants and cannot digest those plants
prevent erosion of the river bank. that take over when the shade is reduced.
Water
Clean water is essential. Tasmanian
waterways must be cool (lobsters
can die when the temperature is
over 20°C and many bugs can die
RUN at temperatures outside their
normal range). Flowing water
provides oxygen. Water should be
clear unless a heavy rainfall has
occured in the last 24 hours. Water
Sediment (Mud)
should be low in chemicals and
Sediment is one of the biggest killers
of aquatic wildlife in Tasmania. fertilisers. Water must also be low
Sediment covers the rocks which are in salts (salinity) to prevent loss of
homes to the bugs and a nursery to biodiversity.
the lobsters and some fish. The Too much fertiliser and sun can
sediment also covers the leaves which RIPARIAN ZONE cause extreme weed growth in
are a start of the food chain. summer.
POOL Riffle zone
Lobsters
Adults prefer to live in the slower pools. Shallows
Juveniles live in the riffle zone for up to
5 years. The riffle zone is shallow and Run
has many hiding places to get away Deeper, moving water
from predators. Platypus and larger fish
RIFFLE ZONE Pool
cannot swim in the shallows.
Deepest, slow
Macro-Invertebrates
(bugs) live here. moving water
Riparian Zone
Leaf litter Area of bush close
Rocks to the riverbank
Stabilise creek bed. Provide homes Leaf litter is the “mulch” sitting on the floor of
the bush. It slowly washes into the creek. Leaf litter (up to 50m). Filters
and shelter. Slow the water flow, out dirt from runoff.
helping minimise erosion. Assist in is packed down and slows runoff as it moves toward
putting oxygen into waterway. Trap the waterway. This allows most of the sediment
leaves etc to provide a food source (dirt) to settle instead of washing into the waterway
for the bugs and the lobsters. and causing sediment (mud) problems.
Return to: PART 5, Lesson 2 – Where are the houses for water animals?
EXPLORE
Where do macro-invertebrates live?
Freshwater habitats
Edgewater includes overhanging vegetation
from banks.
Bottom - mud, sand, silt, gravel, rocks.
Aquatic plants - plants under the surface as well
as those growing through the water and floating.
Flowing water - riffles, pools and runs.
Special adaptations for living in moving water
Adaptations for life in fast-moving water
Animals living in moving water must be able to
‘hang-on’ and catch their food.
Here are some examples of these adaptations:
• streamlined bodies (water pennies)
• special hooks on legs (mayflies and stoneflies)
• suction body parts (black flies and snails)
• sticky secretions - to attach themselves
to the bottom (caddis flies and midges)
• structures to keep themselves in place (caddis flies)
• specialised front legs and mouth-parts
- to filter the water for food or catch food moving
past, e.g. black flies have a structure like a comb
for catching food carried past in the water.
STUDENTS
FOR TEACHERS
Macro-invertebrates that may be living there
Fast moving bugs and beetles, freshwater shrimp.
Worms, fly larvae, bivalve mussels.
Gripping insects, caddis flies, damselflies, shrimps, snails.
Gripping insects, caddis flies, beetle larvae that have burrowed into logs
and under rocks, mayflies and stoneflies.
Adaptations for life in slow-moving
or still water
In contrast to fast moving water, animals
in still or slow-moving water don’t have
to hang on and food is not brought to
them in the current. They tend to have
a wider range of sizes and shapes and to
be more mobile, e.g. insects often have
long legs which allow rapid movement. Synlestes weyersii
© The Water Bug Book
Some have special adaptations to live
on the surface, e.g. water striders; while
others burrow into the soft sediments,
e.g. round worm.
Return to: PART 5, Lesson 3b – Classifying and identifying water animals
EXPLAIN
Water animals and waterway health
Collecting samples of animal life
provides information about the animals
present in a waterway and will help you
tell the story of the waterway. When
finding out about a waterway we
particularly want to collect information
about the abundance, diversity,
composition and pollution tolerance
of the groups of animals that are there.
Abundance
Abundance refers to the number of
animals present. Very large numbers
of macro-invertebrates, particularly
snails, tend to be found in water with
extra fertiliser or rotting leaf litter.
However, small numbers may indicate
erosion, toxic pollution or scouring by
flood waters.
Diversity
Diversity refers to the number of
different types of animal present.
Healthy streams usually have a greater
diversity than less healthy streams,
although sometimes lack of types of
food can also cause low diversity.
Communities with many different
species appear to be more stable and
healthy than ones with few species.
Composition
Composition of the community refers
to the proportion of different types of
animals living together. A sample
from healthy streams tends to contain
a good number of mayflies, stoneflies
and caddis flies. However, if the sample
contains a lot of worms and midge
larvae (chironomids), the stream is
probably less healthy.
Pollution tolerance
Pollution tolerance refers to the toler-
ance of animals to pollution from
sewage, etc. For example, most stonefly
families are intolerant of pollution
whilst worms are more tolerant.
Pollution tolerant animals also occur
in natural streams where rotting
plant material has used up a lot of
the oxygen.
Return to: PART 5, Lesson 4 – Who needs a home?
FOR STUDENTS
Some water bugs are sensitive to
pollution (or changes in water quality)
and may not survive it. Other bugs can
tolerate some types of pollution. Healthy
streams have highly sensitive bugs.
Water bugs are given a rating based on
their sensitivity to pollution.
Pollution rating numbers from 1 to 10
indicate how sensitive each bug is.
There are four grades:
a) Very Sensitive – 10, 9
b) Sensitive – 8, 7, 6
c) Tolerant – 5, 4, 3
d) Very Tolerant – 2, 1
These numbers can be used to work out
a Stream Pollution Index that will tell you
how healthy your water is.
Continues on next page!
page 1/2
EXPLAIN - Water animals and waterway health FOR STUDENTS

