Preschoolers unleash power of ladybugs

Posted by Lora B. Englehart on April 22, 2016

A plethora of ladybugs – 3,000, to be exact – were released amid squeals and giggles at Chadds Ford’s Chesterbrook Academy Preschool on Friday, April 22.

A teacher at Chesterbrook Academy distributes ladybugs so the preschoolers can release them. — A teacher at Chesterbrook Academy distributes ladybugs so the preschoolers can set them free.

“Every year we join Chesterbrook Academy schools from coast to coast in this celebration of Earth Day,” stated Laura Hughes, acting principal. “All the Chesterbrook Academy schools release the ladybugs at 10 a.m. and the children are encouraged to wear red.”

The ladybug release is one of Chesterbrook Academy’s events that teach the importance of community and the world of nature.

Teachers prepared the toddlers and kindergartners for the release ahead of time by explaining that ladybugs are friendly to the environment. They serve as natural pesticides, chowing down on insects that are harmful to gardens, trees and shrubs.

A handful of ladybugs await their release on Earth Day.

While some of the children were leery of touching the bugs, most of the boys and girls were excited to see them, touch them, and watch them crawl up their arms.

“Don’t kill it, don’t kill it,” cried one boy as another boy tried to pick one up. “Ooh, they tickle,” giggled another young girl.

Topping off the outside activity, one of the children spotted a caterpillar. They all crowded around and explored another miracle of nature before heading off to the playground and the next adventure of the day.

About Lora B. Englehart

Lora has a passion for art, gardening, yoga, music and dancing. She continues to research the life of locally born abolitionist and 1998 National Women's Hall of Fame inductee Mary Ann Shadd Cary. She is a dedicated community volunteer, working with the American Association of University Women, Wilmington, DE branch (programs chair), Chadds Ford Historical Society (former board member) and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art. Lora lives in Birmingham Township with her husband Bill and son Brad. Daughter Erika lives in Pittsburgh with husband Bob and baby Wilhelmina. She is a former French, Spanish and ESL teacher, bilingual life insurance underwriter and public relations coordinator for Delaware Art Museum and Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art.