The Big Bug Show

Jack the Big Bug Hunter
Opening the show is Jack the big bug hunter, on an insect safari searching for the biggest bug in the world.

Creating a shadow play, by using a 25'x12' scrim and six students from your school, Jack picks his way through the jungle foliage coming face to face with Leroy, the Big Bug.

Jack Meets Leroy
Jack discovers Leroy, a fluorescent insect puppet measuring eight feet. Using special lighting effects, loveable Leroy becomes the focal point of a fast-paced discussion of insect body parts. With lots of fun and surprises, the children learn about Leroy's head, the antennae, compound eyes, varied mouth parts, his thorax (including his legs and wings), and his abdomen with its stinger, spiracles, and heart. Accompanying all this puppet fun is an ongoing slide presentation showing actual insect body parts in graphic detail.

Good Bugs Bad Bugs
Many children and adults believe all bugs are bad. Certainly, there are many harmful insects such as the gypsy moth caterpillar and the mosquito. Unfortunately, many people believe the onlv way to get rid of these harmful insects is to use poison. Jack teaches students that there are alternatives to using poisons. One of these alternatives is recognizing and using helpful insects such as the lady bug or praying mantis. Boys and girls learn that the majority of insects play an important role in the balance of nature.

Honey Bees and Other Social Insects
Jack's discussion on helpful insects leads his audience to the honey bee. As a beekeeper, Jack takes boys and girls into a beehive where they learn why bees swarm and how to collect swarms.

Through close-up photography, children learn about the queen bee and some of the many jobs worker bees have, as well as some of their enemies. One enemy is the black bear with which Jack had a first-hand experience, almost costing him his life.
Jack's storytelling of how the black bear destroyed all seven of his beehives keeps audiences on the edge of their seats.

Throughout this lively tapestry of the insect world, Jack weaves his philosophy. As intelligent life we should learn to enjoy, understand, and most of all respect all forms of life from the mighty whale to the tiniest insect.

This program has been performed at the New Jersey State Museum and the American Museum of Natural History in New York City numerous times.