Dear Teacher, the Snails Ate My Research

In the research project of students at Wizo Hadassim school, they wanted to examine differences in iris flowering across different areas near the school, specifically, why in some areas the irises develop into fruit while in others they do not complete their reproductive cycle. Suspicion fell on honeybees, which are not the natural pollinator of the iris, and so the students set out to investigate. They marked plots, went out to take measurements, and waited with excitement for the blooming of the purple iris, but were then surprised to discover a phenomenon that prevented them from completing their research: snails were climbing the iris stems and happily devouring the flowers before pollination and fruit development could take place.

In light of the situation, the students revised their research questions and learned that ecological fieldwork is unpredictable, surprising, and interesting. They discovered that unlike the experiments they conduct in science lessons, in real research the answers are not immediate.