Parent Portal
This summer, get outside and explore all of the bugs in your backyard and local park with Ms. M’s all-ages Summer of Bugs Nature Challenge! Use your observational skills to seek out bugs that live in the meadows, streams, and ponds near you. Ms. M held a workshop to kick off the challenge this week, which you can watch below to learn more about the bugs you can find in different habitats near you (including tips on where to go in our area), how to safely catch, identify, and release them, and how to participate in the challenge.
Ms. Ms has created a series of videos to help you explore different habitats, too. Click here to watch them on YouTube!
Click here to download Ms. M’s Summer of Bugs Results sheet to keep track of the bugs you find. Willow families, make sure you submit your results to Ms. M by August 21. Ms. M will host an awards ceremony to celebrate all that you discovered this summer before we return to school!
Summer of Bugs Resources
Use these additional links from Ms. M’s presentation to help you explore and identify bugs:
- iNaturalist: Identify bugs and share what you find with scientists
- Identify the butterflies you find
- Identify ladybugs and participate in the Lost Ladybug Project
- Identify macroinvertebrates in your local stream
- Identifying New Jersey moths
- Make a pitfall trap to gently catch and observe bugs
Bugs are so cool! Check out these great resources that will help you learn more about the bugs around you, including some fun activities you can do at home to help the bugs in your yard:
- Learn more about cicadas
- Learn more about the praying mantis
- Bug helper idea: Make a butterfly puddle
- Bug helper idea: Build a bug hotel
- Learn more about luna moths
- Learn more about lightning bugs
- Fun bug activity: Bug symmetry drawings
If you have any questions, just reach out to Ms. M. She would love to hear about your discoveries!
