Make an Insect Pooter Follow FizzicsEd 150 Science Experiments: Comments 0 You will need: 1 clear plastic cup 2 straws 1 square of either kitchen wipe or leg stocking Rubber bands Soldering iron Paper towel or a kitchen bag Blu-Tack™ or play dough Written by Fizzics Education. Reviewed by Ben Newsome CF. Cite this experiment Copyright Notice Instruction 1 With the help of an adult, heat up the soldering iron and melt two holes at the base of the cup. 2 Cut up a small piece of leg stocking and secure it on the end of one straw using a rubber band. The stocking is there to act as a filter to stop you getting little insects in your mouth when you use the insect pooter. 3 Put a straw through each hole and secure with the Blu-TackTM or play dough (keeping the stocking within the cup). Use the rubber band to secure the paper towel on the cup opening (BTW: kitchen bags work better as you don’t lose suction due to small holes as per the paper towelling… variable testing!). 4 “Simple insect pooter completed” Use the rubber band to secure the paper towel on the cup opening (BTW: kitchen bags work better as you don’t lose suction due to small holes as per the paper towelling… variable testing!). 5 “Using an insect pooter to catch a line of ants” Place the straw with the stocking end in your mouth and position the other straw end over a small insect. With some practice you should find that you can suck a small insect such as an ant into the insect pooter! 6 “Using an insect pooter to catch a small ant” 7 Why not make an ant farm to hold the ants? 8 Go further – buy 5 x student activity sheets as extension worksheets. This student science booklet has been created by experienced science educators from the Fizzics Education team. Use these student worksheets as blackline masters for your science class! See all student sheets here 9 School science visits since 2004! – Curriculum-linked & award-winning incursions. – Over 40 primary & high school programs to choose from. – Designed by experienced educators. – Over 2 million students reached. – Face to face incursions & online programs available. – Early learning centre visits too! 10 Online courses for teachers & parents – Help students learn how science really works More Information How an Insect Pooter Works An insect pooter (also known as an aspirator) is a clever tool that uses air pressure to collect small specimens without harming them. When you inhale through the mouthpiece, you remove air from the container, creating an area of low pressure inside. The higher-pressure air from outside rushes into the other tube to fill the gap, carrying the small insect along with it. The mesh filter over the mouthpiece tube is essential—it allows the air to pass through while ensuring the insect stays safely inside the jar (and not in your mouth!). Insect pooters are a great tool for collecting small invertebrates amongst leaf litter, or those crawling up tree trunks and walls. Always have an adult with you to help identify what you’re collecting. Happy hunting! Classroom activity sheets Create, reflect & extend with these student resources! âś… Reviewed: April 5, 2026 APA 7 Citation: Fizzics Education. (2018). Make an insect pooter. https://www.fizzicseducation.com.au/150-science-experiments/biology-environmental-science-projects/make-an-insect-pooter/ Copy APA Citation Reviewer This resource was last reviewed for scientific accuracy on April 5, 2026. Ben Newsome CF is the recipient of the 2023 UTS Chancellor’s Award for Excellence and a Churchill Fellow. He is a global leader in science communication and the founder of Fizzics Education. Learn more! From basic ecology to digital microscopy, we’ve got your living things unit covered! Get in touch with FizzicsEd to find out how we can work with your class. Little Life Years K to 6 Maximum 30 students School workshop 60 or 90 minutes Online Class Available Read More Enquire Now Sale! Bug Jar $5.45 Original price was: $5.45.$4.75Current price is: $4.75. excl. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot STEM Full Day Accelerator - Primary Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials. Read More Enquire Now Be Amazing! How to teach science, the way primary kids love. $29.95 excl. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot
Cut up a small piece of leg stocking and secure it on the end of one straw using a rubber band. The stocking is there to act as a filter to stop you getting little insects in your mouth when you use the insect pooter.
Put a straw through each hole and secure with the Blu-TackTM or play dough (keeping the stocking within the cup). Use the rubber band to secure the paper towel on the cup opening (BTW: kitchen bags work better as you don’t lose suction due to small holes as per the paper towelling… variable testing!).
“Simple insect pooter completed” Use the rubber band to secure the paper towel on the cup opening (BTW: kitchen bags work better as you don’t lose suction due to small holes as per the paper towelling… variable testing!).
“Using an insect pooter to catch a line of ants” Place the straw with the stocking end in your mouth and position the other straw end over a small insect. With some practice you should find that you can suck a small insect such as an ant into the insect pooter!
Go further – buy 5 x student activity sheets as extension worksheets. This student science booklet has been created by experienced science educators from the Fizzics Education team. Use these student worksheets as blackline masters for your science class! See all student sheets here
School science visits since 2004! – Curriculum-linked & award-winning incursions. – Over 40 primary & high school programs to choose from. – Designed by experienced educators. – Over 2 million students reached. – Face to face incursions & online programs available. – Early learning centre visits too!
From basic ecology to digital microscopy, we’ve got your living things unit covered! Get in touch with FizzicsEd to find out how we can work with your class.
Little Life Years K to 6 Maximum 30 students School workshop 60 or 90 minutes Online Class Available Read More Enquire Now
Sale! Bug Jar $5.45 Original price was: $5.45.$4.75Current price is: $4.75. excl. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot
STEM Full Day Accelerator - Primary Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials. Read More Enquire Now
Designed from real classroom experiences, this modular day helps you create consistently effective science learning that directly address the new curriculum with easily accessible and cost-effective materials.
Be Amazing! How to teach science, the way primary kids love. $29.95 excl. GST View Details Add to Cart Trustpilot
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