Baby Cockroaches

We are proud to announce that the resident Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches at the Central Library are now parents. Today we discovered a bunch of brand new baby cockroaches. We don’t know exactly how many we have since they are a little difficult to count, but we know we have a bunch.

In the photo you can see Mama Roach and some babies right next to her. There are more babies stuck to the bottom of the matchbox coffee table.

Let’s say there are at least twenty of the cute little things. Stop by the Central Library to meet our new additions.

Speaking of new life… The Beaumont Branch Beautiful Butterflies were released earlier this summer. They began with caterpillars which entered cocoons and then changed into butterflies. Click here for some photos of the process.

The Lexington Philharmonic brought their Instrument Petting Zoo to all of the library locations this past week. We had fun playing trombones, flutes, violins, cellos, wood blocks and other instruments. As you can see in the photo, this young man really enjoyed the trombone. That strange thing in front of him is a drumstick waving around in the air.

If you want to know more about music and instruments visit these websites:

Play Music Classics for Kids The Louisville Orchestra

And don’t forget to visit the music section in the library. Just remember that “magic number”…

780

The Venus Flytrap is a patient plant. Watch as it waits for this fly to get into just the right spot and…… snap!

Next week, on June 30 and July 1, all library locations will be hosting a program called The Plant That Eats Bugs. You can learn all about this fascinating plant and you’ll be able to make a Venus Flytrap puppet to take home. You can learn more about the program by checking our calendar on the Lexington Public Library website.

Go to the Grand Illusions website where you will find a video that will show you how it works. You can also download and print out a copy of the dragon. Cut him out and tape him together. You’ll find that the dragon’s head will move as if he’s looking at you.

For more optical illusions look for books in any public library. The magic number is:

J152.148

We had a lot of fun with magician Doug Doolin who presented his Summertime Magic Show at all of our library locations. Mr. Doolin made coins come out of kids ears. He made a beautiful monarch butterfly appear inside a top hat. He turned a bunch of torn tissue paper into a hat.

If you like magic, you can find books all about it in the library. Look for them under the magic number:

793.8

It means “Cockroach House.”

The Central Library has five Giant Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches visiting for the summer.  Their summer home is complete with a match box couch and coffee table, a lamp, a chair and a side table.  The bugs like to spend most of the day hiding under the couch. At night, however, they come out to raise a ruckus and party like only a cockroach can.  When we check in on them in the mornings, we see that the lamp has been overturned and the couch has been moved across the floor.

The girls are named Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cottontail Cockroach.  The two boys are named Benjamin and Peter Cockroach.  Benjamin is sometimes known as Mr. McGregor Samsa.

The Reading Bug really likes the scientific name for these creatures: Gromphadorhina Portentosa.

If you can’t get down to the library, you can see some Hissing Cockroaches online at the University of South Carolina’s Cockroach Cam.

Highlight the space right under this line for the answer:                                                 The library, because it has the most stories!

You can find more jokes like this at AZ Kids Net.

Here’s one more:

Knock Knock…

     Who’s there?

Dishwasher…

     Dishwasher who?

Dish wash er best joke of all!

The Deedle Deedle Dees

have been visiting our library branches this week.  The Central Library, Eagle Creek and Tates Creek Branches rocked out to the music of the band from Brooklyn.  Today (Wednesday) Village, Beaumont and Northside get to enjoy the show.

The Deedles got us excited about historic heroes such as Henry Box Brown, Satchel Paige, Nellie Bly, Teddy Roosevelt, and Dinosaurs.

Of course, The Reading Bug’s favorite song is Rancher Ants!

Check out the “Reading Rules” page to find out how to participate.