Rainy conditions didn’t keep kids from coming to the Crosby Arboretum’s Bug Fest.
The annual event has been a staple of the Arboretum, attracting schools and community members alike to the two-day event.
Friday, Breanna Lyle brought some of the spiders she cares for at the Mississippi State Entomology Department, one of which is named Blondie. The spider is a desert blond tarantula and is about 15 years old, Lyle said. As she held the large, fuzzy spider in her hand, children walked up to either pet or stare at the large arachnid.
She also had a black widow on display, secured in a container littered with the remnants of her most recent brood, and a fishing spider, which was also in a container.
A large aquarium displayed Madagascar hissing cockroaches on the same table.
Lyle said she is able to hold Blondie in her hand without injury because she keeps her heart rate low and avoids sudden movements.
The black widow spider had a clutch of eggs hatch recently, but she fed on the young spiders. Lyle said most spiders eat just about anything, even their young if they stay close long enough, that is why young spiders disperse so quickly after hatching.
Children also learned a little bit about honeybees. Jac Coleman and Buddy Broadway had a small number of honeybees on display. They care for a hive located on Arboretum property, away from where visitors typically tour the facility. Honey from that hive is sold at the Arboretum’s gift shop, which can help locals who suffer from allergies. Broadway, who is a member of the Mississippi Beekeepers Association, said the best benefits from consuming local honey can be found by eating honey produced within 45 miles of where that person lives.
A typical hive is capable of producing up to 100 pounds of honey annually. However, it’s not a good idea to take all of the honey the hive produces. Broadway said a hive will need at least 40 pounds of honey to make it through the winter.
Bees produce more than just honey. Coleman said the wax produced by honeybees is more valuable than honey. Bees produce it to seal up any cracks in their hive, at times making it hard for beekeepers to get into the hive.
Dr. John Guyton, MSU associate extension professor, coordinates the event each year. At Friday’s event he taught the children how to use their bug catching nets before they stopped at a station to pick up a kill jar and head out into the Arboretum to catch some bugs of their own. A kill jar contains a special solution that incapacitates the bugs. Once the children caught some insects, they could bring them back to the Pinecote Pavilion to learn how to preserve their catch.
Bug Fest continues today at 10 a.m. with the opening of the Buggy Midway. The New Orleans Audubon Institute will bring their Bug Mobile to the event from 1 to 2:30 p.m.
Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. Arboretum members can attend for free.