This summer, Chris Packham helped Intu shopping centres launch their ‘Big Bugs on tour’ initiative, which aims to bring more than 30 million shoppers back to nature. Shocking research by Intu revealed that children are better at identifying Pokémon characters than British wildlife, sparking the idea to unleash 12 super-sized, indigenous bugs on intu shopping centres nationwide.
Now, before you start envisaging live critters worthy of horror movies (anyone says ‘super-sized bug’ and immediately picture Jeff Goldblum turning into a fly…), I can assure you these enormous insects are family-friendly models — and are pretty cool to look at. (NB: I’m not saying Goldblum’s fly isn’t cool to look at. It’s just these creepy crawlies are less… creepy).
Having opened at intu Lakeside in July, before moving to 12 further locations over the next year, the displays aim to help fill in the blanks when it comes to our nation’s knowledge of bugs.
I was shocked to learn that one in six children (16%) have not seen a single bug for six months, while 25% have not seen a caterpillar in over a year.
Perhaps even more surprisingly though, especially given the recent focus on the importance of bees as their numbers have declined; is that the study revealed that 21% of children were unable to correctly identify a bee while 10% did not know honey came from bees!
Unfortunately, adults did not fare much better in the study, with one in four unable to tell the difference between a bee and a wasp and an equal 25% unable to correctly identify a grasshopper!
Q&A with Chris Packham
“More needs to be done to reconnect people with nature and Big Bugs on tour is a fantastic initative to wake people up to the importance of nature in our lives.” Chris Packham explained in our recent interview.
I used the opportunity to take a look back into his own childhood, and the bugs that he encountered — and why they’ve made this an issue close to his heart.
Kate on Conservation: Why is the Big Bugs on tour campaign important? What are you hoping it will inspire parents and children to do?
Chris Packham: Hats off to intu, because they are shining the light on indigenous bugs and encouraging kids to connect with nature and explore the wildlife in their garden. I love Big Bugs on tour because it’s not only impressive with the size and accuracy of the bugs, but also a very imaginative way to engage with customers about wildlife and also reaching an audience that we wouldn’t necessarily speak to on Spring Watch.
I also like how they are working with schools to get them in centres and face-to-face with all the bugs, and learn to appreciate not just the pretty ones like butterflies and ladybirds, but the crawly ones which are equally important in our ecosystem.
K: Do you have any memories of encountering bugs as a child?
C: The front gate of my parents’ house had a bush which was the home to lots of different coloured ladybirds, which I would catch by standing on the wall.
K: Why is it good for children to explore the bug life in their garden?
C: It’s really important for kids to explore the bug life in their garden because it’s been proven that being connected to nature makes you happier. New research from intu shopping centres found that 67% of people said that being connected to nature makes you happier, but one in six kids have not seen a bug in six months.
K: What might they find looking in the garden for insects?
C: Lots of exciting things! For kids, the first safari they do is in their garden, from my opinion. Kids can find everything from ladybirds, bees, beetles such as the stag beetle, all of which are on display at intu’s Big bugs on tour.
K: What is your favourite bug? And why?
C: Hornet – they are fantastic insect predators. They are misunderstood though, it’s easy to live alongside them.
Big Bugs on tour; and when to catch them!
Intu’s campaign to reconnect kids and adults to nature comes as reports show children are now better at identifying Pokemon characters than British wildlife, despite a £10 million pledge from the Government to encourage children to get closer to nature.
Over 35 million people shop at intu centres every year, so Roger Binks, customer experience director for intu, hopes that bringing them face-to-face with these giant British bugs “can make a real impact in how they interact and reconnect with nature, and ensure they are happier than when they arrived.”
One of the most encouraging conclusions from the study showed that 78% of parents want their children to be more connected to nature (86% thought their children spent too much time looking at screens), with nearly half (49%) saying they are worried about the decline in insects, but didn’t know how to help.
I’d suggest creating a bee or bug hotel (find out how here), or planting flowering, bee-friendly plants in the garden would be a good start (as well as avoiding using any pesticides and bug killing chemicals!).
Hopefully this can help with the very sad news that over a third of adults say they see far fewer bugs in their gardens now than five years ago.
The 12 British bugs being exhibited across Intu shopping centres nationwide between now and September 2019 are:
- Azure damselfly
- Black ant
- Honeybee
- Hornet
- Ladybird
- Meadow grasshopper
- Swallowtail butterfly
- Swallowtail caterpillar
- Nut weevil
- Rose chafer beetle
- Stag beetle
- Greater water boatman
For more information go to: www.intu.co.uk/BigBugshttp://www.intu.co.uk/BigBugs.
Learn more about the issues facing British wildlife
- Educating future generations about Britain’s wildlife
- Making bee hotels on Impact Day
- The inglorious 12th: Calling for an end to driven grouse shooting
- Read more about the ‘Keep the ban’ fox hunting demo
- Discover more about the debate surrounding the badger cull
- Holding on to hope: stop fox hunting
- Join Brian May as he stands up for British wildlife
This is so important. Chris Packham is doing so much for wildlife.
Chris Packham is a brilliant advocate for wildlife! Have you heard of his Walk for wildlife event on 22nd September?
Yes, have shared on Facebook but unfortunately not in U.K. for that date.