Nature Net News
July
2006
Incredible Insects
"Butterflies... not quite birds,
as they were not quite flowers,
mysterious and fascinating
as are all indeterminate creatures."
Elizabeth Goudge
Dear Reader, Insects – they’re all around us! You’d be amazed at how beautiful, complicated, and helpful these little creatures are to the natural world. Scientists believe there are between two and five million species of insects worldwide and the saying goes: life as we know it would cease were it not for insects. From decomposers to pollinators, without insects we'd be knee deep in dead material without a bite to eat! Many Nature Net sites are celebrating insects this month. Check out our calendar of events for the best places to find fluttering butterflies and grass-hopping grasshoppers. Then hit the trails (or the backyard) with tips from Tricks of the Trail on safe insect collecting and your very own crafty "Bug Hotel" from this month's Nature Craft. Enjoy! Kathe & Betsy |
Ants outnumber humans a million to one? And though they are a fraction of our size, the total weight of ants matches that of the entire human race!
What to
Do This Month:
Plant a Butterfly
Garden
Visit Olbrich Garden's Blooming Butterflies starting July 19th.
Check out family events at area Nature Net sites!
Tricks of the Trail for
Parents:
Insect Collecting
Because they are relatively small and always on a mission of some
sort, insects can provide wonderful exploration subject matter for
children. Whether it's ants on the sidewalk or lightning bugs in the
back yard, many insects are fun to collect, observe and learn about. Teach
your child to carefully and respectfully catch and release insects. While some brave children may want to catch insects with their hands,
it's often best to encourage them to take the leaf or stem on which the
insect was found and place it in a secure container (a jelly jar with lid, a yogurt container, or
a film canister
will do). Observe
your specimen closely, noting size, body parts, color and activity. Enter your
observations into a nature journal or take pictures.
Remember to return your insect as close to where it was found as
possible.
For more tips and techniques on collecting insects, visit the University
of Kentucky Entomology
for Kids website. Or, to purchase bug rearing kits and tools, visit Carolina:
World Class Support for Science and Math.
Instant Outdoor Expert:
Insect Orders
All (known) living creatures are classified into groups and given
scientific names based on physical characteristics, similarity to one
another and in some cases genetic make-up. Insects, though there are
almost a million identified species, are no different. The largest
groupings of living things are kingdoms: Animalia, Plantae, Protista
(one-celled animals), Monera (bacteria and blue-green algae) and Fungi.
Insects fall under the kingdom Animalia and the next smallest
grouping or phylum, Arthropoda, is distinguished by segmented body
parts, jointed appendages and the presence of an exoskeleton. One of
the groups in this phylum is the class Insecta within which there
are (debatably) 24 orders of insects. Many of the orders of
insects and which characteristics they are grouped by can be
"decoded" by knowing some common Latin terms. Latin
again? No worries, here are some orders of insects you're sure to
recognize:
Orthoptera
- thinking of the orthodontist who straightens teeth? These
are the straight-winged insects, like crickets and grasshoppers.
Hempitera
- hemi, of course, means half (as in hemisphere) and insects in this order
(the true bugs) appear to have only half wings because the base of the
front wing is hardened.
Diptera
- di means two and you may have figured by now "-tera" means
wing. So, the diptera order are two-winged insects: the flies.
Dermaptera
- (thinking of another doctor?) this time the dermatologist who
cares for skin. It's the thick, skin-like wings of the earwig that give it
its scientific name.
Coleoptera
- meaning sheathed-wing, is the largest order of insects: the beetles.
Lepidoptera
- perhaps the most well-liked garden insect, lepidoptera means scaled
wings. Butterflies' and moths' colorful wing patterns are made up of
microscopic scales, arranged like shingles on a roof.
For a complete list of the 21 most common insect orders, visit Minnesota Department of Agriculture's Guide to Encounters with the Orders of Insects. Also check out the Tree of Life: Class Insecta for great photos and an excellent layout of the classification of life on earth (click on the blue subgroup titles to view smaller groupings and specific species).
Eco-Exercise:
The
Bee Dance
Bees use a dancing motion to communicate with other bees.
You can have fun and exercise too while trying it yourself.
Stand outdoors and from a starting position, run a small “figure
eight” with short steps. When
you complete your “8”, wiggle your body all over.
Try it again with skips, then hops.
Isn’t it fun to be a bee?
Featured Nature Net Site
Nature Craft
Olbrich
Botanical Gardens
Olbrich Botanical Gardens is a locally treasured and globally renowned source of beauty and education celebrating the importance of plants in a sustainable world.
Since the 1950s Olbrich Botanical Gardens has enriched local life by nourishing and sharing the beauty of gardens, the joy of gardening, the knowledge of plants, and the diversity of our world.
Outdoor Display Gardens Hours:
April - September 8 a.m. until 8 p.m.
October - March 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.*
*Visitors wishing to stroll through the outdoor gardens after 4:00 p.m. may be directed to the turnstile at the side entrance. A sign will be placed at the front door stating how visitors should exit the gardens. Note: strollers and wheelchairs are unable to exit via the turnstile after garden hours due to size constraints.
Bolz Conservatory & Gift Shop Hours:
Open Year-round** 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
Sundays 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
**Admission to the Bolz Conservatory is $1 per person, children 5 and under are free. Wednesday and Saturday mornings, 10 a.m. - noon are free for everyone. Olbrich Botanical Society members have free entrance to the Conservatory.
Bug
Hotel
This simple, yet sturdy, insect observatory lets young entomologists check in guests, then check
'em out.
1. Use markers or poster paint to decorate the outside of
an oatmeal container, making sure you post the house rules!
2. Paint or draw the shutters, then use a craft knife (adults only) to cut them out with sideways H shapes.
3. Paint the door, then cut it out, making sure its bottom edge is at least 1/4 inch above the floor inside (to keep guests from checking out too early).
4. Roll a piece of screening so it rests snugly around the inside of the container. Trim so the top edge fits beneath the lid and leave a 1-inch overlap where the side edges meet.
Tips:
Be sure to provide guests with food (notice what they were eating when you found them) and water (a filled plastic bottle cap should meet their needs).
(Craft from familyfun.com)
Suggested Reading:"The Very Hungry Caterpillar" by Eric Carle (ages 1-4)
"The Bugliest Bug" by Carol Diggory Shields (ages 2-8)
"Bug Faces" by Darlyne A. Murawski (ages 4-8)
"Butterfly House" by Eve Bunting (age 4-8)
"insectlopedia" by Douglas Florian (ages 4-8)
"Butterfly Count" by Sneed Collard III (ages 4-8)
"Bug Girl (Companion To: Bug Boy)" by Carol Sonenklar (ages 6-12)
"Joyful Noise : Poems for Two Voices" by Paul Fleischman (ages 6-12)
