“Am I Buggin’ You?” No, Not The “Bug Man!”

“Am I Buggin’ You?” No, Not The “Bug Man!” 5 comments

Sabino Canyon Volunteer Naturalists and Trainees Following the Carl “Bug Man” Olson Over Sabino Creek

If you feel like life if bugging’ you, it’s not the “bug man.” It’s more likely that you are suffering from “nature-deficit disorder,” something you will not have if you are spending time out in nature with the “creek critters.”

The Sabino Canyon Volunteer Nationalist (SCVN) thrive in natural environments and in being part of bonded social groups. Science continues to gather evidence for the benefits of living closer to nature. Most naturalists are well aware of the spiritual and mental sustenance obtained from spending time outdoors — now science is validating it. A few years ago, journalist Richard Louv wrote a book documenting the radical transformation of the culture in which American children grow up, a transformation in which “young people are being taught to avoid direct experience in nature.” (“Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder“) The SCVN mission is to help stop this transformation by promoting the value of learning from nature through activities and programs for children and adults.

To help the SCVN members better understand the aquatic habitats of insects and arachnids, Carl “Bug Man” Olson, Associate Curator, Insects, with the University of Arizona presented to the SCVN mentors and trainees at the Sabino Canyon Visitor’s Center, also down by Sabino Creek. Now I know such things as “The Katydid’s ears are on its legs.” And, “. . . that an insect with the congeal nickname of “kissing bug” could cause life-threatening allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.”

Carl also lead us through a variation of the Creek Critters activity, which involves using nets and small dishes to gather some of the critters in the creek. The images in this posting are from Carl’s creekside discussion. There were plenty of bugs, but no one was “bugged” by the “bug man.”

kenne