Continuing from previous page

Types of macro-invertebrates and their tolerance to pollution

Animal body shape Tolerance to pollution

Worm-like animals, e.g. worms and leeches. They are generally tolerant of pollution.
They stick to rocks or sticks, or crawl slowly.
Shelled animals, e.g. snails and mussels. They vary from tolerant to intolerant of pollution.

Crayfish like animals. These are generally intolerant of pollution.

Insect-like animals. They are generally intolerant of pollution.

They include a wide range of animals that have distinct heads, legs, bodies
and tails. They come in many sizes and shapes and often move quickly.

What do your sampling results mean?

If you find ...

Only one or two kinds of animals, e.g. worm-like animals, but many of them. Severe pollution from sewage

A variety of animals, but only a few of each kind Stream has undergone flooding (scouring) or
and the stream appears clean. the sample was taken during high flows from
an area that was dry a few days before.

No animals. Toxic pollution

Return to: PART 5, Lesson 4 – Who needs a home? page 2/2

ELABORATE
Excursion hints for teachers
From the Waterwatch Monitoring Manual.
1. Where is the best place to
locate sampling sites?
Riffle sites are preferred for sampling,
so locate them and add these to your
catchment map. Sites should be chosen
from a variety of spots if possible:
• natural or least disturbed areas
in the catchment (reference sites);
• areas near the headwaters and
lowlands in the catchment;
• areas of differing land uses, e.g.
urban, agriculture, forestry;
• an area near drains;
• areas near irrigated land, logging
areas, or land treated with pesticides
or fertilisers.
2. Sampling for macro-invertebrates?
• Riffles and edge areas have the most
diverse habitats for macro-
invertebrates, and are the best
collecting places. Under good
conditions, they contain organisms
that vary from tolerant to very
sensitive.
• By comparing riffle samples from
one site to the next, any effects of
human activities will be clearer. If
there are no riffles where you would
like them sample organisms living
in and around vegetation on
the edges of water bodies. Muddy
bottom water bodies usually have
fewer types of macro-invertebrates
because the habitat is less suitable.
• The same type of habitat should be
selected at different sites if you want
to compare results.
3. Collecting macro-invertebrates
• In fast flowing water, animals are
found on or under submerged
wood, rocks or stones. Some animals
swim freely in still or slow moving
water, while others hide among
aquatic weeds, or crawl and burrow
at the bottom.
• When sampling at the edge of
the stream, it is best to select a
sheltered alcove, if possible with
overhanging vegetation and
water plants.
Return to: PART 5, Lesson 5 – Let’s see what we can find!
FOR TEACHERS
• Areas that have been recently
flooded are not suitable because
the animals that were washed away
may not have come back.
• SAFETY NOTE! Deep water and
very fast flowing water can be
unsafe and should be avoided.
• It is important to collect at least
100 macro-invertebrates and
preferably 150-200 to get a reliable
stream pollution index.
• In slow moving water and pools,
sweep the net across the surface
to collect striders and beetles.
Drag the net beneath the surface
and through water plants to collect
nymphs and water scorpions. Snails
and worms live among the rocks,
litter and sediment.
• In fast flowing water with a rocky
river bed, hold the net on the floor
of the river-bed so the mouth is
facing upstream. With the net in
position, thoroughly kick and rub
stones in front of the net to dislodge
the animals.
Continues on next page!
Page 1/2
ELABORATE FOR TEACHERS

Continuing from previous page

Some Excursion Equipment Hints

From the Waterwatch Monitoring Manual.

