I grew up terrified of bugs, and I stayed that way until I took an entomology class in college. We had to amass a proper bug collection by the end of the semester, and as I got to know the little critters who account for more than 10 quintillion heartbeats on this planet and came to understand the many ways in which they benefit us, I got a little less squeamish about them.

I decided early on that no child o’ mine was going to be afraid of bugs, so from the very start, I spent a lot of time with Ruby catching, observing, and admiring backyard bugs of all kinds.

Alas, it was all to no avail. The summer after she turned four, I had to warn any new neighbors that they were going to hear lots of of blood-curdling screams coming from the back yard in the summer, and please don’t call CPS — it’s just the kid getting within 10 feet of a grasshopper, ant, bee, spider, or cicada.

Maybe you’ll have better luck than I did getting your kids to appreciate creepy crawlies — and down the road, when a bug happens to crawl across your kid’s jacket, you won’t have to wash it before she’ll wear it again. 

Consider this your comprehensive guide to backyard bug hunting. Here, I cover where to find bugs in the back yard and how to catch and identify them — plus a bunch of engaging bug hunting activities to get the kids super excited about their six-legged, eight-legged, and 100-legged buddies. 

Where to hunt for common bugs in the back yard

Whether you’re outside hunting for bugs to catch or simply observing them from a distance, you can find countless species and have awesome conversations with your kids about their habits and habitats, behaviors and body parts, and lore and life cycles.

Here are some of the most common backyard bugs you're likely to encounter, where you’re most likely to find them, and my top recommendations for kid-centered, activity-packed online and print resources on each insect. I recommend bug books based on substance, ratings, and value. I only recommend online resources that are free, reputable, informative, and don’t spam you with a billion ads and flashing pop-ups.

Ants

These social insects are members of the order Hymenoptera and live in underground nests, trees or sheltered locations like under rocks or inside dead wood — you’ll find them pretty much everywhere if you look closely enough! Different ant species favor different foods, but most ants can’t resist crumbs and sugary spills — hence their iconic association with picnics!

Learn more about ants:

On the web: Explore Ants, Pest World for Kids

In a book: Ants for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to Queens, Drones, and the Hidden World of Ants by Beverly Gerdeman, PhD (4.7/5 stars)

Bees

Like ants, bees belong to the order Hymenoptera — and also like ants, bees are social creatures. These important pollinators are attracted to flowering plants, especially those with bright colors and nectar-rich blooms. Watching them pollinate the garden is fascinating — the more bees you see, the more likely your garden will positively thrive all summer long.

Bees often build hives in sheltered areas like hollow trees or abandoned structures. If you encounter a beehive and can safely leave it where it is, take the opportunity to observe it throughout the season. If you find a bee hive and need to have it moved, contact a beekeeper in your area, or find a pest management company to come and relocate it.

Bees will only sting if they feel threatened, so teach your kids to be calm and gentle around these creatures. Although bee stings are incredibly painful (I can’t count how many times I’ve been stung!), they’re harmless for most people but can be extremely dangerous for those who are allergic.

Learn more about bees:

On the web: Bee Facts for Kids, Pest World for Kids

In a book: Turn This Book Into a Beehive!: And 19 Other Experiments & Activities That Explore the World of Bees by Lynn Brunelle, 4.7/5 stars

Beetles

This diverse group of insects belongs to the order Coleoptera. Beetles come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. You’ll know a beetle by its tough body and two pairs of wings — one pair is very hard and protects the second pair underneath. Some beetles are beautiful, like the garden-loving ladybug and the iridescent green, garden-destroying Japanese beetle. In the back yard, look for long, brown soldier beetles feeding on nectar-rich plants — these guys are important pollinators — and large, black ground beetles resting under rotting logs or foraging on the ground at night.

Learn more about beetles:

On the web: BioKids Critter Catalog: Coleoptera (Beetles), University of Michigan

In a book: Bonkers About Beetles by Owen Davey, 4.9/5 stars

Butterflies and moths

Butterflies and moths belong to the order Lepidoptera. These winged creatures range widely in size, color, and habitats. Moths and butterflies go through a complete metamorphosis during their life cycle: Female moths and butterflies lay eggs, which hatch with caterpillars. The caterpillars eat and grow, then transform into a pupa — either in a cocoon or as a chrysalis. The pupa completes the cycle as it transforms and re-emerges as an adult moth or butterfly.

