We’re excited about Insect Week, from 19th to 25th June! That’s because insects are ‘tiny things that run the world’ – they are the most ecologically important and diverse group of animals on land. Without them working hard on tasks like pollinating flowers or breaking down organic matter and returning important nutrients to the earth, the world would be a very different place.

Insects are important residents in our woodland at the Science Oxford Centre, and make their homes in a variety of habitats like under rocks, in the soil, among the leaves and trees, and around our ponds.

Go on a bug hunt

Would you like to go on a bug hunt, see what minibeasts you have in your environment and learn more about them? Read this helpful blog from Creative Star Learning to guide you along the way, including how to be careful and kind if handling insects.

If you’d like to join us on a Big Bug Hunt, book your place on our Nature Club on Saturday 24th June (for ages 5 to 9, and an accompanying adult). With a magnifying glass, you’ll get up close to learn about these tiny creatures and their habitats, help build them a cosy home, and create a Bug Passport to take home.

Smiling Maybug, by Yasmin Bedford, Headington Prep School (2018)

Learn more about insects

Insect Week is organised by the Royal Entomological Society and they have put together some amazing learning resources and activities you can do in the classroom or at home.

There are also some great resources from Open Air Laboratories, which was a citizen science programme led by Imperial College London from 2007 to 2019. Over 1 million people participated, contributing to important information about their local environments and helping scientists understand big problems such as loss of biodiversity and climate change. The Bug Count Survey was part of this programme. Although the project has ended, you can still use their helpful guides to identify bugs in your environment. Have a look at their Invertebrate Identification Guide.

Enjoy the outdoors, learn more about insects and have fun!

Recommended by:

Alice Draper

STEM Projects Officer