General equipment Specific equipment

• Waterwatch Manuals • Kitchen sieve or net
• Data result sheets • White bucket or flat tray for holding samples during sorting
• Pens, pencils, note paper • Four white containers, e.g. ice cream containers
• Marker pen/pencil (waterproof ) • Sorting implements to pick animals from plants and rocks
• Clean water • Tweezers (forceps)
• Paper towel • Plastic spoon for large animals (with 2-3 very small holes)
• Rubbish bag • Plastic squeeze pipette for small animals(about 5mm diameter)
• First aid kit • Fine paint brush for lifting small animals (small artist type)
• Sun cream and hat
• Camera and film
• Drinking water and food
• Gum boots/walking boots/raincoat

Return to: PART 5, Lesson 5 – Let’s see what we can find! Page 2/2
 Click here to Waterwatch Macro-Invertebrate (Waterbug) Identification Chart
Yes Caddisfly

SAMPLE
SAMP
Start E ONLY! SAMPLE ONLY
ONLY! SAMPLE ONLY!
Lesson 3b
Y! SAMPLE
SAMP
SAM LEE ONLY!
O
return to Follow the Lines and Clues to Help Identiffyy your Bugs Then Tu
Turn Over To Calculate Waterway Health
Has it got Soft
Larvae 9

Body?

If you would like to purchase this chart from North West

Doe s it have a No Does it live inside
Has it got any legs? Ye s 3 p ai r s o f l e g s Tail or Tails? a Stick or Case?

4 or More Pairs of Legs

Waterwatch Inc., please visit the online shop at

Ye s 3 Tails No
No

1 or 2 Tails

www.healthywaterways.org.au .
Has it got a Head?
Yes
Some Caddisflies have
Lo ng B o d y Pincers on their head,
Spinning Red Dot Large Leaf Like Tails and Hooks just below.

No Water Mite 6 Damselfly Larvae 3

Beetles and Bugs

SAMPLE
MPLE ONLY!
ONLY! SAMP
SAMPLE
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SnailAMPLE O
1ONL
ONLY!
NLY!
LY!! SAMPL
SAMPLE
LE ONLY!
Pro –Legs (stubby Legs)
Chironomid 3 Short Tail, No Antenna
3 Thin Tails
Mayflies
There are different sorts
Dragonfly Larvae 3

Side Swimmer

SAMPLE
MPLE ON
ONLY!
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LY! SAMP
SAMPLE
LE
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P O
Wate r Pe nny 6
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ONLY!
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SAMPLE
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Stoneflies
There are different sorts
Worms Long Beaded Antenna
Pear Shape, no Pro-Legs Riffle Beetle 7
Black Fly Larvae 5
Very Flat Mayfly
Body
Mayfly Larvae 8
SAM
MPLE ONLY!
M O LY! SAMP
Segments
Segmented
Worm 2
SAMPL
SAMPLE
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ONLY!
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SAMPLE
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Fresh Water No Fuzzy Tail

Crab 3 Stonefly Larvae 10

SAMPLE ONLY!
SAMPLE
SAMPL ON SAMPLE
No Segments
Hair-Like
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ONLY! SAMPLE
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ONLY!
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O Fleshy End, no Pro-Legs
Hairy Back Legs
Diving Beetle 2
Roundworm 3 Crane Fly Larvae Not so Flat, Tail Rises Upward
5 Mayfly Larvae 5
Fresh Water Baetidae
Shrimp 3

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EO Fuzzy Tail
Stonefly Larvae 8
The number next to each Bug is it’s
Sensitivity Score. The higher the number,
the more sensitive it is to pollution.
Gripopterygidae
This is a rough guide only, for more intensive
identification refer to “The Waterbug Book”

Some of these photos were taken from “The Waterbug Book” with
Click hereOto
ar Like Legs, Big Eyes
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thanks to John Gooderham and Edward Tsyrlin, some photos by
Glides along Bottom Wriggles in Water, Bristles on body,
Flatworm 2 Mosquito Larvae 1 Lobster 6 Tom Krasnicki.
see reverseWater Boatman 2
side of chart
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Lesson 4

If you would like to purchase this chart from North West

Waterwatch Inc., please visit the online shop at
www.healthywaterways.org.au .

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Click here to
see front of
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