What you’ll find:

Depending on where you live and time of day, you might find spiders, ants, beetles, ladybugs, crickets, grasshoppers, earwigs, centipedes and a few surprises. Most insects have a favorite habitat they tend to stick to – whether it’s in the desert, the mountains, the city, or the swamp.

How to observe:

When you find an insect you want to observe, you can safely do so by using an insect net or a plastic container. If the insect is flying around, gently place the net over the insect and slowly bring it down to the ground for a closer look. (Note: parental supervision for this is advised.) Don’t be alarmed if the insect is buzzing and flying around – that’s normal.

If the insect you find is on the floor, gently cover it with the plastic container to get a closer look. Be sure to keep the bottle out of direct sunlight to prevent the heat from hurting your bug. After you observe the insect for a few minutes, set it free or put it back where you found it.

If you don’t feel comfortable catching bugs, use your magnifying glass instead. Odds are you’ll see lots of insects up close and have just as good a view.