Catching and observing butterflies is an age-old tradition — it’s fun for kids to watch them pollinate and learn to identify different species. Moths aren’t quite as exciting, since they’re generally not very pretty (sorry, moths!) and are most active at night.

Learn more about butterflies and moths:

On the web: BioKids Critter Catalog: Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera), University of Michigan

In a book: Butterflies for Kids: A Junior Scientist’s Guide to the Butterfly Life Cycle and Beautiful Species to Discover by Lauren Davidson (4.8/5 stars)

Cicadas

These large, noisy insects belong to the order Hemiptera and emerge from the ground in large numbers every 13 or 17 years, depending on the species. Both 13- and 17-year broods are emerging this spring (2024), so some U.S. regions will be positively inundated with them! The cicada’s loud buzzing song is the quintessential soundtrack of deep summertime in many areas. While cicadas are harmless to humans — they don’t bite or sting — they’re freaking huge, and their hard bodies and noisy wings can definitely freak a body out. When they molt, you’ll find their cast skins attached to trees or lying on the ground beneath them — my kid used to collect them:

Enjoy this video of a cicada molting:

Learn more about cicadas:

On the web: National Geographic: Cicadas

In a book: The Cicada Olympics: Engaging Kids in Live Insect Activities by Cindy Smith, PhD & Richard Groover, PhD, 5/5 stars

In the news: A Double Emergence of Periodical Cicadas Isn’t Cicada-geddon—It’s a Marvel, Scientific American — March, 2024

Stink bugs

As their name suggests, stink bugs emit a lingering, stinky smell when they feel threatened — they’re the skunks of bugs! They belong to the order Hemiptera — same as the cicada — but they’re considered an invasive species, and too many of them can do a number on your garden. If you have them, you’ll find them on the leaves, stems, and fruits of plants.

Learn more about stink bugs:

On the web: Stink Bugs

In a book: Stink Bugs by Mari Schuh (4.7/5 stars)

Pillbugs

Also known as roly-polys, pillbugs aren’t insects, but rather belong to the Crustacean class. Pillbugs curl up into a hard, tight ball when they feel threatened. They are detritus feeders, which means they eat decaying organic matter and can be found in dark, moist environments like under rocks, mulch, or leaf litter. These weird, prehistoric-looking bugs are harmless, so let the kids touch them or pick them up to examine them on their bug hunt.

Learn more about pillbugs:

On the web: Wonders of Wildlife: Pillbug, Alabama Wildlife Federation

In a book: The Next Time You See a Pillbug by Emily Morgan (4.7/5 stars)

Praying mantises

These bizarre, alien-looking insects belong to the order Mantodea and ambush predators with long, grasping front legs. They wait patiently for prey like flies, grasshoppers, and caterpillars to come close before snatching them up with their powerful legs. Look for praying mantises perched on plants or fences, blending in with the foliage. I often find preying mantises on the back door window at night, and last year, baby mantises seemed to be attracted to my computer screen at night!

Learn more about praying mantises:

On the web: Praying Mantis, National Geographic Kids

In a book: Praying Mantises by Lisa J. Amstutz (4.7/5 stars)

Spiders

These fascinating creatures aren’t insects — they belong to the Arachnida class, not the Insecta class. Garden spiders (aka writing spiders or corn spiders) are found almost everywhere across North America. They’re beneficial for the garden and harmless to humans, although they will bite if provoked, and it might sting a smidge. As members of the orb weaver family, garden spiders are responsible for the classic round spider web, which, itself, is a work of art. They like to build their webs close to houses or other structures, and they’ll live there for the entire season. Finding an orb web presents a great opportunity to observe a spider over time. Give her a name, maybe even set up a camera to catch all of the action on your device!

Learn more about spiders:

On the web: Spiders Commonly Found in Gardens and Yards, Portland State University

In a book: National Geographic Kids: Spiders, by Laura Marsh (4.8/5 stars)

Grasshoppers, katydids, and crickets

These jumping insects belong to the order Orthoptera. Although they have wings, most species don’t fly. They’re harmless to humans and fun to try and catch by hand or with a net. These insects have the ability to make sounds by rubbing one of their legs or wings against another leg or wing. Katydids are often seen in trees and leafy plants, while crickets and grasshoppers usually stick to the lawn turf or tall grass. You’ll often find lots of crickets chilling under a dead log or other, dark, damp spot. These jumpers are most active during the day, but they’re especially noisy at night.

