Go buggy with your preschooler

Spring is here, the birds are singing, and insects are emerging. While many people haven?t missed the bugs over winter, they play an important role on the bottom end of food chains. In addition, being small, numerous, and fairly easy to catch, they make great introductions to the natural world for young children. As such, the Washington County Conservation Board will be hosting its final STEM Wonders preschool program on bugs. ?Insects Around Us? will be held at the Conservation Education Center at Marr Park on April 18 at 10 a.m.

During this hour-and-a-half program, participants will look at the parts of an insect, interesting adaptations, differences between insects and spiders and other creepy crawlies, and examine specimens. They will also head outside to look for insects and insect signs around the park.

All children, ages 3-5, must be accompanied by an adult.

The Conservation Education Center is located at the south end of Marr Park, one mile west of Ainsworth and six miles east of Washington on Highway 92.

For questions about this program, contact naturalist Pam Holz at the Washington County Conservation Board office, (319) 657-2400 or send e-mail to wccbnaturalist@iowatelecom.net.