The Children’s Science Center is sponsoring a family-friendly summer project, Operation: Ladybug. The Operation is a collaborative effort between Cornell University’s “Lost Ladybug Project” and the Children’s Science Center to gather data for entomologists to identify species of ladybugs nationwide.
Children can participate by registering online, locating ladybugs living in their backyards, parks, or trails, and submitting photographs of the ladybugs to the Cornell University study.
Cornell is most interested in the rare species, but any pictures will help with the project. Cornell entomologists encourage participants to keep a “Ladybug Log” of where and how the bugs were collected, as well as the time, date, weather and habitat of the ladybug.
Everyone will be invited to the “Operation: Ladybug Finale” on Aug. 4 where all citizen scientists will earn a certificate of participation.
Registration, entry submission and more information on Operation: Ladybug can be found at www.TheChildrensScienceCenter.org/Ladybug.
For more on the Children’s Science Center, go to www.facebook.com/ChildrensScienceCenter and www.twitter.com/SciCenter.