Learn more about jumping insects:

On the web: Orthoptera Facts for Kids, Kiddle

In a book:

Grasshoppers! by Hope Aicher (5/5 stars)

Katydid by Mike Shoulders (5/5 stars)

Crickets by Ashley Gish (4/5 stars)

Centipedes and Millipedes

Centipedes and millipedes have a lot in common — and like spiders and pillbugs, they aren’t technically insects. They both belong to the subphylum Myriapoda, but they belong to different classes. Both have lots and lots of legs, segmented bodies, and external skeletons. Both prefer a moist environment and are most active at night. Centipedes (class Chilopoda) have flat bodies and one pair of legs on each body segment, plus one pair that trails behind them. Millipedes (class Diplopoda) have rounded bodies and two pairs of legs per body segment. You’ll find centipedes and millipedes under rocks, logs, or in mulch. 

Learn more about centipedes and millipedes:

On the web:

Centipede Facts for Kids, Kiddle

Millipede Facts for Kids, Kiddle

In a book: Centipedes and Millipedes (What Lives in the Dirt?) by Susie Williams, illustrated by Hannah Tolson (4.6/5 stars)

How to catch bugs

Bug hunting is a fun and interesting way to explore nature with your kids, and it’s a perfect opportunity to model gentleness and respect for other living things — even creepy, weird looking bugs!

If you want to catch bugs so that you can observe them more closely, create a temporary habitat for them. Find a wide-mouthed jar, add a little dirt and some plants, and poke plenty of air holes in the lid (or cover it with cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band.)

To catch flying insects like butterflies and moths, you need a bug net (see my recommendations below!) Show your kids how to be gentle with winged bugs — some are pretty fragile. Here’s how to catch them:

• Go slow:  Butterflies and moths are sensitive to movement and will skedaddle at the first sign of danger. Move slowly and quietly towards your target — approach it from behind if possible.

• Swoop in:  Once you're within easy reach, swiftly but gently scoop at it with your bug net. You’ll have better luck if you swoop in from the side or from slightly above the bug. Try to catch it in the deepest part of the net.

• Secure the bug:  Once the bug is in the net, quickly and gently twist the net closed to prevent escape. Twist as close to the net opening as possible so you don’t damage the insect’s wings.

• Transfer to the jar: Position the net over the opening of the jar or other container, and untwist it just enough to let the bug fly into the jar. Have the lid ready — pop it on fast! 

To catch crawling insects, use large leaves, a jar, or a scoop-type bug catcher (my recs below!) to gently scoop them up. Sometimes, if the bug is cooperative, it will willingly climb on the leaf or scoop. Other times, you’ll have to be faster than the bug and swoop it up and into the jar quickly, before it gets away. 

To catch an insect that’s just sitting around on a leaf, stick, or rock and doesn't seem inclined to run away, just pick up its perch and place it in the jar with the insect still attached, minding its own biz.

When you’re done observing the insects you’ve caught, release them back into their natural habitat as close as possible to where you found them. 

Fun tools for the backyard bug hunt

Quietly observing insects is a great way for your kids to get to know them up close and personal, and it can lead to a passion for insect collecting down the road.

If your bug lover wants to get a closer look at these little wonders, all you really need is a bug catching net and assorted jars with holes poked in the lids. But if you like to do things up fancy, here are a few bug catching tools you can find on Amazon. My recommendations are based on high ratings, great customer reviews, and a reasonable price tag. 

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, which helps offset the time it takes to slog through so many options and find the best ones so you don’t have to! So, thank you! And, you’re welcome!

Bug nets

A bug net is a must for catching flying insects. When it’s not in use catching bugs, you can use it to skim debris out of the kiddie pool — and it comes in handy for getting a bat or hummingbird out of your house with as little fanfare as possible. Here are two bug catching nets that have high ratings and great reviews.

RESTCLOUD Foldable Pocket Butterfly Net

This sturdy aluminum and polyester bug net features a wide 12” ring that makes it easier to collect flying insects. The bag is 27” deep and made of very fine mesh — even the tiniest flying bugs can’t escape. The detachable push-fit handle extends to 36”, and the net ring is easy to collapse and fold for storage in a pocket or backpack. 4.4/5 stars, 33+ ratings.

RESTCLOUD Insect and Butterfly Net

A great option for large flying insects — or little kids who haven’t yet developed their aim — this polyester and steel butterfly net features a generous 16” ring and 36” net depth. The lockable stainless steel handle telescopes to 59”, and the whole shebang comes apart for easy storage and quick assembly. 4.5/5 stars, 5,475+ ratings.

