My toddler excitedly watched her siblings at play down our yard on the trampoline from the safety of our balcony. Next thing I know, she was hurriedly presenting me with my shoes after managing to put on her own.
"Trampowine! Pwease Mummy!"
I had no choice. (Or rather, who could resist?) I would have to escort her down our sloping yard to the place of all the fun. Bad luck housework plans!
After a brief jump, eight year old Ruben spotted himself a leaf bug, helplessly stranded by the edge of the net where the leaves often collect.
Ruben has been showing a real appreciation for tiny creatures of late - especially spiders. On any given day, he can be seen outside plucking Huntsmen spiders from beneath the bark of our various gum trees, always handling the huge spiders with his bare hands!
A few weeks back Ruben spent an afternoon with his Dad in our shed building a spider enclosure from an old drawer and some netting. In it, he placed his first Huntsman, proudly caught by himself after spending two whole days hunting one down. (He's so experienced now that he can catch one in minutes.)
Ruben feeds and waters his pet spider daily. There has even been a trip to an exotic pet store in the city to purchase some live crickets - the perfect large spider food.
Ruben spends his time online researching his catches. We're now all quite up to speed on Huntsmen spiders. Though large, they're actually quite docile and easy to handle. (Don't attempt to handle them if they appear threatened however as they can bite in defence. Just in case you're willing...)
Leaf bugs? - No problem; pretty, delicate and so well disguised.
Ruben showed true leadership and expertise in his field as he held out his catch carefully, so that his younger brother and sister could take turns petting and discovering.
I am so proud of the passion and confidence that he radiates in these images.
...Now to deal with the issue of the Huntsmen spiders which come home frequently in
the school bag!
Have you got a keen bug catcher in your life?
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I love the way kids crowd around to inspect things...
ReplyDeleteGorgeous isn't it. I love watching kids at play.
DeleteVery funny! Beautiful photos! I like!
ReplyDeleteThank you. :D
DeleteHaha Ruben sounds like my Twin1 when he was a little boy - so inquisitive and a thirst for knowledge. That leaf bug is so cute! :-)
ReplyDeleteYes, I think little boys in particular really excel at exploring the natural world. And that bug is a real wonder of nature - so pretty.
DeleteI've had a snail come home in the lunch box but a huntsman spider would send me over the edge!
ReplyDeleteLOL! Yes, I am really worried whenever I open this kid's school bag daily! A snail is a cute find though.
DeleteCute shots!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing at http://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2015/03/its-official-im-sick-of-winter.html
Thank you. :D
DeleteI kind of wish we had a trampoline in our backyard. Such great exercise!
ReplyDeleteTrampolines are brilliant fun for kids. It was one of our most used and best purchases for kids we have ever made. Ours might be in need of replacing soon - maybe a bigger one for our six kids.
DeleteIsn't a child's wonder great!? Something I'll never forget was, when I was a child, running down the sidewalk and as I passed under a big tree something stuck in my bare foot - felt like a thorn - I lifted my foot and there was one of those leaf hoppers with a built-in thorn on his back, stuck in my foot and all his little feet were up in the air going a mile a minute! Yeoow! Freaked me out :)
ReplyDeleteThat would have been a bit of a shock to a kid! Insects make me feel a bit woosy but I am fine with spiders - I think I have passed my non-spider and snake fears on to my kids.
DeleteAwww my son is really always looking around for mini beasts while we are doing our school run =)
ReplyDeleteWouldn't they hit it off together! I adore that inquisitive side of little boys always on the hunt.
DeleteMine prefer their screens unfortunately!
ReplyDeleteMomfever
Oh mine love their screens too - really love their screens...
DeleteHow very cool! Seeing things like this makes me miss when I homeschooled my girls for a couple years!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.homeofohm.com/2015/03/peek-at-my-week-0304-wordlesswednesday.html
I fantasise about home-schooling but then they all come home and fight at the day's end and I think "Nahhhhhhh!"
DeleteHate spiders and certainly wouldn't want a huntsman spider as a pet but the leaf bug is cute
ReplyDeleteLOL! People seem to be either a lover or hater of spiders but rarely in-between. I actually love spiders and think the poor things are surrounded in a lot of bad press! Leaf bugs are nice to everyone though. :D
DeleteJust reading the word 'hunts...' - oh god I don't even want to type it - has sent shivers down my spine, big respect for your son! My 5.5 year old is also really interested in bugs and spiders. We have a house spider that lives in our window frame in the lounge, and every now and then a fly will get caught in it's web and we all get a thrill from watching the spider race out from the frame and snatch her prey. Quite fascinating - from a distance!
ReplyDeleteNo - just no. No spiders. So glad I have squealing little precious girls who don't want to go near spiders.
ReplyDeleteSo cute! I love the way they like to inspect everything. I love my kids search for bugs! :)
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with this,
ReplyDeleteand in fact I was about to mention some importance of trampoline net in my comment below.
It’s certainly a fact that helps makes us work more and faster.see more
trampoline net
Kids Trampoline, your kid will be bouncing away and improve his health without even knowing it. Using the trampoline regularly improve balance, coordination, and stamina. Moreover it is a great fun toy I think so. best trampoline reviews
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