Catching real bugs

     During the summer when the days last longer and the temperatures climb higher we will see more and more bugs. There are millions of them, flying, crawling, and climbing almost everywhere you look.

     This year, why not learn more about bugs and keep a summer bug journal?

     Here are some things that you might need:

• a notebook or notepad
• colored pencils
• a clean plastic jar with a tight-fitting lid
• a piece of cardboard
• a good insect reference book with lots of pictures

What to do:

     Look for bugs under leaves and rocks, in ditches, and around the bases of trees.  The safest way to catch bugs (because some bite or sting) is to place a jar over the bug you want to catch and then slip the cardboard underneath the jar and across the ground under the bug.

     Every time you find a new bug, draw a picture of it in your journal, tell where you found it, and describe what the bug was doing.  Try to use your identification book to find out what the bug's scientific name is.  Release each bug in the place where you found it after watching it for a while.