Print out a copy of the Predator Prey Cast Cards for each student.
PREDATOR SPECIES:
COACHWHIP (Masticophis flagellum)
1. You are about four feet long and feed on small to medium lizards, rodents, etc. You are a very fast predator.
2. You can eat four small lizards or one large lizard before you are full and cannot eat anymore. Small lizards include the Tree, Side-blotched, Whiptail, Clark’s spiny and Zebra-tailed lizards. Large lizards include the Desert spiny lizard and the Desert Iguana.
You do not eat the Gila monster because it has venom, the Chuckwalla because it is very large, or the Regal horned lizard because it has spiky horns that are dangerous to swallow.
3. You are diurnal and can stand hot temperatures. Your active temperature range is from 63 to 100° F.
4. Beware there are others that can eat you: the roadrunner and humans. If a human comes on the scene, try to get out of the area until it is gone.
ROADRUNNER (Geoccyx californianus)
1. You are a very fast bird that can fly, but rarely does. You like open habitat.
2. You can eat four small lizards or one large lizard before you are full and cannot eat anymore. Small lizards include the Tree, Side-blotched, Whiptail, Regal horned, Clark’s spiny and Zebra-tailed lizards. Large lizards include the Desert spiny lizard and the Desert Iguana. You can eat all of the lizards except the chuckwalla and the Gila monster.
3. You are diurnal and can be active throughout all the temperature ranges experienced during this experiment. You cannot go into burrows, but can hunt on rocks and look in crevices.
4. When the action calls for you to enter the scene, try to tag a few lizards for a meal. Make sure to ask if it is a lizard that you can eat.
HUMAN (Homo sapiens)
1. You generally don’t bother lizards; in fact you like them (but not snakes).
2. On this day, you’re poisoning some nasty ants that keep stinging you! When your action card is called, go onto the scene and spray the ants and crickets. You can instruct any insects that feel your spray to lay down on the ground because they are now poisoned.
3. You can be active throughout the temperature ranges listed for all lizards
PREY SPECIES:
SEED HARVESTER ANTS (Pogonomyrmex spp.)
1. You are an insect that is very social. In fact, you never go anywhere without several of your friends.
2. You are hunting for seeds on the ground to feed to your larvae (baby ants). You are terrestrial and stay on the ground in the open areas.
3. You do not sting or bite if a predator tries to eat you. Instead, try to walk away very fast. Many of the lizard species may try to tag you for a tasty meal.
4. Insecticide can kill you. If you are sprayed with some, lay down on the floor in the spot where you were sprayed.
CRICKET (Gryllis domesticus)
1. You are an insect that is found in open, grassy areas.
2. When you are called onto the scene, you are looking for food (soft leaves), water and shelter (to avoid predators and heat).
3. You do not sting or bite, If a predator tries to eat you, try hopping away before they tag you.
4. Insecticide can kill you. If you are sprayed with some, lay down on the floor in the spot where you were sprayed.
