A Sydney pest control company, Pest2Kill has launched a unique Bug Show, touring local schools to introduce the kids to the fascinating world of entomology. The show is a community engagement initiative spearheaded by Pest2Kill and completely free of charge for participating schools.
Mini Entomologists-in-Training
Mini Entomologists-in-Training will be given the opportunity to learn all about bugs from Pest2Kill’s very own ‘insectlopedia’ and Head of Termite Division, James ‘Jimmy’ Buckland B.Sc. (Env. Bio.). It might seem strange that a pest controller is hosting a show that celebrates living things, but as Jimmy explains to the kids – sometimes you have to control the invasive ‘bad’ bugs so the native ‘good’ bugs can thrive in our gardens.
At the inaugural Bug Show at McAuley Catholic School in Rose Bay, the kids bravely handled lots of different bugs including Jimmy’s pet Spiny Leaf Insects and some burrowing cockroaches. They saw insect eyes under the microscope, learned tips and tricks to go bug hunting at home (including building an insect hotel) and even witnessed Jimmy EAT a bug – as apparently edible crickets are quite the sustainable protein hit!
“Our Pest2Kill team is proud to engage with the local school community through this fun and educational initiative. Whilst it’s not typical of a pest control company to be running these kinds of shows, we wanted to give back to the communities that support our business and in particular, use it as a platform to share Jimmy’s unparalleled knowledge and passion for insects with curious minds,” commented Phil Taylor, Director of Pest2Kill.
“The kids were very engaged and receptive – some of my favourite feedback was about a little boy who loved his Entomologist-in-Training badge so much, he insisted on wearing it to bed!”
The P2K Bug Show covers the following topics:
- What a bug is
- Bug life stages
- What bugs eat
- Bug breeding (the PG version!)
- Bugs under the microscope
- How to collect bugs from your home and garden
- Planting bug-friendly vegetation for native pollinators and installing an insect hotel
In addition to being affectionately nicknamed the walking ‘insectlopedia’ due to his unrivalled bug knowledge, James is a Pest and Termite Management industry expert with 21+ years experience under his belt. He has also taught hundreds of Urban Pest Management students during a ten year teaching tenure at Sydney’s TAFE NSW, and is often invited to speak at ecological fairs and conferences as a subject matter expert.
How to get your school involved:
If you know of a Sydney school or pre-school that would be interested in hosting the P2K Bug Show, feel free to drop Sophie a line on sophie@pest2kill.com.au. It’s totally free and lots of fun!
