Buggy Bean Lab – Teacher’s Guide
Activity:

Hands-on (active) simulation of predator- prey relationships.

Students must make predictions and use data to support conclusions regarding
predator and prey within a community.
Target Audience: Biology
Background Information:
This activity is scheduled during either of the units on Evolution or Ecology. This activity
could easily be conducted as an introduction to the unit on Evolution. In either case, the
effect that the environment has on phenotypic characteristics (favorable, unfavorable or
neutral) is explored. Students should probably understand what a phenotypic character or
adaptation is and have some understanding of how the genetic code controls phenotypic
expression.
In this lab, a simulated community of several populations of predator and prey species will
be examined. The predators (students acting as birds with various adaptations will try to
capture four different prey species; pinto beans, red beans, white beans, and lentils. The
habitat for each of these populations can be either a lawn (green or brown) or a field. A
different habitat space, and hopefully type, should be used for each different class.
Preparation Time: The preparation time for this lab is minimal and involves nothing
more than counting which can be conducted by students or student aides.
Materials:
Prey: 100 each pinto beans, red beans, white beans, lentils
Predators: Tongs, Tweezers, Mittens, Gloves, Goggles, Goggles w/ Vaseline
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Buggy Bean Lab
Several populations of bugs (beans) are sharing a habitat on school grounds. You
are predatory birds that feed on these bugs. You will attempt to catch as many of
the bugs as you can in a given amount of time. The birds have adapted various
traits and your job is to test their ability to capture prey.
Predictions:
1.
Which color bugs do you think will have the highest survival rate?
_________________________________________________
2. Which color bugs do you think will have the lowest survival rate?
_________________________________________________
3. What are some other factors; other than color, that may impact survival
rate of bugs? ______________________________________
_________________________________________________
4. List the various adapted traits of the birds. _______________
_________________________________________________
My Data: Count the number of each color “bug” caught; record below and on the
class data table.
My Adaptation: ____________________________________________
BEANS
Large Lima
Beans (white)
Small Red
Beans
Pinto Beans
(brown)
Lentils (small
green)
# caught
Class Data:
Color/#
caught
vs. bird
trait
Black
Beans
White
Beans
Small Red
Beans
Kidney
Lentils
Beans (red- (small
brown)
green)
Total by
Bug
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Total by
Bird
Trait
Construct a bar graph using the class data totals from above. Place the
independent variable (bug color) on the X axis and the dependent variable (number
caught) on the Y axis. Be sure to label both axis and title the graph.
Analysis/Questions:
1.
Which color bugs had the highest survival rate? Why? ______________
_________________________________________________________
2. Which color bugs had the lowest survival rate? Why? ________________
_________________________________________________________
3. How do the changes we made to the birds relate to adaptations seen in
actual birds? ______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
4. What happens to birds with undesired traits when competing for prey in the
wild? ____________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
5. How does the color of the bug influence natural selection of
a. Bugs? _______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
b. Birds? ______________________________________________
____________________________________________________
6. Write a paragraph describing natural selection and how this activity
illustrates this. ____________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
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