Ohio Ag Connection - First 'Engaging with Insects' Ohio 4-H Camp Next Week

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First 'Engaging with Insects' Ohio 4-H Camp Next Week
Ohio Ag Connection - 06/24/2016

Something will be bugging about a dozen kids next week as they attend the first-ever "Engaging with Insects" summer day camp at The Ohio State University.

During the week, the kids will learn about termites, mealworms and honeybees; dissect grasshoppers; and trap, identify and mount insects to build their own collection.

The camp's base will be in and around the university's Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center.

Field trips to other locations on campus are planned on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to observe honey bees, explore a greenhouse insectary and visit the insect collection at the university's Museum of Biological Diversity.

Leading the camp will be Norman Johnson, professor with joint appointments in the Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Entomology in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). Joining him will be Luciana Musetti, curator of the C.A. Triplehorn Insect Collection at the museum.

"We want to promote natural history collections -- their specimens and the value of their data -- and encourage kids to continue their interest in science and entomology," Johnson said. "It seems like lots of youngsters start out fascinated with insects, but then are taught that they're to be avoided at all costs. We want to show them that there are plenty of adults who share their fascination with these amazing creatures."

The camp is sponsored by Ohio 4-H, the youth development program of Ohio State University Extension. It is just one of the science-related camping programs that Ohio 4-H offers in summer and throughout the year. OSU Extension is the outreach arm of CFAES.

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