Rocket finds a tiny hole in an oak leaf. "Something took a bite!" he says. "I will build a leaf guard."
Raven kneels and looks closer. "Wait. What do you notice on the twig?"
A small green caterpillar inches along. Up in the branches, a chickadee calls.
Nova hovers back. "Everyone here is looking for food," she says. "Who might eat whom?"
A consumer cannot make its own food. It must eat plants or animals.
An animal that eats only plants is an herbivore.
An animal that eats only animals is a carnivore.
An animal that eats plants and animals is an omnivore.
People are consumers too.
| Garden animal | What it eats | Kind of consumer |
|---|---|---|
| bee | pollen and nectar from flowers | eats plant parts |
| butterfly | nectar from flowers | eats plant parts |
| caterpillar | leaves | herbivore |
| chickadee | caterpillars, fed to its young | eats animals |
Bees collect pollen and nectar as food for themselves and their young.
Many caterpillars eat leaves. Oak trees feed many kinds of caterpillars.
Chickadees catch caterpillars to feed their chicks.
| Statement | True or false? |
|---|---|
| A consumer makes its own food from sunlight. | ? |
| Bees use pollen and nectar for food. | ? |
| A carnivore eats only plants. | ? |
| Chickadees feed caterpillars to their young. | ? |
Measure your bean plant again. Count its leaves.
Look under each leaf. Are there any holes or bite marks?
If you spot a tiny animal, just watch it. Do not touch it.
Super spotting! Tomorrow we dig into the clean-up crew: decomposers.