Bug Camp Session 2--Day 1
This week’s session included Chloe Beradino and Byrd Fickling. The weather was fabulous--so fabulous that a cicada nymph decided to hatch on the sidewalk right outside of my front door so we spent some time watching its marvelous transformation.
Poor Dr. Phillips didn’t have any hair to offer the katydid!
9:00 a.m.
Cicada Nymph still in its pupal shell
11:00 a.m.
Adult Cicada after it emerged
Then, our caterpillar from Bug Camp Session 1 decided to hatch from its chrysalis. What we thought was a Viceroy was in fact a Red Spotted Purple!
Next, we shared Chloe’s “Show and Tell” critter....a robust female katydid.
Our katydid spent more time ON the microscope than UNDER the microscope!
All of this BEFORE we even stepped out of the front door! We left around 9:30 for the Rappahannock River Trail and discovered lots of interesting insects!
Byrd enjoys the feel of a butterfly as it grips onto her nose!
Byrd discovered that Katydids like to munch on hair!
Red Spotted Purple Caterpillar
Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Red Spotted Purple, adult
Limenitis arthemis astyanax
Chloe held the newly hatched butterfly before releasing it outside!
Pterophylla camellifolia
Click Button To Hear Cicada Song!!
Click Button To Hear Katydid Song!
Field Crescent
Phyciodes campestris
Skipper Butterfly
Hespiridae family
Female Carpenter Bee
Genus Xylocopa
Hawk Moth
Family Sphingidae
Bug Camp Session 2--Day 2
Okay..yesterday’s weather jinxed us.....today’s weather was muggy and incredibly hot....reaching 101 degrees. Naturally, we started inside with a review of our collections. Chloe’s sister Claire and her brother Jack joined in the fun! Byrd’s grandmom made us a special breakfast bread which we shared around the bug table.
Jack got some help from his Mom in learning how to look through the stereoscope!
We looked at a really interesting long horned beetle who moved VERY quickly!
We also took a peek at my Pink Zebra Beauty Tarantula. The “penny” shows you how big she is. NO--we did not take her out!!!
I also shared some of my beetles I purchased online from an insect dealer. Again, the “dime” shows you just how big they are!
Byrd practiced her microscope skills--she will need them because she is now a “junior Bug Camp Counselor!!”
We spent the remainder of the afternoon at Alum Springs Park. Here, Byrd teaches Claire how to stalk a butterfly!
Nothing quite like a little girl in SANDALS on the creek bank yelling SNAAAAAAAAAKE!!!!!! Chloe did find this lovely Watersnake....I chased it in the water for a while but was unsuccessful at catching the poor thing. I was DRENCHED in sweat when I finished! This was a BUG CAMP FIRST!!
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, WE ACTUALLY CAME TO A FORK IN THE ROAD.....the path had two choices...left and right...the fork and the tree were right in the middle. We chose the “right” path and wound up finding a big surprise........
Claire and Chloe, decked out in perfect pink and green summer attire.....
....and Byrd, who coined the fashion statement, FUNKY GIRL--was just toooooo cool for words!!
As the old saying goes, “Birds of a Feather Stick Together”
Byrd’s style reflects a slightly different feather.......
Fabric Design Logo
Original Artwork of Byrd Fickling, 2012
