By Laura Wingfield
Bugs suck.
No, really. The difference between a true bug and any other insect lies in its mouth: Insects can chomp or chew, but only bugs have sucking mouthparts, called proboscises, designed for slurping up nectar from yummy plants. Whether you call them bugs, insects or creepy-crawlies, they are vital to our NoVA environment because of their role in the pollination process. No wonder the president gets so excited about bees.
Your child can learn facts about bugs and other local fauna this summer through these seven interactive programs focused on our approximately six-legged friends. Don’t worry, no new pets will go home in pockets (although we can’t make any promises).
Busy, Buzzing Bees
June 12, 10:30-11:30 a.m., 4-5 p.m.; June 13, 10:30-11:30 a.m. // This Friday and Saturday, visit Long Branch Nature Center and discover that there are more to bees than their stingers. Learn about NoVA’s honeybee population, how they make their delicious honey and how to preserve their habitats. Event is for children ages 3 to 5. Children must be accompanied by an adult. // Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park: 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington; $5 registration
Life Under Logs Campfire
June 12, 7-8 p.m. // Bring the whole family around the campfire at Gulf Branch Nature Center this Friday night and learn all about the critters that live under the logs you’re sitting on. If bugs are not your forte, don’t worry—there will be s’mores. Event is for all ages. Children must be accompanied by an adult. // Gulf Branch Nature Center: 3608 Military Road, Arlington; $5 registration
Snake, Turtle and Toad Feeding
June 21, 1:30-2:30 p.m. // If you prefer creepy-crawlies of the reptile and amphibian variety or just want the opportunity to get up close and personal with some local species, this class is for you. Join the animal caretaker staff at Hidden Oaks Nature Center in feeding a snake, two turtles and a toad while learning how to identify the many animals that inhabit NoVA’s parks. Event is for ages 4 and up. Children must be accompanied by an adult. // Hidden Oaks Nature Center: 7701 Royce St., Annandale; $5 in county, $7 out of county
Cool Creek Critters
June 28, 3-4 p.m. // Take a dip in Lubber Run and you might just come across some cool creek critters. This program takes kids out to the creek’s waterfalls to search for water striders, small minnow mayflies and aquatic worms. While exploring, they may see crawfish, snails or even a northern water snake. Event is for ages 5 to 9. Children 7 and under must be accompanied by an adult. // Lubber Run Park: 200 N. Columbus St., Arlington; $5 registration
7th Annual Firefly Festival
June 28, 7:30-9:30 p.m. // Take a night to enjoy the twinkling of NoVA’s lightning bugs at Fort C.F. Smith Park this summer. The 7th Annual Firefly Festival includes games, crafts, evening walks and plenty of firefly facts, as well as the requisite bug hunt. Park staff recommend bringing a picnic dinner for the family. Festival is for all ages. // Fort C.F. Smith Park: 2411 24th St. N., Arlington; $7 registration
Bug Safari
July 15, 10:30-11:30 a.m. // Kids will learn to identify local species of bugs and more at Long Branch Nature Center’s Bug Safari. Children will have the opportunity to catch, observe and, of course, release all the insects and arachnids they can find, from butterflies to beetles to centipedes. Safari is for ages 6 to 10. // Long Branch Nature Center at Glencarlyn Park: 625 S. Carlin Springs Road, Arlington; $5 registration
Dragons and Damsels at the Pond
July 15, 7-8 p.m. // Dragonflies and damselflies have notoriously short life spans, but mid-July is an excellent time to see them hovering about Walney Pond. Bring the whole family to Ellanor C. Lawrence Park on July 15 to learn the difference between dragons and damsels, two often-confused suborders, as well as facts about their life cycles as they fill the evening with a pleasant hum. Event is for ages 2 and up. // Ellanor C. Lawrence Park: 5040 Walney Road, Chantilly; $5 in county, $7 out of county
