Right at the beginning, the game "Silent Ant Mail" provided a lively introduction to the topic of communication in the animal kingdom. As with ants, certain signals are also passed on haptically, with participants drawing messages on each other's backs and passing them on to the "front ant" until the message is drawn on paper by the "queen" and arrives in the "ant hive".
A short scent scavenger hunt illustrated how ants use scents to pass on information. The children then built an anthill together and experienced first-hand how ant trails are created during a hands-on activity.
"I was really surprised at the different signals the ants can use to talk to each other and how well they can find their way around even in unfamiliar terrain," said one of the participants.
Focus on wild bees
Another focus was on the differences between honey bees and wild bees. Each child was allowed to build the brood cells of a wild bee and take them home as a souvenir. Finally, the group built a wild bee hotel together, which was hung up in a suitable place in the forest.
"With games, observations and practical activities, we wanted to show the children how important insects are for our ecosystem - and how each of us can contribute to their protection," says forester Schleiß.
The forest education day was part of the Ludwigsburg Children's University program. The aim of the forestry department is to maintain and implement the educational forestry mission during the summer vacations and to provide children with playful insights into the local natural environment beyond school and to awaken their enthusiasm for the protection of animals and plants - true to the motto: You only protect what you know.
