Welcome to Sarah's Science Scrapbook!
This past Saturday, we had a great time at the Bug of the Month club where we learned all about the Milkweed Bug.
The milkweed bug is a True Bug or Hemiptera (an order of insects composed of around 80,000 species). We learned the defining characteristics of the Hemiptera order (their distinct mouthpart and wings). We were fortunate to find that many of our milkweed beetles were in the process of creating the next generation of Milkweed bugs.
 | "Do you know what it's called when they are mating in a hiding spot? It's called eloping." |
We also learned about their life cycle. Milkweed bugs undergo gradual metamorphosis or incomplete metamorphosis, a characteristic of the Hemiptera order. Their young, called nymphs (pictured below) closely resemble the adult, except for the absence of wings, which they develop in the final transformation.
We also had fun setting up their habitats and learning about their diet. They are seed eaters. In the wild, they eat milkweed seeds, but in captivity, they will eat cracked, unsalted sunflower seeds. We got to take home sunflower seeds and milkweed seeds so we can plant out own (also a great Monarch Butterfly attractant).
We also watched a great video about True Bugs with John Acorn, a Canadian Entomologist; and we shared our stories of our own insect sightings. We heard of all kinds of experiences with unusual bugs.
 | "I befriended a moth." |
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Thanks for stopping by! Check back soon for updates from our year round programs.
Can't get enough of Sarah's Science? Check out our other year-round programs such as the Bug of the Month Club, Science Night, and Winter Camp.
For more information about This Land is Your Land summer day camp or other programs offered by Sarah's Science, or to enroll in sessions at San Ramon, Oakland, or Berkeley, please visit our web site or call our office at (510) 581-3739 or send us an email.
