How To Teach Your Kids About Household Pests

Being the naturally curious spirits that they are, children ask countless burning questions about the world around them. Encouraging kids to ask questions is extremely beneficial to their development and gives them space to form interests and passions. One such interest – or fear, depending on which child you ask — is bugs!

Kids who play outside a lot may take an interest in the creepy-crawlies they see in their own backyard. But as a parent, how do you make sure you’re teaching your little ones the right facts about bugs? There are many engaging resources and interesting pests to discuss, so let’s dive into our favorite ways to teach children about pests before we showcase some relevant pests for your kids to learn about.

Great Teaching Methods

As with any topic, there are all kinds of online and “off-line” resources you can find on teaching pests to your children. From crafts to educational videos to activity sheets, there is no shortage of fun ways to share the world of bugs with kids. The types of learning activities you choose will vary depending on the children’s ages and the relevant bugs, so you may have to take some time to find the proper methods.

Our favorite ways to teach children about pests and their interesting habits are:

• Crafts & Food: A quick online search will give you thousands of DIY crafts to do with your children, so you can easily find ones that are suitable for their ages. As for food, there are a lot of creative yet easy-to-make recipes for some insect-themed treats. Ants on a log (celery with peanut butter and raisins) and worms in dirt (chocolate pudding with cookies and gummy worms) are our favorites!

• Books: Of course, the actual books you choose will depend on your child’s age and reading level. We recommend visiting your local library or bookstore to find pest-themed books that appeal to your kids. The National Geographic Kids books are both fun and informative, so those are always a safe bet. You can also look for bug books from your child’s favorite shows, like Sesame Street and The Magic School Bus.

• Bug-Themed TV Shows & Movies: Many educational shows and movies from the past are still great learning tools today. The Magic School Bus is a classic for a reason, as it manages to be highly entertaining and educational at the same time. You can search your favorite streaming services for bug-themed shows and movies that your children would enjoy. A Bug’s Life is always a great choice for family movie night!

• Nature Walks: There is nothing wrong with simply going on a walk to let your kids see the wonders of nature for themselves. You can go on a nature walk around your neighborhood as you encourage your kids to keep an eye out for any bugs. If they’re school-age, have them each bring a notebook to take notes of each pest they find. It can even turn into a competition to find the most bugs or the most unique critters!

• Visits To The Zoo: If you’re fortunate enough to live a reasonable distance from a zoo, this is a great way to show your kids how interesting pests can be. Many zoos and animal sanctuaries feature an insect exhibit, where creepy-crawlies live in enclosed habitats and have helpful descriptions on the signs outside. You might even be able to catch a live show from the zookeepers about their featured insects.

• Coloring Pages: Coloring pages are an easy yet enjoyable way to get your little ones familiar with the concept of certain pests. There are endless options for free coloring pages that you can print from your computer. Include your children’s favorite bugs or pests that they’ve seen around the neighborhood. You can also encourage them to jot down notes and facts about the pest on its coloring page to create their own scientific journal.

• Interactive Websites: If your kids enjoy their screen time, they may as well be learning something interesting! There are many kid-friendly websites dedicated to teaching them about bugs and nature, equipped with games, fun facts, videos, and photos. Two of our favorites (not sponsored) are https://www.natgeokids.com/nz/category/discover/animals/insects/ and https://www.pestworldforkids.org/ .

• Encouraging Questions: Above all, encouraging your children to ask questions about pests and nature is the best way to help them stay curious. You can even ask them questions about the bugs you’ve been talking about to get them thinking. What color is that bug? How does the bug behave? What does the bug look like? What does the bug eat?

The Pests To Focus On

This section is not set in stone — or screen, to be more accurate — since every area has a different group of common pests. The pests we included here are not only seen in the most regions, they’re also the backyard critters that seem to attract the most curiosity from children. You can do your own research on the pests you wish to discuss with your kids, but if you’re looking for some “icebreaker” facts, we have a few for you.

Ants

• Ants lift at least 20 times their own weight. That’s why we see ants carrying crumbs much larger than themselves!

• Worker ants lead their fellow ants to food by leaving a trail of invisible scent chemicals, or pheromones. When we see ants marching in a line, it’s because they’re following the pheromone trail.

• Ants like to take our food to help feed their entire colony, which can number in the millions! We usually see them in the kitchen or at a picnic since they find the most food options in those spots.

Crickets

• Crickets chirp because it’s their way of talking to each other. When you hear a cricket chirping, it is trying to find a mate that’s living nearby. The louder the chirp, the stronger the cricket!

• Although some crickets have wings — like the house cricket — they prefer to jump instead of fly. Crickets have been known to jump up to 30 inches high!

• Since they are nocturnal, crickets are only really active at night. This is when they search for food and a mate. But crickets are not without their weakness: they’re attracted to lights, so they accidentally end up indoors after following a light to its source!

