[SciShow Kids intro plays]

Jessi: Squeaks and I are exploring! We’re looking around the yard to see what kinds of things we can find. And I know of a great place to find lots of cool stuff, stuff that you might not otherwise see... under rocks!

Now, the underside of a rock might not seem like a place where you and I would want to live. It’s dark, it’s kind of chilly, and it’s usually pretty damp. But it’s the perfect place to look for insects, spiders, slugs, and other animals! For lots of reasons!

For one thing, there’s lots to eat under there! Rotting leaves, old grass, and other kinds of plants make good food for small animals like insects. And then other creatures, like spiders, eat insects! So there’s usually plenty of food to go around.

Another reason that life's so good under a rock? You and I might like sunshine, but lots of other animals like it dark and damp. The moisture under rocks keeps animals like worms from drying out. And the darkness makes it easier for them to hide from hungry predators. So, if you want to find some cool creepy-crawlies, look no further than your nearest rock!

But here are a couple of rock-flipping tips.  First, look for rocks that are in a quiet, out of the way place. You also want them to be kind of big, but not too big... otherwise you won’t be able to turn them over! So, look for rocks that are about the size of a grown up’s shoe. It’s also better to look under rocks that have dirt or grass under them, instead of cement or other rocks. And be careful when you turn it over! If you’re lucky enough to find something under there, you can look at it, but don’t touch them.

Okay, ready? Let’s see what we can find under this one! Whoa, look at all the living things! Let’s write down what we see before they all have a chance to run and hide! Okay, the first thing I see are insects. Lots of them.

There are lots of kinds of insects that live under rocks. But some of the most common ones are crickets, ants, and beetles. One of my favorite things about insects is that they can change into different forms as they grow up. An insect’s life begins as an egg. And sometimes an insect egg hatches into what are called larva. A caterpillar is a kind of insect larva.

Then the larvae goes through some really big changes, and becomes an adult! Oh, and look! I see some beetle eggs under our rock, too! They look a little like rice. And you see those things there? Those things that look like short, squishy, worms? Those really aren’t worms at all. They’re grubs! A grub is a beetle larva. Just like a caterpillar will someday be a moth or a butterfly... this grub will someday be a beetle. And I can see some adult beetles, too.

I also see some spiders. They look and act kind of like insects, but spiders have eight legs, and only two body segments. And spider eggs don’t hatch into larvae... they hatch into tiny spiders called spiderlings.

Ooh, look! There are some slimy-looking things stuck to the bottom of the rock. These definitely aren’t insects, or spiders! They’re animals, called slugs. A slug looks like a snail without a shell. They don’t have any legs. Instead, slugs have a huge muscle called the foot that helps them move. And slugs make slime, lots of it. In fact, slugs leave a trail of slime behind them wherever they go. This slime helps keep the slug from getting too dry.

Wow, there were a lot of things under that rock! Spiders, insects, and slugs are just a few of the things that you might find under a rock. If you turn over a rock in your neighborhood, you might find centipedes, snails, or even salamanders. Now that you know what to expect when you turn over a rock, are you ready to explore? I am... c’mon Squeaks, let’s go find another rock!

Thanks for joining us on SciShow Kids! We’re so happy that you dropped by, and we’re very excited to see you in the coming weeks because Squeaks and I are making some changes around the fort. So keep watching to see what’s new on SciShow Kids! Do you have a question? If so, grab a grownup and leave a comment down below, or send us an email to kids@thescishow.com. And we'll see you next time, here at the fort!