For the Kids

A couple of kids came into my office yesterday morning to report a dead bird they had found. After identifying it as a sparrow, the kids gave it a decent burial in the school garden. A short while later, they came back with a beautiful Jerusalem cricket. We took a walk together around the school yard and found several more interesting bugs, including the sow bug above being held by Cheyla. Will post the rest of the photos later this morning. Great to spend time with budding naturalists.
I'm back. From the top - the great bug the kids brought to me on a platter is a Jerusalem Cricket, which they know as Potato Bug. The latter name is used for quite a few unrelated insects around the country although it's the most common name for this bug around Quincy.
The one in the above photo is alive and well, and we returned her to a suitable habitat - damp, with soft soil. They live most of their lives underground. Harmless, although, to some, frightening looking.
Next photo down is the sparrow. I photographed it just before the kids buried it. No apparent injuries, but I suspect it flew into a window. It was found on the sidewalk adjacent to the school building.
Next, a small nest of termites in the ground beneath a pine round that we tipped over. I say small. It could well have been a huge nest below the small opening. We didn't dig to find out. Maybe we will on another day.
The earwig in the next photo is one of my favorite bugs. I can't get over how they give many people the creeps. When you "google" such a critter, you bring up lots of websites for exterminators. Their language often feeds the outrageous stereotypes and leads to the poisoning of many harmless and/or helpful insect, not to mention the occasional tragic poisoning of a child.
Next, a small spider that stood still long enough for a photo on the bottom of a log we tipped over. And, finally, the sow bug on Shayla's hand. Sow bugs and pill bugs are both called roly-polies by most people. They are different. The former cannot roll up completely into a sphere with no legs or antennae showing while the pill bugs can. They are interesting for kids to study in a terrarium, and are usually always harmless. They, too, are often described in horrific terms on exterminators' web pages. I try to teach kids to appreciate bugs and not to fear handling them.