The LIFE BEETLES project was recently at Basic and Secondary School of Flores to organize three sessions of the “Insects under the Magnifying Glass” activity, with the students of the 3rd and 4th grades, in Santa Cruz das Flores.
The activity began with a small presentation, which made it possible to highlight the importance of insects in nature and learn to identify the differences between insects and other arthropods (such as spiders and centipedes). There was also the opportunity to talk about three beetles endemic to the Azores, target species of the project, one of which, the Ironclad Beetle, only lives on the island of Flores and is classified as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.
The students then had the opportunity to use a magnifying glass and explore the characteristics, not only of the project’s target species, but also of other beetles, crickets, flies, wasps, spiders and other arthropods!
This activity, “Insects under the Magnifying Glass”, is part of the School Environmental Awareness Activities Offer (OASAE 2023/2024) of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action.
