Photos: Philadelphia Insectarium
Until last week, Avery’s understanding of common bugs was that they must be annihilated. The method of annihilation may be one’s hand, one of mom’s flip-flops or a fly swatter, but as he understood things, all bugs must be destroyed.
So last Saturday I took Avery to the Philadelphia Insectarium to help him learn more about insects. Ironically, it shares a building with Steve’s Bug-Off Exterminating. The insectarium gift shop even shares the same space as the exterminating store, mixing professional pesticides with insect toys.
I paid admission and walked with Avery to the second floor. Our first stop was the American cockroach exhibit. Hundreds of cockroaches filled a small kitchen.
Then we checked out some mounted insects behind glass.
Afterward, our guide broke out a pack of Bacon and Cheese Crickets and offered me one.
I turned down her offer a couple of times but finally gave in and tasted a freeze-dried seasoned cricket. It wasn’t bad at all. I was pleasantly surprised.
The final stop was the third floor with live insect exhibits.
Avery checked out the Orange Head Roaches in their tank.
Our guide took a Madagascar Hissing Cockroach out of it’s tank and let me pet it. Avery looked on as it crawled around in her hand.
Before leaving, we checked out a Whip Scorpion, which flicks a vinegar-like substance when it becomes threatened.
I picked up a packet of rubber spiders for Avery to play with during the ride home. I think Avery enjoyed himself. He seemed most drawn to colorful images of ladybugs and stayed away from the live insects outside their tanks. Maybe I’ll take him back again in a year or so.