While it may sound truly
ridiculous, a pooter is actually a fascinating and useful piece of scientific
equipment. It is also, however, truly ridiculous.
Whether for
observation,
dissection or a list of other reasons, it is sometimes necessary to capture small
insects humanely. For this purpose, the pooter was invented. Consisting of a cup-sized plastic container with two tubes on alternate sides, a pooter works on the principle that
nature abhors a vacuum. Air is sucked out by mouth from one tube, creating a vacuum inside the container, which is promptly filled by an unsuspecting insect at the end of the other tube. There is a piece of
gauze or
muslin over the inner end of one tube to prevent insects being sucked directly into the pooteer's mouth -- I have, however, succeeded in inhaling a number of extremely small insects by accident. I don't recommend it.
The pooter has been blessed with a particularly interesting name that has been the subject of much
speculation in
Biology classes. While some believe that it was originally the creation of a Dr. Pooter, my own belief is that the name is derived from the sound of an insect being sucked sharply through a tube -- a rather brief but satisfying
POOT.
________
AIR OUT | | ________
/_____ -------- | {Aaaaaaah}
\ -------- | /
| POOT -------
| ------- * <---- INSECT IN
| |
|________|
WARNING: Some creatures are simply unpootable.
Snails, for instance. It is also recommended that you do not poot
bees,
wasps, brightly-coloured
spiders, birds, small
mammals and fellow
Biology students.