Let's go bug hunting!
Explore your backyard to find and observe insects using a magnifying glass, then make a simple bug journal with drawings and notes.
Step-by-step guide to go bug hunting in your backyard
Step 1
Gather your materials.
Step 2
Go outside to your backyard.
Step 3
Walk slowly and look carefully under leaves logs flowers and near the ground to find insects.
Step 4
When you spot an insect watch quietly from about an arm's length away.
Step 5
Hold your magnifying glass over the insect to see details without touching it.
Step 6
If you want a closer look gently cover the insect with the clear jar or cup for a short time.
Step 7
Draw the insect in your notebook showing its shape wings and legs.
Step 8
Write notes next to your drawing about where you found it what it was doing and its color.
Step 9
Write how big it seemed using the words tiny small medium or large.
Step 10
Repeat the search and record at least three different insects.
Step 11
Decorate your bug journal pages with colors labels or small stickers.
Step 12
Return any insects you temporarily viewed back to the exact spot where you found them.
Step 13
Wash your hands with soap and water or use hand sanitizer.
Step 14
Share your finished bug journal on DIY.org.
Final steps
You're almost there! Complete all the steps, bring your creation to life, post it, and conquer the challenge!
Help!?
What can we use instead of a magnifying glass or clear jar if we don't have them?
If you don't have a magnifying glass or clear jar, use a smartphone or tablet camera zoom to see details and a clean clear plastic food container or glass cup as the temporary cover while following the 'don't touch' step.
What should we do if we can't find any insects or they run away when we approach?
If insects are hard to find or scatter, walk slowly and look carefully under leaves and logs, watch quietly from about an arm's length as the instructions say, and approach calmly or try another spot like flowers or the ground before using the magnifying glass or jar briefly.
How can we change the activity for different ages of children?
For toddlers have an adult gather materials and help watch from an arm's length while they mark simple 'tiny/small/medium/large' sizes, and for older kids encourage independent searches, more detailed drawings in the notebook, and using field guide apps before sharing on DIY.org.
How can we make the bug journal more interesting or personal?
Extend the activity by adding photos alongside your drawings, writing habitat notes about exactly where you found each insect, decorating pages with colors or stickers, and creating a cover or index before sharing the finished bug journal on DIY.org.
Watch videos on how to go bug hunting and make a bug journal
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Facts about entomology for kids
☀️ Most insects are ectotherms, so they're more active on warm days — mornings and warm afternoons are prime bug-hunting times.
🔎 A simple hand lens (about 2–10×) can reveal tiny features like wing veins and mouthparts that the naked eye misses.
📓 Citizen scientists' backyard observations and journals have helped track shifts in insect ranges and seasonal timing.
🌿 Even small backyards can host dozens of different insect species across a year — from beetles and ants to butterflies and flies.
🐞 There are over a million described insect species — more than any other group of animals!
How do I go bug hunting in my backyard with my child?
What materials do I need for backyard bug hunting and a bug journal?
What ages is backyard bug hunting with a magnifying glass suitable for?
What safety tips should I follow when bug hunting with kids?
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