CBP Port Director Joe Ramirez accompanied Boy Scout troop #303 to the "Bug Safari" this spring. In addition to his duties as director for the Miami seaport, Ramirez is also a Boy Scout leader.

Photo Credit: H. Nichols, Miami-Dade Medical Examiners Office

Who’s looking at whom? A Boy Scout and a snail study each other at the Kid’s Bug Safari.

Assistant port director and former agriculture specialist Jerry Russo, a member of the Florida Native Plant Society and a collector of native plants, assisted the scouts in plant identification and educated them about the importance of preserving endangered habitats for future generations. USDA entomologist William Tang and USDA state operations officer Julie Aliaga assisted the children in the collection, identification, mounting and preservation of various insect species collected on site.

Several supervisors explained the role CBP and USDA play in preventing the introduction of plant pests and diseases. These “bugs” could harm people’s health, damage agricultural resources and harm our national economy.

The children learned that there are over 1.5 million different insects known to mankind. There are more species of insects in the world than all other animal groups combined. Nine out of every 10 animals are insects.

Because insects are the dominant group of animals on this planet, there is no way that humans can avoid being affected by them. Some insects affect our lives in bad ways by spreading disease, destroying crops, damaging wood and performing other harmful acts. Some insects affect our lives in good ways: they pollinate crops, destroy pests and recycle animal and plant wastes.

The vast majority of the insects do not affect man in any significant way. However, all of these "neutral" insects are still an important part of our planet's natural systems—especially as part of the food chain—and the world would be a very different place without them.

This field trip was designed to help children understand and appreciate that insects are an important influence on their daily lives. The children learned where and how to look for insects by recognizing the habitats and homes of insects. They also learned to appreciate the role of CBP inspectors. The safari was an enriching experience that brought many surprises, including the spotting of an endangered Florida native tree snail.

It is hoped this event will not only instill an appreciation in entomology and botany at an early age, but also encourage children to major in the agricultural sciences and pursue careers with CBP as agriculture specialists. EC

The Montgomery Botanical Center is a research center that collaborates with Fairchild Tropical Gardens. The center also has a large collection of rare and endangered plants as well as three distinct plant communities: pine rocklands, hardwood hammocks and mangrove swamps.