[Odonata-l] Collecting was not the problems

[O'Brien, Mark]

I think it has less to do with consciousness about collecting than it has to do with the disconnect that we see today between kids and the natural world.  Not that they aren't bombarded with fun science facts, etc., but the unstructured ability to go and explore and learn without a "guide."  On top of that, many have parents that are disconnected from the world of insects, and live in air-tight homes, etc., etc.     In addition, many 4-H groups lack the parents that have an interest in entomology, plants, etc., and it has become a contest with who can get the most ribbons...  I was involved in 4-H for a number of years, and the kids in our club always had good collections with well-labeled specimens, etc.  So, it depends upon the resources that kids are exposed to and the environment in which they are raised.  When told by parents that bugs are icky, they collect things like keychains.

Mark


On 06/29/2009 5:11 PM, "DENBROO at aol.com" <DENBROO at aol.com> wrote:

I think collecting as a whole is down.
When I was a kid, just about anybody in scouts, 4-H, and Ag organizations had some sort of insect collections. Today it is rare to you see more than 10 on display at the county fair.
The collections that are generally offered to our nature center are 40 years older or older.
Kids today are extremely conscious about any kind of collecting.


Denny Brooks
Midland, Michigan

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Mark F. O'Brien, Collection Manager
UMMZ Insect Division, 1109 Geddes Avenue
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1079
734-647-2199    fax: 734-763-4080
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