Ladybugs are busy pollinating the plants in Briscoe Gardens, the backyard area of the Heritage Gardener Clubhouse on W. Spreading Oaks. The ladybugs were helped into the yard by over 40 FISD fourth graders from Windsong, Bales, and Cline schools who visited the gardens recently.
The field trip held more than just a ladybug release project. It also offered the young students additional information on topics they had studied. They could attend a presentation on bees by Harrison Rogers and one on native plants by Keep Friendswood Beautiful member Patty Steinke. These presentations were held in the Annex next to the Administration building on Laurel.
After presentations, the groups walked to the gardens and were introduced to ladybug facts by HG President Tonya Richardson. She presented information and asked the students to vote true or false. She was able to stump the majority twice. Still, students through the exercise learned that pesticides kill both good and bad insects, ladybugs are pollinators, they can play dead to avoid being hurt by enemies, they emit a yellow foul smelling liquid from their ‘knees’ to keep other insects from harming them, they live approximately two years and they have larvae that look like tiny black alligators.
The release allowed the students to have ladybugs poured onto their hands. They then released them to the flowers where they were standing. They next learned about vermiculture using red wigglers. The soil after the wigglers have lived in becomes filled with nutrients that plants love. The worm casings taken from the wigglers’ tubs are then used on plants. The students were able to see a ‘worm colony’ in action.
A scavenger hunt followed, where students identified varieties of blooms using a photo sheet to guide them. They visited the natural pond created and maintained by Junior Master Gardeners and had craft time where they ‘built’ an edible butterfly from graham crackers, icing, pretzels, and M&M candies.
Briscoe Gardens is an excellent example of a manicured garden. The students rode to Stevenson Park and visited the wildscape pollinator garden planted as a wildlife habitat.
The field trip activities at both sites were planned and organized by KFB and Heritage Gardener member Kaye Corey, along with Windsong Gifted and Talented teacher Ann Moetteli, KFB and HG member Paula Matranga, and KFB Chair Patty Steinke. HG members who assisted included Tonya Richardson, Jennifer Ramirez, Brenda Erfurdt, Nancy Cansler, and Lydia Abuisi.
Beautiful weather, many plants blooming in the garden, and excellent knowledge from all participants in the presentations and games made it a great educational outing and a fun experience.
