Where to Wednesday: Bring on the Bugs
As part of a university town, we are fortunate to have a fantastic Entomology Department. Housed in their quarters on campus is the Bohart Museum of Entomology, the second largest collection of insects on the west coast. (Our guide also mentioned that it’s probably the seventh nationwide.) Walking in is much like walking into a lab on campus (in fact it is a lab). Along the tables, however, are encased collections of colorful beatles and butterflies, among other flying things. There are also racks of terrariums with rare (and hairy) spiders and walking-stick bugs from around the world.
Much of the department’s collection is secured in locked racks which are not visable. There is a nice variety on display, and truth be told the kids were mostly interested in the live critters. The department’s staff will come out and answer questions for anyone coming in between 8:30am and 5pm (aside from the lunch hour). A special thank you to Tabitha for her patience and assistance in letting us hold some bugs. If you’d like to have a group tour you need to make a reservation in advance and the charge is $2 per child, adults are free. They have also set aside special weekend hours from 1pm – 5pm on 3/21, 4/17, and 5/8.
If the words, “hold some bugs” haven’t enticed you, here are a few stick bug facts that may persuade you to come out and learn more:
- There are over 3000 varieties of walking sticks worldwide. Several examples of species exist at the Bohart Museum and show how much variation there is within this single insect.
- They can produce without mating. Only one in one thousand Indian Sticks are males.
- Stick bugs can regenerate legs if they become damaged or lost. They shed their skin and eat their own molt.
- Adulthood is achieved after five or six months. Adults generally live another six months.
- Some walking sticks can change colors.
The kids and I would love this. Strange, I know, but I find insects fascinating. PBS trumps most shows if I happen to catch them in the middle of explaining how an ant colony works. (Spiders, however, scare me.)
My kids and I would love this (although I would have to avoid the spiders).Thanks for sharing. I am a children’s author and illustrator and passionate about connecting kids to nature.Bugs are fascinating to kids (and adults) My latest book characters are half human, half BUG. The Little Humbugs:www.littlehumbugs.com
I have also written a book called Toffee’s Bug Hunt that you can listen to on utube:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DwO_XN5JCvo&feature=related