Magnifying glasses

A magnifying glass provides eons of fun for kids, no matter what they’re looking at through it. Magnifiers are particularly useful in bug hunting — since some insects are so small, they make it easier to see the finer details that make bugs so cool.

Melissa & Doug Snake 2x Magnifying Glass

This darlin’ snake-shaped magnifying glass is made with shatterproof glass, it’s super-durable and easy to grasp. Its 3” lens magnifies insects 2x. 4.7/5 stars, 2,087 ratings.

Get Out! 6-Pack Shatterproof 3.5x Magnifying Glasses

Got a gaggle of bug hunters? Here’s a six-pack of magnifying glasses with 3.5x magnification. They come in 6 bright colors and feature a storage caddy. The 3” lens is shatterproof, and the heavy-duty plastic construction is super durable. 4.8/5 stars, 340 ratings.

Carson BigEye 2x Magnifier

This oversized magnifying glass features an extra-wide 5” lens with 2x magnification. Its lightweight construction features scratch-resistant glass and an acrylic handle. 4.4/5 stars, 450+ ratings.

Leffis 3-Pack Non-Slip 10x Magnifying Glasses

These extra-durable magnifying glasses feature anti-scratch and anti-glare properties and have a whopping 10x magnification power. The handles are made of non-slip rubber for a sturdy grasp and come in three colors: green, yellow, and orange. 4.6/5 stars, 2,632+ ratings.

Bug Viewers 

All you really need is a Mason jar to examine the insects you catch, but these bug viewers have built-in magnifying glasses, and they’re slightly more fun than jars.

Zomiboo 3-Pack Bug Magnifier Jars

These small magnifier jars are 3.15” tall and 2.7” wide and are made of break-resistant, high-transparency plastic. The jars feature a main magnifying lid that easily pops on and off and provides 6x magnification. Attached to the main lid is a fold-down magnifying glass with 3x magnification to help you get an even better look at what you caught. Air holes around the lid provide your bugs with ample oxygen until it’s time to send them back to their natural habitat. 4.3/5 stars, 72 ratings.

Carson BugView Bug Catching Tool & Magnifier

This clever bug catching tool and viewer is easy to use: Slide the bottom of the trap open with your thumb, place the tool over the bug, slide the bottom closed, and voila! The bug is nabbed! Inspect it as long as you like through the 5x power, crystal-clear acrylic lens. When you’re done looking, slide the bottom open, and put the bug right back where you found it! 4.6/5 stars, 4,984+ ratings.

Bug catcher kits

Bug catching kits are fun, but you don’t need to buy one to enjoy bug hunting to the fullest. Clear glass jars or acrylic storage bins work great as temporary observation habitats, and the kids can even decorate them with signs or pictures. If you go the DIY habitat route, make sure the bugs have ample air coming in. These bug catching kits are positively adorbs, have high ratings, and make great gifts for young bug hunting enthusiasts.

B. Toys Bug Bungalow

This adorable bug catcher kit features a wire mesh “bug bungalow” with a sturdy carrying handle and a swivel door that doubles as a magnifying glass so you can peek in and see all the glorious details on your bugs. This kit comes with a handheld magnifying glass, a bug catching container with a magnifying lid, and a pair of tweezers to safely handle bugs without harming them. 4.8/5 stars, 3,240+ ratings.

National Geographic Bug Catcher Kit

This sweet Nat Geo bug catching kit comes with a handheld, scissors-style bug catcher, a small bug net, a pair of tweezers, a learning guide, and a spacious, crystal-clear habitat with a sturdy carrying handle. The easy-open lid features two built-in magnifying glasses: A large, stationary magnifier lets kids watch the bugs up close, while a smaller magnifying glass features an adjustable zoom and 360-degree rotation so they can follow the bugs around and get an eyeful of the action!     4.8/5 stars, 230+ ratings.

Nature Bound Bug Vacuum with Light-Up Habitat Case

This cool vacuum bug-catcher kit includes a bug vacuum with a built-in LED laser light that makes it easy to see bugs in dark places — or at night. The light-up habitat case comes with batteries and a sturdy handle for little kids who want to tote their new friends everywhere they go. Both the vacuum and the habitat feature built-in magnifiers so you can get a good close-up view of the bugs in all their glory. 4.5/5 stars, 1,916+ ratings.

Books about bugs

Books about bugs help kids identify common insects they’ll find in the back yard. All three of these highly rated bug books are written by entomologists and packed with full-color photographs and tons of bug facts.

