Thirty-six hikers headed out on a portion of Lapham Peak's Ice Age Trail in search of bugs. We found so much more. With this Tyke Hike focusing on on the importance of insects in nature, I was happy to see many ready and willing hikers light up when I mentioned we might get dirty in our quest to find our little six-legged friends.
As we trekked the trail, we discussed some of the hikers' favorite animals and the fact that we could add up all the animals in the world besides insects and there would still be more insects. We discussed how insects can be found anywhere and also brainstormed why insects are good for nature, even if they can be annoying and pesty at times.
We stopped to find tiny frogs and daddy long legs spiders even though they aren't insects. Nature doesn't always follow the plan. :) We did however stop off at a little meadow and find various beetles. We discussed gall flies, spittlebugs, and even found real life examples of each.
Once we got a bit deeper into the woods, we found a good stopping point where I performed a Head, Thorax, Abdomen song and dance and encouraged the hikers to join in. Then after a few renditions of this song, it was time for a bug hunt. We searched under near logs, leaves and rocks and found all sorts of things from spiders, eggs, and worms. We then headed back to the starting point to get hands on experiences with some insects and hear stories for our librarian representative.
In two weeks, Tyke Hikes crosses the county line for an excursion at beautiful Pike Lake. Hope to see you there!
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