1.
What
cleans up
nature’s
waste?

2.
Today you will
be a naturalist.
A naturalist is a
scientist who
studies plants
and animals in
nature. You will
take a walk
through the
forest and look
for what cleans
up nature’s
waste.

3.
babies, which
are called
larvae,(maggots)
are born and get
lots of nutrients
from the dead
animal!

4.
forest we spot
a carrion
beetle laying
her eggs inside
a rat.

5.
Walking a
little further
we see carrion
beetle babies
(larvae) eating
a different
dead animal.

6.
Another name
for
decomposers
is scavengers.
Scavengers
eat plants and
animals they
did not kill
themselves.

7.
Some
examples of
scavengers
are worms,
beetles,
flies, ants,
hermit
crabs and
fungus.

8.
We are lucky
that some
organisms
LOVE dung!!!

9.
Fungi are also
decomposers.

10.
Some
scavengers are
invertebrates.

11.
Some
scavengers are
vertebrates.

12.
It’s a good
thing we have
so many friends
to take care of
nature’s waste!
It’s a good
thing we have
so many friends
to take care of
nature’s waste!
It’s a good
thing we have
so many friends
to take care of
nature’s waste!