Data sheets should include space for describing the area sampled, the distance walked, insect kinds and numbers, and the date and time. Determine the areas you would like to survey after a preliminary field trip. Determine the path that each student pair will walk. For example, to sample a rectangular area, student pairs could start on the south side, walking north until they reach the opposite side. As they walk, students sweep the net back and forth across the area in front of them.
Partners collect the insects in the bags or jars.
After sweeping the area, students tally the insects. Students describe, draw, or identify the insects, using hand lenses and field guides as appropriate. Students release the insects as soon as they are described and tallied. This technique can be used to compare different areas, different plant communities, different times of year, or different management regimes.