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" />" width="500" height="214" alt="ccb" />" />About a year before we left for Alaska, Roly Poly and I started a bug collection.
We filled it up.
And loved every minute of it.
Some bugs creeped. us. out.
Those scorpions you see there...we found those in the house. Yeah.
I captured a long, lots of legs, type of bug (yeah, we learned a lot as you can see), on the carpet under a book while screaming in a passionate, out of control, manner.
Of course, Roly Poly followed suit.
Some bugs were too beautiful to kill.
We found both the butterfly and the dragonfly already dead.
Big Mama contributed at least 2 shiny green beetles.
Some bugs were dangerous to catch.
We have a black widow. Uh huh. (He's not seen here.)
And SEVERAL varieties of stinging bugs, including a couple of hateful wasps.
We've got several varieties of moths and beetles, flies, bumblebees, a stick bug, willowfly, grasshopper, and a freaky looking millipediy thing. We got the works.
This is a good project for us because I enjoy it too.
And generally speaking, when Mama likes the activity;
the kids tend to get to do it more often.
I mean how many times can we play "I Spy" before my brain goes completely numb?
I don't want to find out.
Want to make your own bug box?
Supplies:
Scissors
Pins
Wooden Box: Make sure it isn't too shallow or else your pins won't fit without being trimmed. And that is a pain. Plus pins aren't sharp anymore when you cut the sharp tips off. Who knew right? Un-sharp pins don't pierce exoskeletons and such easily.
Felt: We bought the kind with a sticky back.
Foam: You could buy Styrofoam but the thin sheets of craft type foam were much cheaper. We just layered them for depth.
ffffour of 'em.
Use Gorilla Glue to secure the foam pieces inside.
And squeeze the tube with gorilla-like strength.
Slide them into place.
This isn't part of the tutorial. I just wanted to show you how My Friend is always up in my grill.
Cut the felt to size and take the backing off.
Stick out your tongue to achieve expert concentration.
Stick the pins in place for easy access later.
Ummm, and WAIT for the glue to dry before you stick them in place. I'm not sayin' we stuck them in wet glue or anything, I'm just sayin' a person shouldn't. That's all.
Then find photos of bugs in magazines (NOT so easy to do by the way), cut them out, and glue them where you want them.
The black and white box on the bottom was our new bug box for Alaska bugs. While Alaska's mosquitoes are legendary, the other bugs, well, not so much. The collection is scant. A pitiful excuse really. But it wasn't for lack of trying. Bug season is short, and mosquitoes don't pin well, even if they are jinormus.
Screaming about a flying insect WHILE putting together a insect collection box.
The irony
10 Comments
You should have had a warning posted! *runs screaming from the computer* I am not a fan of bugs. Which is one more reason I prefer living in AK. We spent 14 years in the southeast and oh my but the bugs down there did me in! Ugly and scary!! *grin*
ReplyDeleteWhen we lived in GA, my youngest son had to collect bugs and pin them to a piece of foam core for science class. He spent days collecting them, and even more time pinning them just right on the board. He leaned the board up against the wall at the front door so he could take it to school the next day. When he woke up, half the bugs were missing, and the other half were missing parts. And our cat was quietly cleaning herself next to the project. I guess to the cat, the bug board looked like a buffet. (Quite the twist on "the dog ate my homework" excuse!)
"WARNING PLEASE"
ReplyDeleteYuck Bugs!!!
Yes, I too went running from the computer screaming!!
Yikes!!
nice collection though, just keep them on your side of the computer screen.....
Scorpions in your house? Are you kidding me? Which house? How many did you find? We had one when we lived in Jefferson. After I found that one, life was never the same. I was always worried & looking for the next scorpion. When my mother was a lot younger, she was stung by a scorpion that was inside of a shirt that she got out of the closet to wear.
ReplyDeleteYou guys did a great job!!! It reminds me of the bug collection that I had to do in school, although I remember having lots of rules. My dad built me a box with a plexiglass front (with hinges). FANCY! Just kidding...I LOVE that you covered the top with magazine clippings. I really like it a lot! Except for the spiders and scorpions:-)
You make bug collecting ALMOST sound like a lot of fun! ;)
ReplyDeleteI love this post! So well done, sister. The pics of Roly Poly are super cute. I see there how My Friend is always up in your grill. That was my favorite LOL part of the whole thing. Good stuff. COOL bug collection! PS I don't like bugs very much. At all.
ReplyDeleteD: D: D: D:
ReplyDeleteScorpions? *gulp*....um....*note to self*...skip Alabama on next traveling excursion. Actually, skip the south east and west..What? Oh...I didn't say that...I totally love the south!...Totally.....
*Runs away screaming*
Ok. So apparently I took it too far with the bug post. Sorry about that ya'll. I never once considered the need for a warning. Now, ya'll are tougher. Your welcome.
ReplyDeleteOn Rita Street Phyllis. 3 of them.
My boys would LU-UV this project! Joe's had a pet spider in his room the last three weeks. I wonder if he would sacrifice it the name of science?
ReplyDeleteMy boys would LU-UV this project! Joe's had a pet spider in his room the last three weeks. I wonder if he would sacrifice it the name of science?
ReplyDeleteIn our school system, kids have to do an insect project - labeling at least 100 - never realized there were that many where we live - but somehow we found them - for awhile they lived in jars and baggies in our freezer. Love your pics!
ReplyDelete