The Alien Next Door

Discovering our special pond friends.

- Jacob Rodenburg

Ever think about what lives in the slime and the ooze of your nearby pond? It may seem like there isn’t a lot going on down in that muddy underworld — just some mud, plants and a few frogs. But you’d be surprised!

If you want to experience the alien next door, fetch a net, a white bucket, tweezers, some rubber boots, and if you have one, a magnifying glass. Visit a nearby pond. Choose one that has a shallow area with a muddy bottom. Make sure the kids are closely supervised. Scoop up a healthy glob of mud and using your fingers (or a stick), carefully sift through the gooey mass. Soon enough, you’ll spot something wriggling. Using the tweezers, remove the wriggler and rinse it in clean water and place this in the white bucket. Continue and repeat.

WHAT IN THE MUD?!