Insect Life Cycles and More


The grass is finally green in our yard, and the children's days are filled with jumping on the trampoline, riding bikes, and bug hunting.  Already, the children have been bringing me "baby" earthworms to see, and we've evacuated a yellow jacket from our home.  Soon, the local beekeeper will have his hives out in his yard, and we'll be able to watch the bees swarm home in the evening. It's springtime!  Time to grab the bug hunting supplies and get outside!




Bug Net  ⧫  Sunny Bug House    Worm Farm

Cargo Vest  ⧫  Magnifying Glass    Spider  ⧫   Giant Bugs








I've loved bees for as long as I can remember.  Maybe it's because my name means "honey bee" or maybe it's because they're so amazing and brightly colored.  They make super sweet, yummy honey, are communal and productive, and pack a sharp sting.  Here are some great books about bees to add to your theme unit.








I've written quite a bit about bees in the past and have several free printables to go with bee-themed lessons.  Click on any of the pictures to go to the blog posts.




Lastly, I couldn't resist adding lots of beautiful bee-themed toys, games, and learning accessories featuring bees!  The life cycle figurines and giant, detailed bee are my favorites.  We have a beekeeper in our neighborhood (across our fence, actually), so Dragonfly (7) has the Barbie on her list.  Click the colored text below the picture to get more detailed.













Like the bee, the ant is also an industrious, community worker.  The Bible tells us to "consider the ways of the ant" and to apply his productivity to our lives.  I've gathered up some fun ant books and toys to kick off a theme unit of study.  Surprisingly, it's a lot harder to find ant things than it is to find bee things.





Ant Farm  ⧫  Plastic Ants  ⧫  Giant Ants




I haven't written very much about ants, but having them on this post encourages me to add more.  What would you like to see?  Comment below and tell me.








I really enjoyed ladybugs as a child.  The red and black is so inviting and colorful, plus they don't pack a sting like a bee.  Whether you're studying time with the Grouchy Ladybug or looking at insect life cycles, the resources below will help you get started.









Although I haven't done very many blog posts about ladybugs, I am excited to have some things listed here for myself and my readers.  Seeing the blank spaces definitely encourages me to add more.








Last summer, my daughter, Dragonfly, became very interested in mosquitoes.  She forgave them for every bite, after learning that the female mosquitoes only take blood to feed their families.  It was interesting for all of us to learn about the life cycle and how to help prevent their reproduction (less standing water, etc).  Although mosquitoes are not a popular insect to study, they are common.  Here are a few resources if your own children start asking questions.








I've been a mosquito magnet my entire life.  One thing that I've found makes a huge difference is Thermacell, a mosquito repeller.  If you're mosquito meat as well then I suggest you click the link and grab some for yourself.  It will make your summer so much better!








Butterflies are probably the most common insect for children to study.  We haven't done very much ourselves yet, but I'd love to grow caterpillars to eggs someday.  Below are some ideas for butterfly books to add to your collection.









I'm honestly shocked how few butterfly posts I've done!  Yikes!













I'm participating in Preschool Powel Packets DIY Summer Camp all this month!  I'll be posting today's insect life cycle ideas, and then doing a African safari themed post later in the month.  Click on the picture below to see all the great content from other bloggers!





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Comments

  1. So many great opportunities and ideas to study insects! Our kids just recently spent some time studying ladybugs and creating a few crafts.

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