The Backyard Bug Book for Kids

This cute, informative book on bugs is perfect for younger children. Written by an entomologist, The Backyard Bug Book for Kids features colorful photographs and cool facts about the most common bugs in the back yard, plus lots of on-the-page activities to reinforce what they’ve learned. Ages 3 to 5. 4.7/5 stars, 13,121+ ratings.

Ultimate Bugopedia: The Most Complete Bug Reference Ever

It’s National Geographic, so you know it’s good stuff! The Ultimate Bugopedia serves as a reference for identifying the bugs you find in the back yard — and learning their scientific name, size, diet, and habitat, along with plenty of weird and wacky bug facts. This big book of bugs features stunning photography, of course, and it includes a fascinating section on prehistoric insects. Ages 4 to 8. 4.9/5 stars, 3,472+ ratings.

Insects & Bugs Backyard Workbook

Written by an entomologist and professional photographer, the Insects & Bugs Backyard Workbook offers interactive lessons on insect anatomy and life cycles. This book about bugs packed with activities that help kids observe insects and make hypotheses, and it contains 19 science projects, including raising caterpillars and collecting information to help real-life scientists learn more about backyard bugs. Ages 6 to 12. 4.8/5 stars, 13+ ratings.

Bug Hunt: What Will You Find?

This hands-on book is rife with beautiful illustrations. Bug Hunt: What Will You Find? is part of the wildly popular Backpack Explorer series and features 12 interactive field guides to help bug hunters identify common insects. Educational activities abound, including scavenger hunts, art projects, and games. The book comes with a magnifying glass, stickers, and a log for recording bug sightings. Ages 4 to 8. 4.9/5 stars, 343+ ratings

Bug identifier apps 

A bug identifier app makes quick and easy work of identifying your backyard bugs. Here are two apps to identify bugs, both with high ratings and scores of downloads. Both are free, with in-app subscription purchases available. Even without the subscription, users say the popups are minimal and easy to close out of.

For Android: Picture Insect: Bug Identifier 

4.3/5 stars, 1M+ downloads

This bug identifier app is easy to use — take (or upload) a bug photo, and the app will tell you its scientific and common names, give you information about size and coloring, and provide pics for positive ID-ing. It alerts you to stinging insects or those that can trigger allergies in humans or pets. It’ll even take a picture of an insect bite and take a guess as to what bit you.

For IOS: Picture Insect: Spiders & Bugs

4.6/5 stars, 29.7K ratings

Open this bug identifier app on your phone or iPad, take a picture of the bug, and get an instant match from a database of more than 4,000 insect species, along with images and information about the bug. The app keeps track of your “personal collection” and can help you identify bug bites. If it identifies a bug that’s considered a pest, it’ll give you tips on how to control its populations.

Bug-catching activities

Bug hunting can be as organized and elaborate or as fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants as you wish. Here are a bunch of bug catching activities for bug lovers of all ages and abilities. 

Play bug hunt bingo

A bingo game is a fun way to encourage observation and identification skills. Create a bingo card with pictures of common backyard bugs like ladybugs, butterflies, red ants, spiders, and beetles. When players spot a bug on their card, they mark it off. This game can be competitive (the first person to get a BINGO wins) or it can be just for fun, to see how many bugs you can spot during an afternoon bug hunt. 

Play naturalist explorer

Arm the kids with a notebook and pencil, and send them out on a bug hunt with a magnifying glass, bug net, bug jar, and an insect identification guide or app. As they observe each insect, have them draw or describe it in their notebook and use the insect field guide or app to identify it. Have them label the body parts (abdomen, wings, etc.) and record where they found the bug — in the woodpile, on a leaf, under a brick. If your kid is particularly artistic, send them out with a sketchbook and colored pencils to draw what they find. 

Plant a pollinator garden

Butterflies, bees, and other pollinators love brightly colored, nectar-rich flowers like marigolds, zinnias, sunflowers, and lavender. A pollinator garden packed with these and other flowers will attract a wide range of insects to enjoy and observe. Planting a pollinator garden is a great opportunity to introduce your kids to gardening — and it yields lots of blooms for bouquets they can put together for the flower lovers in their life. Pick up plants or packets of flower seeds from your local garden center, or try a pollinator garden seed starter kit (4.6/5 stars) that has everything you need to grow beautiful blooms befitting your backyard bees and butterflies.

