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Bug of the Week: Big Blond Bee

July 15, 2020 / / 0 Comments

Look who I found upside down in a water bowl this week:

(About as big as your thumb to the first knuckle.)

I tipped him out and waited to see what happened.

He quivered for a moment, then flew off.

Any ideas what kind of bee it is?

Here’s a hint:

These two bees are actually the same species. The big blond one is the male carpenter bee, Xylocopa sonorina. The black one is the female. It isn’t uncommon to see the females flying about and visiting flowers.

The males are less common. They spend their time marking plants with pheromones (scents) to attract the females.

And, if you were wondering, male carpenter bees don’t sting so I could get close to take the photograph.

Do carpenter bees live where you are?

#Nonfiction Monday #kidlit: Cool Math for the Hot Summer

July 13, 2020 / / 1 Comment

Need a math book to help keep skills sharp for the summer? Look no further than Cool Math: 50 Fantastic Facts for Kids of All Ages by Tracie Young and Katie Hewett.

Organized as a series of two-page spreads, this small book packs in a king-sized number of tips, games, cool facts, and tricks that will interest even the most math adverse. Examples range from tips for quick multiplication to how to make a magic square. Tucked in are practical refreshers, like how to calculate area and volume.

Although designed for middle school, the title is correct; it could be fun for adults as well. You could read it cover to cover, but Cool Math is so easy to browse. Glance through the table of contents or thumb through the book. Either way, something will catch your attention and before long you’ll grab a pencil to figure out how it works. Plus, the practical tips will make you want to return to it again and again.

Cool Math is a fun, painless way to hone those math skills.  Explore a copy today!

Related:

1. Try Sudoku puzzles.

Sudoku is an extremely popular game and it is easy to find instructions and free puzzles online. The puzzles can teach number and pattern recognition in preschoolers, as well as logic, spatial awareness, and problem solving to older children.

Here’s one example of an instructional video:

 

2. Look for other posts and activities in our math category.

3. Check out our growing list of math books for children at Science Books for Kids.

 

Age Range: 12 – 16 years
Publisher: Pavilion Children’s (March 3, 2020)
ISBN-10: 1843654482
ISBN-13: 978-1843654483

 

Disclosure: This book was provided by the publisher for review purposes. Also, I am an affiliate with Amazon so I can provide you with cover images and links to more information about books and products. As you probably are aware, if you click through the highlighted title link and purchase a product, I will receive a very small commission, at no extra cost to you. Any proceeds help defray the costs of hosting and maintaining this website.

 


Looking for more children’s nonfiction books? Try the Nonfiction Monday blog.

More About Moths:  Genista Moth Life Cycle

June 3, 2020 / / 0 Comments

As mentioned previously, moths are often more difficult to photograph than butterflies. They hide during the day, and they aren’t big and showy. Also — unlike many butterflies — moth life cycles aren’t always well known, so it may be harder to know where to look for them.

To remedy this, I’ve been posting some moth life cycles. For example, this week we have a more complete genista moth life cycle.

First we found the orange, black and white larval stage on Texas mountain laurel bushes.

By the way, these are sometimes call sophora worms because their host plant’s scientific name is Sophora secundiflora.

Those pupated in a loose silken cocoon.

We waited as the caterpillar changed into a moth.

Ta da! The genista broom moth (Uresiphita reversalis) has emerged.

It belongs to the family Crambidae, the grass moths. Can you see why another common name for the group is snout moth?  Perhaps it will be easier to see from a side view:

The mouthparts form a point at the front of the head that resembles a snout.

Coincidentally, I found another caterpillar from the family Crambidae this week.

This is a mint moth caterpillar in the genus Pyrausta.

Hopefully, we’ll find out what the snout looks like for this moth in a few weeks.

In case you are gearing up for National Pollinator Week June 22-28, 2020, remember that moths are pollinators, too.

Related:

Have you spotted any moths or caterpillars this week?

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