In October and November, 1998, my 6th grade math/science classes, led by UC Berkeley entomologist Eddie Dunbar, hiked half a mile to an urban creek in Oakland. Eddie is a leader of the UC/OUSD project "City Bugs," Exploring Urban Biodiversity. He led several Oakland teachers on a bug hunt in September.

On arriving at the creek, students heard Eddie explain how that week's rain would effect the insects. We would need to hunt in places the insects might go to stay dry and warm.

 Students fanned out in the park. Some scoured the buildings and picnic tables, while this group headed upstream along Sausal Creek. We found damp wood termites, subterranean termites, rove beetles, yellow jackets, and the enormous maggot of an unknown fly.

One student brought a huge potato bug from home. We believe it may be the World's Biggest Potato Bug! Take a look here.

Students were excited to see large pumpkin spiders, such as the one above, shown giving the kiss of death to an unlucky fly.

Here are More Bughunt Pictures.