We all remember what it was like to be a kid and the thrill of catching an insect. As we get older most of us tend to look at insects as pests, but it's hard not to be transported back to your youth when you witness a young one armed with a butterfly net or a bug jar. Children are so in tune with nature - it's a quality that we should all have. Without appreciating all that the lakes, streams and woods have to offer, we distance ourselves from what is truly important.
On Saturday, July 14th at Tifft Nature Preserve, parents are welcome to bring their kids to Insectival! - an event that gets the kids out where they belong. Learning about insects is so much more that catching a bug and throwing it in a jar. It's important to understand what life would be without insects - personally, I can't imagine life without Monarch butterflies, but that unfortunate scenario is not so farfetched in this day and age. This is a chance to learn about carnivorous plants. It's also a chance to learn about edible insects... and maybe even eat one! Ultimately it's a chance to teach our kids about the importance of bugs.
Here are all the details:
A celebration of insects and their crawly kin is planned for Saturday, July 14th at Tifft Nature Preserve (1200 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo). People of all ages can drop-in for a bug-tastic time between 10:00AM and 2:00PM for this family-friendly event and explore the spectacular world of insects. Planned activities include:
Insectival themed crafts for children including bottle cap beetles, human-sized ladybug wings, spider web painting, and morphing butterflies.
Sweep-netting for insects on the grassy mounds across from the Visitor's Center.
Dipping-netting for aquatic insects in the 75-acre cattail marsh.
Eating edible insects like freeze-dried cheddar flavored mealworms and more!
Learning about monarch butterflies through the Great Monarch Migration Challenge.
An "Insectigation" Station featuring insect specimens from the education collection of the Buffalo Museum of Science.
Close-up encounters with insect-eating carnivorous plants.
I
t's sure to be an insect-errific day for everyone! The fee to participate is $5 per person and members of the Buffalo Museum of Science save 10%.
For more information or to register in advance, visit www.sciencebuff.org.
Ohhh....Aww
Could that kid in the blue hat be any more cute? He is absolutely adorable. What wonderful parents to introduce their kids to nature and science and learning through fun and play
Im so glad Buffalo has this to offer.
Would be even nicer if it were partnered with some sort of Childrens Museum. Would certainly make it unique and distinctive in the region.