Raise butterflies from caterpillars

What better way to introduce your kids to the life cycle of a butterfly than with a butterfly habitat kit? This awesome butterfly farm comes with everything you need to raise a kaleidoscope of butterflies (yes, that’s the proper term for a group of butterflies!) — including five live baby caterpillars, all the food they need to fuel their metamorphosis, and a pop-up habitat with a clear panel for prime viewing. An observation journal offers info and activities to help kids get as much as possible from the experience of butterfly farming. 4.6/5 stars, 22,902 ratings. Small business.

Collect backyard bug cards

These sturdy insect flash cards document 101 of the most common bugs in North America, complete with full-color photos and information about the species, along with weird bug facts and cool bug-related activities to try. Ages 8 to 12, 4.8/5 stars, 99+ ratings. 

You can use these flash cards in a variety of ways:

• As you observe bugs in the back yard, pull the corresponding card to identify and learn about each insect. At the end of the bug hunt, lay out the cards, and see how many ways you can categorize them — by family, by color, winged or not, pollinators vs. non-pollinators, and so on. If your kid is a categorizer, they’ll love this activity!

• Have a bug catching contest, except instead of catching the bugs, the kid who identifies a bug first gets that bug’s card. Whoever has the most cards after the bug hunt wins!

• Pull out the cards of insects you know the kids will find in your yard if they look hard enough. Send the kids off on their bug hunt with the cards and a camera. Whenever they find an insect, they’ll photograph it next to the appropriate card. As they find each bug, they can return the card safely to the pack. 

Observe the ants

Ants are some of the most fascinating social insects on the planet, and they’re literally everywhere. Grab a magnifying glass, and look for an anthill — or an army of ants marching in single file across the sidewalk or up the side of a tree. Note the different types of ants, and observe how they communicate with each other using their antennae and how they work together to bring food into the colony. 

Want to really see ants in action? Sprinkle a trail of sugar or breadcrumbs leading from their anthill to a small dish of water. Watch as they follow the trail, carrying food back to the colony. You can even time them to see how long it takes them to complete the journey! Something my kid and I did a few times one summer when she was pretty young was set the last bite of her popsicle on the concrete patio and check on it every 15 minutes to see how many ants had joined the party. We clocked it on a graph (because graphs are fun!) — and while she now hates ants, she does love a graph.

Here are a couple of other ant activities your kids might enjoy:

Start an ant farm

If you never had an ant farm when you were a kid, it’s time to remedy that. Ant farms are fascinating — they give us a front-row seat to the hidden lives of ants. Watch them dig tunnels, build rooms, and transport food. This cool castle-themed ant farm is spacious and comes with the sand, a dropper for feeding, a funnel, a magnifier, tweezers, water tower, and food container (plus some ant home decor). Ants aren’t included, but you can either buy them from a reputable source — or go outside and catch your own. 4.6/5 stars, 49+ ratings. Small business.

Host an ant maze race

Did you know that if you draw a circle with a ballpoint pen around an ant, the ant won’t cross the boundary? It’s true — the ink in the pen jacks up the ant’s sense of smell so they don’t know where to go. Check out this TikTok to see it in action!

Your kids can use this strange phenomenon to create an epic ant maze: Get a large piece of paper or cardboard, and draw a maze. Soak a cotton ball in sugar water (or break off a piece of popsicle) and place it at the end of the maze. Release a few ants at the maze entrance, and see which one reaches the end first! 

Alternatively, create two or more identical mazes, and have the kids source their own ants for an epic race. You can even have trophies or prizes for the winners. 

Listen to bug sounds

The three nocturnal insects responsible for filling your back yard with bug sounds at night are cicadas, crickets, and katydids. Cicadas have sound organs called tymbals, which create clicking noises. When a whole landscape full of cicadas are singing, they make a loud, continuous buzzing sound that rises and falls — and then stops, all at once. Grasshoppers and katydids make sounds by rubbing one body part against another — grasshoppers rub a hind leg against a forewing, and katydids rub their forewings together.

As dusk falls, head outside to sit quietly and enjoy the sounds of bugs. Turn off the outdoor lights, and snuggle up on a blanket in the middle of the yard or sit around the fire pit, and just listen. Ask the kids how many bugs they suppose are making all that noise. See if you can figure out where the closest bug sounds are coming from. Notice how one insect stops and another starts singing. 

Happy bug hunting!

Do you have any bug hunt ideas or stories you’d like to share? Lay it on us in the comments!