Essays

Wild On The Prairie: Learning

The value of studying the natural world
August 15, 1999

“Why do you want to study ______ (any organism)?” a summer camp participants at Sibley wanted to know. It was a legitimate question. Why would anybody spend time and effort to learn what appears to be insignificant compared to surviving day-to-day life? Why make natural history study a hobby? There are so many easier ways to entertain oneself – playing computer games, watching television, going swimming, and other similar pursuits that require little mental effort.

We could have answered the student with a question, as we often do. “How many of you have said to your parents ‘I AM BORED’?” Any activity that fails to challenge a person, either mentally or physically, becomes boring. Not everybody is gifted with athletic ability, but everybody can challenge himself or herself mentally.

The American culture fears boredom. As the richest society in the world, we have a plethora of toys. As every parent knows, a child usually plays with a toy for a short period, and then casts it aside. We do this as adults, too. If we can afford it, our houses become stuffed with things we have purchased to use in periods of leisure, and then put aside when a new “interest” takes their place.

From kindergarten to high school a child is learning to define the world. Exploration is continuous. It is the rare child, however, who discovers a passion for intellectual activity. Many become consumed by a physical activity. And, for some reason, a child with an avid intellectual interest is often denigrated as a nerd, and must constantly weather intense peer pressure.

Engaging in mindless activity to avoid boredom is portrayed as cool. “PARTY! PARTY! PARTY! has been the cry of the adolescent for years. As a result many people come to think that the only time anything “fun” occurred was accompanied by the mental alterations caused by alcohol and drugs.

The luckiest people are ones who find an activity they love. Some become craftspeople: woodworkers, gardeners, quilters. Others become collectors of stamps, coins, antiques, collectibles, and much more. Such endeavors are proactive. A person is “taken out of himself or herself” by engaging in a favorite endeavor, no longer expecting things or other people to entertain them.

Sadly, our society is removed from the natural world. We live in a human-centered environment. At the close of each summer camp session this year, we asked the students what they liked and did not like about camp. The most common answer among the dislikes was “It is too hot outside.” This was followed by – “So many things either bite or scratch you”. Some of the students were so bothered by the heat and hurtful things they may not come back next year. Most of the kids, however, have been coming to Sibley Summer Science Camp for more than a year. They have discovered that the natural world can fascinate.

The favorite activity of all students, regardless of age, was exploration. What can be found? What can be caught? All ages would become completely absorbed by trying to corner a lizard or jigging a tarantula. All ages loved learning how to handle a snake. Even kids that have been attending summer camp for five years or more still love to hold one of the snakes! Many enjoyed letting a tarantula walk across the back of their hand. Many people, often to the point of irrational hate, fear snakes and tarantulas. The kids realized such fear is largely misplaced (and should be replaced by respect).

A high school student asked the question that began this column. The underlying implication of the question was that the student assumed studying an organism would be boring. We gave her several answers. We explained that study is similar to the “hunting” we were doing on the trail. Finding a organism one has not noticed before can be cause for excitement. Identification of that organism can be quite a challenge, and the successful accomplishment of it is immensely satisfying. Learning about an organism that has been not been thoroughly studied is exploration in the truest sense. A person is “going where no one has gone before” by finding out its habitats and habits. What does it eat? Who eats it? Where does it live? How does it cohabit with similar species? How does it hide from predators? What is its technique for capturing prey? How many are present in its favorite habitat? Is it found in several habitats, or is it only found in a very specialized niche? Each time an answer is discovered, more personal satisfaction is experienced.

We also pointed out a benefit for youths that have a passionate hobby. A young person can not only fill many hours that otherwise might be boring, but can also get out of make-work chores assigned by parents. “No, mom, I’ve got to check my research project and collate my notes”. A young enthusiast can also find rewarding trips to take, such as to the Chiricahua Mountains Birdwatching Camp in Arizona, or working at the Texas State Aquarium on the Gulf Coast.

The conversation turned philosophical. “A person that interacts with the natural world feels connected to powers much greater than humans. By knowing the natural world you realize the wonder of life on this planet. You learn that the earth is a blessing. By interacting with wild plants, wild animals, and wild places a person can find healing from troubles and sorrows by seeing the awesome powers of creation, transformation, and interconnected relationships. By learning about the natural world you honor God.

This summer, our camp teaching staff attempted to show the students some of the beginning steps to acquiring the skills of an amateur naturalist (which can sometimes lead to a profession). With the oldest group of kids, we focused on the study of spiders for several days. We began by verifying that the students knew how to identify the two dangerous species (black widows and brown recluses). Next, we talked about tarantulas. Many people fear tarantulas purely for reasons of ignorance. Tarantulas can bite, but the result is not even as bad as a bee sting. The unfounded fear can be translated to fascination, for the giant spiders have odd behaviors.

Their methods of defense consist of threat, and then urtication (or the strewing of hair from their abdomen). Over the years at Sibley, tarantulas have crawled over the hands of at least seventy five thousand children without a single bite. In some parts of the country, including part of Midland County, small Narrow-mouthed Toads live in tarantula burrows in a symbiotic relationship. To find out the nature of the mutual benefits, you must come to Sibley! (Or go to the library!)

A spider hunt followed our initial classroom discussions. Several habitats were searched. One habitat produced hundreds of a species of small crab spider. Several clasped prey in their long front legs. Consulting a newly published book on selected Texas Spiders (describing a hundred of the nine hundred known to occur in the state) we learned that this particular crab spider is considered the most common species in West Texas. We also found three more species of crab spider before class ended. The following morning students brought in three additional species of crab spiders from their homes. One was a beautiful russet-bodied type, with reddish bands on its posterior legs.

In all, we found twenty-seven species of spiders along the trails. Tarantula and wolf spider holes are easily found. The water spider at the pond presented itself, as well. An immature black widow hid under a large hunk of concrete, along with a Spitting Spider and an ant-mimicking jumping spider. Five more species of jumping spiders hung onto sunflowers, saw-leaf daisies, and other blossoming plants.

No one knows how many species of spiders can be found in Midland County. We surveyed the Sibley Library, and in the vertical file of magazine and scientific journal articles found that a five-year study in New Mexico had produced ninety species in three habitats. Midland County has eleven different habitats. Most spiders are generalists and can survive in several different habitats, so there is no way to estimate the number of species for the county. Our curiousity has been stimulated, however. We will be paying closer attention, and taking notes.