Children can follow this handy guide to explore the world of bugs around them

Summer holidays are ideal to acquaint your children with nature. Naturalist Dr V Shubhalaxmi suggests they begin with the macro world. Here’s a handy guide to discover this fascinating world around us

Celebrities keep posting ‘What’s in my bag’ videos all the time on social media. As a naturalist who is currently surveying insect population in Etapalli, Gadchiroli, I thought why not show people what’s inside an insect explorer’s bag,” shares Dr V Shubhalaxmi, founder, Ladybird Environmental Consulting. In Shubhalaxmi’s bag, one will find equipment like magnifying glass jars, zip-lock bags, fourchettes, first-aid kit, hygrometer, pet jars, sweets, guides to Indian insects, and more.

“It’s said that the best gift parents can give their children is a hobby. What better time than the summer vacation to do that?” she suggests, adding that, the macro world of insects, and especially butterflies, may be an ideal option to introduce children to wildlife. “The best part about insects is that they are boundless. Thirty years into this field, and I still haven’t stopped exploring. There is a sense of suspense to insects, and this generation of children, I have noticed, is drawn to them,” she shares, advising that parents must ensure that they make exploring wilderness a family hobby. This way, children will lean more towards it.

Magnifying glass and magnifying glass jar; Dr Shubhalaxmi’s tool kit; a pet jar to observe a caterpillar and a zip-lock bag to take back its host leaves

Here’s a guide for children who are keen to explore the fascinating world of insects:

Insect watch:
. Keep an eye out for summer cicadas. They are most active right now, and will cease to exist by the end of May
. Spot antlion pits, formed by juvenile and adult antlions
. Drum roller beetles, termite activities and beehives are other common sightings during summer

Dress appropriately
. Wear sunscreen and a cap
. Wear fully covered clothes. Opt for dull colours to ensure camouflage in forested areas
. Carry water and wear sturdy walking shoes

Tools and tactics
A magnifying glass and a diary should be sufficient for children. Diaries can be used for journalling and recording nature as it is. It also helps experts identify the species, in case children are curious to know more after they have completed their adventure.

There are also many online sources nowadays to identify insects. I recommend subscribing to Facebook page InsectIndia. Another reliable site is bugnet.com.

Lost in the wilderness
Some options to spot insects in and around Mumbai:

. Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali East
. BNHS Nature Reserve, Aarey Colony, Goregaon East
. Maharashtra Nature Park, opposite Dharavi Bus Depot
. Taloja Hill Forest, Kharghar
. Belapur Creek, Belapur

Remember: Do not let your child handle an insect unless an expert or a supervisor is nearby

Begin at home

Spot swordtail butterfly. Pic Courtesy/Wikimedia Commons

The heat is making the insects go dormant, or they could be currently in hiding. But the advantage about insects is that they are all around us. You don’t have to necessarily head to a forest, like one would, to spot tigers, for instance. Start with a space that is right in your home, like your bookshelf. Here, you can find silverfish. These insects prefer darkness and they feed on the starch in book bindings.

The next best place would be a nearby garden or your backyard. If there are curry leaf trees and lemon trees, look out for caterpillars. Also try to spot tailed jay butterflies and spot swordtail butterflies. The species of butterflies you find in summer are most likely to be active all-year-round. Do not apply insect repellent if you wish to spot them.

Shardul S Bajikar, naturalist, education officer, BNHS

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