Natural History Specimens

June Newsletter

The Bone Room

SUMMER! SUMMER! SUMMER!

No time for June Gloom, we have the summer months upon us! Kids are being freed from the schools, the days are getting longer, and a beach day is starting to sound really nice. However, while it may be summer break, there is no break for the fossil hunter, rock hound-er, or bug collector. In fact, we are doubling down and collecting more! It's time to get excited by natural history friends-- time to take a hike, go to a museum, and tour a mine!

Get excited and get interested! WOO!

Science Rocks!

Now that it's summer time and it's your turn to educate (entertain) the kids, how about a little science fun? We have several different packets of rock science for you! Each one comes with instructions that are easy to follow and understand. Take your pick and enjoy a little science in your summer!

More Rocks to explore:

as seen in your backyard...

Maybe you won't run into these rather large critters in the wild (depending where you live), but they are some of the most fascinating insects! So while you might be dealing with ants at your picnic and spiders in your folicking fields, take some time to learn about the billions of insects that surround you. Like these two we have here!

The CENTIPEDE: these arthropods are clever little (and sometimes not so little) predators! The name is a bit of a misnomer since not a single one of the 8,000 species of centipedes actually has exactly one hundred legs. It's true that all centipedes have two legs for each segment of their body, but they also always have an odd number of segments.

The MANTIS: These rather freaky looking bugs are famous for their bendy, "raptorial" legs (the Latin word "raptare," meaning "to seize") which they use to snatch up their prey. What makes them even creepier is the fact that they can turn their heads around nearly 180 degrees. So while they can sneak up on you, you'll find it hard to sneak up on them!

More Entomology Specimens: