By Jennifer Nantais

On August 3rd, club members Jen and Carolyn hosted a group of nature lovers of all ages at an outing called Bug Buddies Insect Investigation. The club guides led a walk through the forest and prairie habitats of Ojibway Park to explore the amazing world of insects, discover unique species, and learn about their fascinating lives and the interconnected ecosystems around us. During the walk, Carl Maiolani was able to photograph some of the specimens that we encountered, check out the photos! After the walk, Jen and Carolyn had a special treat in store, a creature feature for all to enjoy, two large spiders that were kind enough to let us pet and handle them and get up close and personal with some amazing invertebrates.

Pearl Crescent (top left), Viceroy (top right), Eastern Giant Swallowtail (bottom left) and Milkweed Tussock Moth (bottom right). By Carl Maiolani

This outing marked the first Jr. Egrets event in some time, but not the last! This kids club is operated by the Essex County Nature club and will be planning to hold another event this year and planning future activities.

Please keep an eye out for upcoming Jr. Egret events and help spread the word! Jen and Carolyn are excited to share our passion for nature and inspire a new generation of explorers to learn about the wild things and wild places that make this region so rich in biodiversity. Your little nature lover might just grow up to help support the protection and preservation of our beautiful natural areas.

Soldier Beetles (left) and Milkweed Beetle (right). by Carl Maiolani
Tiber Bee Fly (left) and Robber Fly (right). by Carl Maiolani
Crab spiders, by Carl Maiolani