Ladybugs

• Ladybugs aren’t actually pests; instead, they eat the pests that ruin our gardens. Ladybugs eat aphids, mites, and mealy bugs. If you see a ladybug in your garden, don’t remove it!

• Ladybugs are technically beetles, the largest insect group in the animal kingdom. We usually see red ladybugs, but they also come in pink, yellow, orange, brown, and black.

• Speaking of their bright coloring, ladybugs are actually protected by their appearance. Vivid colors and spots tell their predators (frogs, birds, etc.) that the ladybugs won’t taste very good.

Mosquitoes

• Female mosquitoes are the only ones that bite us and give us those itchy welts. They start consuming our blood once they need protein for their eggs, so we usually get mosquito bites in the summer when mosquitoes lay their eggs.

• On that note, female mosquitoes only need a little water to lay their eggs within. They can use any source of fresh water, including puddles, ponds, lakes, bird baths, and a pet’s water dish!

• Mosquito bites can make people sick if the mosquito was infected. They can transmit disease from one host to another through the mosquito’s saliva. You can prevent mosquitoes by removing extra water from your yard, such as dumping out full buckets and plant drainage trays.

Moths

• Moths are mostly active at night since they’re nocturnal, and they use the moon to navigate their habitat. They can’t see very well in the dark!

• The life cycle of moths is very similar to butterflies because they are related. Both go through metamorphosis in a cocoon and don’t have wings until they emerge as their final form.

• There are different kinds of moths besides the ones we see flying around our porch lights. Clothes moths chew holes in our sweaters to eat the fabric, while Indian meal moths are pantry pests that live in opened boxes of pasta or cereal!

Rodents

• Rats and mice have open-rooted teeth, meaning their teeth never stop growing and need to be gnawed down every day. That’s why they chew on everything in sight: rodents need sharp teeth to keep eating!

• Rodents can fit through holes much smaller than they are, so they are a common pest in homes across the country. Rats can fit through holes the size of a quarter, while mice squeeze through holes the size of a dime!

• Cartoons only show us that rodents love cheese, but they actually eat a lot of different foods. Their favorites are grains, nuts, cereals, fruits, and peanut butter.

Spiders

• Spiders are arachnids, not insects, so they look different than the other bugs we see around our yards. Spiders have 8 legs and 6 to 8 eyes, but they rely on other senses since their eyesight isn’t great!

• Spiders build webs for a number of reasons, and some species don’t build them at all! The spiders that do create webs use them as their home and egg-laying site. The sticky strands traps their prey long enough for the spider to eat!

• Most spiders aren’t dangerous and just look creepy, but there are 2 species that you need to be careful around. Black widows and brown recluses are the most dangerous species in the U.S. because of their venomous bites. We recommend you show your kids a photo of these spiders so they know what they look like, and seek medical attention immediately if anyone in the home is bitten.

Stinging Insects

• Bees are excellent pollinators, which means they help flowers and plants grow as the bee visits each one. As the bees eat pollen and nectar, they drop pollen onto different plants and naturally help those flowers to grow strong!

• Most bees, wasps, hornets, and yellow jackets that we see are eusocial insects, so they live in huge colonies with others of their kind. Each colony has a queen that is responsible for laying all the eggs, while the workers do everything else to keep the colony sustained.

• Bee and wasp stings are worrisome for many kids, especially if they are allergic. We suggest teaching them that stinging insects will leave us alone if we leave them alone, so it’s best to be careful around these pests. You can also show them photos of bee hives and wasp nests so they know what to avoid. A good rule of thumb to teach little ones is to tell a parent if they see any nests in the yard so that you can contact a professional to remove it ASAP.

Prevent Those Persistent Pests With Pointe!

It’s all fun and games to learn about pests, but actually having pests in your home is a nightmare. That’s why the licensed technicians of Pointe Pest Control are dedicated to solving each pest issue as efficiently and safely as possible. We begin every service with a full inspection of the property, then use our findings to create a treatment plan that is customized to solve your pest issues. Our licensed team is happy to address every question and concern you — and your little ones — have throughout the pest control process. For a free quote on the most thorough services around, contact us today!

Citations

5 fun facts about ladybugs. (2021, July 18). Nature’s Select. Retrieved April 11, 2024, from https://www.myselectlawn.com/blog/5-fun-facts-about-ladybugs/

10 ways to teach children to respect insects and create curiosity. (2021, February 13). Wild Sprouts. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.wild-sprouts.ca/post/10-ways-to-teach-children-to-respect-insects-and-create-curiosity

Eldridge, A. (2021, May 22). 50 fun insect learning and play activities for kids. Barley & Birch. Available at https://barleyandbirch.com/discover-insect-learning-play-activities-for-kids/ (Accessed on April 10, 2024).

How to teach kids about pests. (2022, March). Green Pest Services. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://greenpestservices.net/how-to-teach-kids-about-pests/

Pest World for kids. (n.d.). Pest World For Kids. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.pestworldforkids.org/