Bugs Get a Boost and Wow the Crowd

Biologist Eric Powers entertained and educated a crowd of adults and children Wednesday night at the

Powers, who runs tours and teaches about the environment, brought a reptile, hissing cockroaches, a tarantula  and other creatures to show children--and their adults--how to treat them carefully and to appreciate their roles in the natural world.

The youngsters were, for the most part, enthusiastic about the insects, with only an occasional bit of nervousness or doubt about the wisdom of touching or getting overly close. Most, however, didn't hesitate for a moment, eagerly reaching out to touch or even smell them.