Insects are the perfect choice for a kids’ outing. They catch the imagination, and a big part of the fun is looking for them.

Thanks to the warmer weather, they were not difficult to find, and even on the verges of the road they were plentiful. The praying mantises we found were of particular interest to the children, and they were an excellent way to explain the art of camouflage.

A wide variety of ants were found, demonstrating just how many different types of ants there are. In other words, an ant is not just an ant! Sulize explained their social structures, using the soldier ants, with their large mandibles, as an example.

A host of other insects were found, examined and admired, and then it was back to ‘Base Camp’ for food and even more fun.

In fact, food became part of the fun, since one of the activities was an edible life cycle, which predictably went down well. Insect wings were looked at under the microscope, and their colours and structure examined up close, leaving everyone in awe of nature’s beauty and amazing adaptability.

Finally, they made insects from recyclable materials, which encouraged them to really think about the different parts of an insect.

A lot was packed into this particular morning, but we have no doubt the children went home happy and with a lot to think about!