Just the other day our Board Certified Entomologist, who regularly keep us posted on our training and keeps us up-to-date with the latest termite and pest control strategies, dropped by for lunch. We think of him as our resident genius.

A couple of the guys at Vulcan Termite and Pest Control, Inc. were grousing about how they wish school was back in session. The kids were running out of things to do. Complaints ranged from the young’uns playing too many video games. Others said that their kid’s buddies were on vacation. The universal plea seemed to be that they wished the children would spend more time outdoors, away from their smart phones.

Here’s where the smartest fellow we know showed us a brilliant idea …

A Game of Bugs

He was surfing around the website called PestWorld.org when he came across this neat thing. An IPM Scavenger Hunt for Kids.  IPM means Integrated Pest Management. It’s a common sense approach to pest control that starts with the removal of food, water and shelter that pests find attractive on your property.

Ripped directly from this association’s Internet home, he showed us this. We thought we’d pass it along to you:

“Why not liven up a summer afternoon by taking your kids on an IPM Scavenger Hunt? Not only will they have a great time learning about bugs but they will learn how to locate potential pest problems on your property. The adventure can offer teachable moments about the difference between bugs and the pests they become when they enter your home and things children can do to help keep your home pest free.”

“Here are a few ideas of things to look for to get you started. It’s a list you can print-out. The kids can check ’em off when they’ve discovered these creatures:

• Ants
• Ant nests
• Crickets
• Spiders
• Termite mud tubes (Hope you don’t find any of those!)
• Carpenter ant frass (Look for sawdust like wood shavings with insects parts)
• Carpenter bee holes (Look for perfectly round ½ diameter holes in wood)
• Wasp nests (Stay away!)
• Cracks in foundation walls (Spider entry points)
• Holes in screens (Don’t invite the mosquitoes)
• Gaps underneath doors (If you can slide a piece of paper under the front door, a spider can crawl through)
• Holes larger than a dime (Just big enough to let mice inside)
• Leaky rain gutters (Water pooling by your home welcomes a host of pests)
• Leaky Pipes (Cockroaches love these)
• Firewood piled less than 20 feet from the structure (Keep it back to keep rodents and termites at bay)
• Outdoor trashcans with no lids (Find secure lids or else nuisance wildlife will thank you for easy access)
• Tree limbs overhanging the house (Branches that come close to your home offer a pest highway indoors).”

Get a magnifying glass for all the children, a picture book on various pests of the insect variety, set them loose in the backyard on a weekend afternoon and sit back on the deck while you enjoy a nice cold sweet tea.

Original Source: https://www.vulcantermite.com/education-and-prevention/scavenger-hunt-a-bug-game-for-kids

Image Source: koreatimes.co.kr/upload/news/080806_p3_top.jpg