New Eyes on Creepy Crawlies

By Marion Turnbull

“Wait, Gran!” called Timmy, rushing outside.

Winter was nearly over, so six-year-old Timmy and I decided to clean out the playhouse in the garden. We threw out all the chairs, toys, and rubbish, and set to work with sweeping brushes. In the dark corners we saw lots of creepy crawlies trying to escape.

Timmy found a magnifying glass and we knelt down to examine the hordes of fleeing bugs. What an amazing tiny world! Timmy gave me an education on bug doings. He pointed out ants busy moving their babies (white things) to a safe place.

We saw woodlice in a panic to escape the light and spiders swinging out of our way. I ran to the house to find some books on insects, and we found out all kinds of things.

Amazing Bug Facts

Seen through a magnifying glass, some insects look very scary. They also have amazing abilities. Did you know these bug facts?
·    A flea can jump about 60 times his own height.
·    Some insects can walk on water.
·    Bees can detect ultraviolet light on flower petals leading to the nectar.
·    Flies have taste buds on their feet, and can walk upside down on the ceiling.
·    Fireflies greet each other with flashes of light (each species using different flash and color).
·    Bees tell their friends where to find the nectar by doing a dance back at the hive
·    Crickets ‘sing’ with their back legs and have ears on their front legs!

Some people get squeamish about insects and spiders, but they are all part of God’s creation. The more we find out about them, the more amazed we are about the God who made them.

Insects pollinate plants, help remove dung and dead things and are food for animals and humans. In fact they have been put there for our life and well-being.

So, even I, Timmy’s Gran, found out a lot of new things, and grew in appreciation of the God who made everything.

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