July
09
2010
HOMETOWNlife.com
By Aileen Wingblad
Some see them as creepy and crawly, weird and wiggly.
Maybe even kind of scary, or gross.
But for a group of youngsters at Willoway Day Camp in Milford, insects are just plain fun.
On July 2, 27 boys ages 6-8 were treated to a mini “bug rodeo” at the day camp, presented by entomologists — insect experts — from Rose Pest Solutions. Kicking off with some indoor instruction in the camp's nature room, the special program included jaunts through the woods and fields of Willoway, where the youngsters spent nearly two hours on the hunt for bugs, armed with nets and see-through plastic containers.
“I found a strange-looking larva,” said camper Owen Pittman, 6. “And I learned many animals can be unafraid of humans.”
Fellow camper Steven Elias said he was “just learning all about bugs.
“And mostly, I found out some beetles actually do bite,” he said, grinning.
Barb Craig of Rose Pest Solutions said her company has been offering the bug rodeo program for the past several years, though this was the first time they visited Willoway. The rodeo has a great track record of teaching youngsters about insects, she said.
“We try to educate the kids — and it's very interesting for them. They learn which are good pests, which aren't. Which ones you want around, and which ones you don't,” she said. “And it also teaches them respect for nature, and the fact that you don't want to kill all bugs.”
The entomologists not only helped the kids identify certain finds, they also showed the kids how to collect insects outdoors — and talked about the ones to avoid.
“For example, if they spot a bee out here, they aren't to try to catch it. This is all done with safety in mind,” Craig said.
Some specimens were placed in special jars with an insecticide so they could be preserved and mounted by the kids.
“We teach them how to properly kill the bugs and then how to carefully use tiny pins to attach them to a display board,” Craig said.
Lorraine Fisher, who owns Willoway with her husband, Arnold, said when she was first approached by Rose Pest Solutions about having the bug rodeo, she was a bit hesitant about it. She's now glad she decided to offer it to her campers — and said she'll do it again next summer if arrangements can be made.
“This is real learning, kids learning while having fun — or having fun while learning,” Fisher said.
Head camp counselor Sarah Piggott said the kids were geeked all week in anticipation of the bug rodeo.
“They love real life, hands-on things, learning by investigating. And this is the perfect opportunity to do that,” Piggott said.
During the bug hunt, the kids were surprised to discover a garter snake under the bark of a fallen log where they had been scouring for ants.
“I was told that the snake's eyes were cloudy, and it was shedding,” said camper Zachary Simon, 6. “And I know all insects have six legs and three body parts.”
Willoway is on Old Plank Road, just north of Pontiac Trail. Day camp programs are offered throughout the summer. For more information, call (248) 932-2123.
Story By: Aileen Wingblad
awingblad@gannett.com (248) 685-1507, Ext. 261
