Spyglass Theater - School Performances

Spyglass Theater - School Performances

Spyglass Theater is available for school and community performances throughout the Pacific Northwest. For more information, please contact:

Rob Witmer
206.329.2454
rdw@blarg.net

STUDY GUIDE
Step through the magnifying glass of blacklight puppetry into a world of Dragonflies and Dung Beetles. An exotic musical soundtrack provides the thread which connects insect, plant and animal species in the "web of life".

The Secret Life of Bugs is a blacklight puppetry performance featuring an exotic musical soundtrack. The show follows the metamorphosis of a caterpillar into a butterfly. Along the way, spiders, dung beetles and dragonflies engage in everyday insect activities such as orb weaving, nesting, and hunting. Developed with assistance from Erin Sullivan, entomologist at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, the show is suited to audiences of all ages, and works especially well with families.

About the Performance

We are first introduced to Ananse the Spider, who seems to know a lot about entomology, the science of insects. According to legend, Ananse brought the Sun and the Moon to the world, so that all the plants and animals could begin to grow. After the performance space has been darkened, we discover a wide variety of insects making homes for themselves and hunting for food.

Leaves from the plants are eaten by caterpillars, who will make coccoons before turning into butterflies or moths.

Dung beetles bury their eggs with food for when they hatch.

Spiders build intricate webs of silk to trap their prey maintain a supply of food.

A praying mantis stands perfectly still, blending in with twigs and leaves as she waits to attack her prey.

According to legend, Ananse the spider tried to collect all the wisdom and knowledge in the world for himself. When this proves impossible, he realizes that even the smallest creatures have some wisdom.

Ananse the Spider

Ananse, the spider hero of West Indian folktales, originated in Ghana as the Ashanti Spider God. Essentially both spider and man, his nature allows him to change as the situation demands. Often, he gets overwhelmed by a terrible greed he cannot help. In many stories he uses his wits and cunning to win every situation.
The spider is also a common character in numerous Native American oral traditions. Spider represents many things: a mentor, a trickster, a helpful ally, a worker of miracles. Sly, soft and sweet voiced, he can be anything from a lovable rogue to an artful prince.

Why study insects?

Insects outnumber humans by about 1.6 billion to one worldwide. Insects are found in every ecosystem, and are the most numerous and diverse forms of life on Earth. In one way or another, all forms of life depend on insects. Insects are an integral part of the ecological web. Throughout the world, the loss of natural habitats has caused the extinction of many organisms, including insects. Entomological research and educational programs are essential in solving these important problems.

Vocabulary

Arachnid- An arthropod with four pairs of legs and a body divided into two regions.
Arthropod- an inverebrate animal with a hard exoskeleton and jointed appendages.
Butterfly- An insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished by a slender body and four colorful wings.
Camouflage- Concealment by protective coloring or disguise to appear as part of the natural surroundings.
Entomology- The scientific study of insects.
Insect- an arthropod with three pairs of legs and usually two pairs of wings.
Invertebrate- an animal which lacks a backbone or spinal column.
Larva- The newly hatched, wingless, often wormlike form of many insects before metamorphosis.
Lepidoptera- the order which includes butterflies and moths. Characterized by four wings covered with small scales.
Metamorphosis- a change in the form and function of an animal during normal development.
Moth- An insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished by feathery antennae and brownish colored wings.

Fun Insect Facts

A cockroach can live for nine days without its head.
Dragonflies can fly at speeds up to 30 miles per hour.
The color a head louse will be as an adult can depend on the color of the person's hair in which it lives.
The bombadier beetle defends itself by firing a boiling hot spray from the rear of its abdomen. The gas irritates the eyes of the enemy and forms a smoke screen which helps the beetle to escape while the enemy is confused.

Resources on the Web

www.bugbios.com "Shameless promotion of insect appreciation". Discover how intertwined our cultures have become with these alien creatures.

www.heatersworld.com/bugworld Antboy's Bugworld was created for a 9-year old boy who loved to collect ants. Lots of other insects, too!

www.zoo.org Animal Fact Sheets from Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, including insects from Bug World.

www.londonzoo.co.uk Web of Life is a unique new kind of exhibit at London Zoo telling the fascinating story of the conservation of biological diversity.

www.entsoc.org The Entomological Society of America provides information and resources to help students and teachers learn more about the most numerous and diverse forms of life on Earth...Insects!

Books