'We're going on a bug hunt'
No, it's not a typo - as we pledge to care for Creation as Eco Churches and as an Eco Diocese, getting to know about God's creatures is part of the process.
Wiltshire's Revd Trudy Hobson says:
"In 1993, Jane and Shirley undertook a flower and bug survey of the churchyard in St Augustine’s, Upton Lovell. As we strive for our silver Eco Church award, we realised that it was time we did another survey to see how bugs and flowers are faring 28 years on.
"The national ‘Count on Nature’ gave us a wonderful opportunity to come together to explore, learn and record the biodiversity in our churchyard.
"On a lovely sunny day, families and villagers gathered in the churchyard with our Eco Champion Gill Boxall, and our local bug enthusiast Roger Hammond who knowledge helped us to identify all the mini-beasts that we found."
Gill explains:
"Our first task was to place a blanket under several trees and give them a gentle shake to see what dropped out. We then used sweep nets and rooted around under hedges and stones, in walls and the compost heap to see what bugs would emerge.
"Carefully capturing the mini-beasts, we put them into magnifying bug catchers so we could identify them. All bugs and mini-beasts were returned to their own habitats after identification."
Trudy adds:
"Everyone was very enthusiastic and had great fun, so much so that there are plans to return later in the year to the churchyard as well as other areas of the village to not only explore, find and record the biodiversity, but also, we will be making a bug house in our churchyard to welcome all bugs and mini-beasts, giving them a home.
"Gill baked 'bug cakes' for all who joined us and everyone went home happily munching their cakes and chatting about all they had found and seen.
"We would like to thank all who joined us, and we encourage other churches to host bug hunts as they are not only a great excuse for spending time outdoors, but also give us a greater appreciation of God’s beautiful Creation, of all the millions of different mini-beasts God created to support the biodiversity and life on this planet.
"When we realise how important bugs are to the whole of life, we gain a greater understanding of the role we have in looking after and caring for God’s Creation, from the smallest bug to the largest mammal, from the tiniest seed to the biggest tree.
"And as we found in our bug hunt, we can have great fun whilst learning about and caring for Creation!"
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