Junior Entomologists!

Two weeks ago Elina and Eli participated in an Entomology Camp run by the Texas A&M Extension Office.  Last year Eli and Evie did the Tot Bug Camp.  It was fun, but honestly, Eli already knew a lot of insect info going into it.  Originally, Elina didn't even want to do the camp.  I had to convince her that the entomologists there would be able to teach her so much more than I ever could.  Plus, they would get to make their own insect collections.

Well, the kids had an absolute blast!  They got their own insect gear--bug jars, a collection box, an aerial net, killing solution (ethyl acetate).  Each day they would learn about insects and perform different experiments.  Then they would go out to collect insects and come back to add them to their own collections.  Kids would also trade insects with each other.

Every day after camp, the kids would go outside on insect hunts.  They would be out there in the Texas heat for a LONG time.  I couldn't believe it!  This was the best thing to ever happen to them.  Now they don't really complain about the heat...they just want to get out there to look for new insects.

The only "sad" aspect of collecting is the killing part of it all.  I really don't like it, but at least it's a quick death.  It's part of the science and they aren't hunting endangered species.  Although I really don't mind when they get the wasps and yellowjackets.

Here are some highlights from the week--

1. Maggot Art
They dipped grubs in paint and then put them on a sheet of paper.  While the grubs were crawling around, they would leave colorful trails behind them.  It was so neat!  At first I thought it was spin art.  Then I thought the kids said "magnet art."  Then I learned it was really MAGGOT art.  Wow.  Big difference!  Some student at A&M actually did his dissertation on Maggot Art and trademarked the name.  Really?

2. Termite Trails
The kids learned that the trailing pheromone that termites follow is actually prominent in Papermate ballpoint pens and in Zebra pens.  So when you dump a whole bunch of termites on a piece of paper and then draw a shape with these pens, the termites start following the path you drew!  They discovered that they don't like sharp angles or lines that cross each other.  Crazy, right??

3. Bess Beetles
The kids tied a string around the abdomen of a Bess beetle that was connected to a petri dish.  Then they started putting pennies in the dish to see how many the beetle could pull.

4. Entomophagy
The kids learned about active entomophagy (consciously consuming insects) and passive entomophagy.  They told us that peanut butter has the most insects in it.  Chocolate is a close second.  So Reese's peanut butter cups are actually very buggy treats!  They tried cricket cookies,

5. Exotic Creatures
One day the instructors brought in some really exotic things for the kids to hold and touch.  They held tarantulas, snakes, a bearded dragon, millipedes, and scorpions!  I nearly died when I saw the scorpion.  These kids are all so brave.  That's not me.

As I'm typing this, Eli and Evie are outside looking for insects in 90F weather.  Seriously?  This camp was amazing!  And we're going on insect explorations this weekend...trying to hit a few wilderness areas to see what we can find.  They can't wait!  We even tried catching nighttime critters using a white sheet and a black light.  The kids had a blast staying up late to do this!!

Look at all their amazing finds!