Bug collecting has become something more then a hobby for our family. At 1,000 + specimens I am wondering if it's our obsession? We end up collecting everywhere we go. We recently were at a friends house warming party, and we brought our bug collection jars, yes really! The jars go everywhere with us. Turns out our friends are on an acre of land with an amazing Prarie in their backyard. So with my after dessert coffee in tow, as well as baby girl, we hit the yard.
Bug Collecting with Kids - Showing off their Insect Specimen
Quietly. I don't make a big deal about collecting, we just take our jars an go off to look at plants, and under the leafs (where bugs often hide). We didn't get 10 steps in when I suddenly had 3 more kids following us asking loads of questions!
Kids are naturally curious, they want to know everything. So without agenda we answer their questions. The old me would have certain things I want to be sure to tell the kids, however I've learned over these 9 years of parenting that the core information does get across, even if it's in a simple discussion format. We talked about how we capture them, and then the kids true their attempts at capture. We put the jar over the bugs, and either "seal" them in plant and all like with the Leaf Hoppers that jump. Or with the green Dog Bane beetle, they just fall off the plant (that's their defense mechanism) into the jar.
The kids also learned quickly that bugs like the warmth of the sun. We didn't find any insects in the shade, and the few we did find that late in the afternoon (5:00 pm) were sitting on plants in the late afternoon sun.
The insects collected at Green Oaks (top row, from left, Wasp, leaf hopper, bottom row, dog bane beetle, assassin bug)
