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Sponge Balls and Cicada Killers

July 14, 2014 By Kim
Tagged With: DIY, family fun, insects, projects

Today I’m over at Bedtime Math showing you how to make sponge balls, a fun, easy and green alternative to water balloons!

I also recently shared how to turn a summer hot dog meal into something crazier, but still simple.

In other news, although I don’t plan to coach entomology again next year, the award-winning girls on my team have a year-round interest in insects, so I try to stay attuned to that. When I find, say, a dead moth on my porch, I put it in a plastic baggy to hand to them for further study.

Have you observed moth wings under a microscope?

This morning I found a cicada killer wasp while out walking Tesla. Despite the scary-sounding name and even scarier looks–2 inches long with yellow “warning” stripes!– they are only a danger to cicadas. The wasp was barely alive, so I used the otherwise empty poop bag to scoop it up and bring it home.

Then, emboldened by this great photo capture, I dared to photograph it.

In my kitchen.

cicada killer wasp
It was over an inch long not counting the antennae.

I didn’t get quite the clarity I wanted because as I was zooming in on it, I saw its abdomen heaving. What do you know? It was still alive.

In my kitchen.

Happy Monday, everybody!

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Comments

  1. An Almost Unschooling Mom says

    July 15, 2014 at 2:41 am

    I draw the line at ladybugs in my kitchen – they’re scary enough under a microscope!

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About Kim

Kim headshot Summer 2012 I’m a Chicago-area mom / empty-nester who is passionate about sharing ideas and resources to raise kids who love Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). I’m a published author, blogger, vlogger, baker and maker. I love to travel, especially on trips that involve hiking and other active endeavors, farm tours, and learning new things in general.[Read More...]

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