Grant, a senior research assistant, shows us how to collect caterpillar samples and stresses the importance of documenting each bag.

Mr. April using a net to sweep low vegetation. You sweep an area after you've collected all you could see.

You can also use a sheet and stick method. Hold a sheet under the vegetation (held by Mrs. York). Next give the vegetation a good 'whack' with a stick or plastic bat (held by Mrs. Manzo). Only do this after you have collected any specimens you could see.

Document by taking lots of pictures demonstrated here by Meg Warren, an Earthwatch employee.

Observe what's around you. Before Hurricane Katrina this forest, Honey Island Swamp, had a continuous canopy cover meaning when you looked up you could not see any blue sky like we did today. Notice the stump that was blown over in the foreground.

Download your pictures, write your field notes, and document any of your observations. Show here by Mrs. Manzo.

Bring all your samples back to the lab and organize them so they can be catalogued. Shown here by Mrs. York

Catalog your data on the computer and label your samples. Shown here by Mrs. York and Meg Warren.