Kathleen Walker's work with Insect Discovery spotlighted
Holding a square, plastic container, Kathleen Walker turned toward the captivated group of dozens of elementary school students seated before her.
She asked: "Do you think there's a cow in here?" The kindergarteners respond in unison: "No!" Walker smiled a bit. "No, that would be silly, right?"
The show and tell was part of Insect Discovery, a University of Arizona program now in its seventh year that receives support from the UA and the National Science Foundation.
After gently pulling something from the box, Walker, a UA entomologist, opened her hands to reveal one of her "favorite animals," an elongated oval-shaped insect nearly the length of an iPhone named "Bob."
This drew some "whoas," giggles, scrunched noses and wide-eyed expressions. Then Walker explained that Bob was a cockroach from Madagascar.