Bug hunting

Did you know its National Insect week? the perfect time to go out for a bug hunt with the Bug Safari from my Living world.

The set contains, all the tools for a trainee bug hunter or entomologist.

Field lens also known as a loupe you can get close and admire the insects without disturbing them, this little magnification lens is perfect for looking closely at your subjects.

Bug Tongs, these look a little like a large pair of scissors, but have a pot on the end, perfect for capturing your bugs for closer examination.

Magnifying pot, as the name suggests this great little pot means you can look close up at the insects you find.

Tweezers, these can be used for larger insects like beetles, but be careful  not to hurt them or pick them up by the wings.

Paint Brush, and this indeed looks a little odd in the kit. The accompanying book explains that instead of using it for painting, you can use it to sweep delicate insects into your magnifying pot or bug tongs.

Finally the set includes a guide on insects, what to look for, how to use each item in your bug safari kit, and even some useful websites for you to find more information.

So with our Safari Kit, camera, the boy and I set off round the garden to see what we could find. I had spotted some small black beetles earlier in the day sunning themselves on the roses so we decided that was a good place to start.

We struck gold with our first insect. We found a tiny cricket sitting just waiting to be caught in our bug tongs. Once safely transferred to the Magnifying pot we were able to see this fascinating little creature in great detail. The boy was very excited about using the field lens, as he said it worked extra well for him as a glasses wearer. He could move it to the right distance for him to see the cricket in great detail. We looked at the bands on the crickets antenna, his mouth parts and even his eye colour, before returning him safely to finish sunning himself on the flowers.

Next the strawberry patch where you can guarantee to find woodlice, and ants. the boy was able to look at these easily without disturbing the frantic movements. The boy has already put the lens on a lanyard so he can explore the garden for insects without having to carry it. He loved the tongs although they did need a bit of getting used to, and the magnification pot is perfect for having a 360 degree view of your bugs.

The boy said he enjoys this set, and I am sure the little field lens will get plenty of use. The boy also said he enjoyed hunting for bugs, and looking at them in detail. While I think the Bug Safari is a little expensive for the contents at RRP £9.99, I think the tools are well made and will be useful for school projects in the future.

If you want to find out more about National Insect week have a look online at this website, and don’t forget to pop your insects safely back where you found them!

Disclaimer were sent this set for the purpose of review the opinions remain our own and have not been altered.