UK kids think insects are 'really cool' - but struggle to identify slugs and ladybirds

Recent studies have shown that while 70% of children aged six to 11 claim watching TV is their favourite hobby, a large 61% also enjoy . However, it appears that much of this time isn't spent meaningfully engaging with the nature around them - and it seems it's impacting their knowledge of wildlife.

The a survey of 500 primary school pupils showed many kids struggle to name even the most Shockingly, 38% of children admitted they would struggle to identify a ladybird, while nearly two-thirds wouldn't be able to recognise a daddy long-legs. Even naming a slug was hard for half of the respondents.

To address this lack of hands-on experience, has partnered with conservation charity Buglife to launch an exciting and innovative initiative: Ugly Bug Hunts.

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Starting this Easter across 13 UK forest locations, these activities aim to help children learn how to spot, identify, and appreciate the insects that are crucial to maintaining .

“Bugs and insects are fascinating once you stop to really look,” says Gerry O'Brien, Forest Ranger at the B Corp-certified holiday company.

“The research shows there’s a gap in knowledge and understanding – but also a real curiosity. Through our Ugly Bug Hunts, we want to take the ‘creepy’ out of crawlies and spark children’s interest in the secret life of the forest,” he added.

Despite a lack of meaningful interaction with nature the study revealed nearly four in 10 kids report feeling a buzz of excitement when they spot a creepy crawly outside, and a significant 66% have come across species they've never seen before.

Encouragingly, the research shows that most children had good knowledge of facts surrounding insects. The majority of children knew all boast six legs, and an impressive 70% were aware that there are over a million insect species globally.

Most kids even described insects as "really cool" because of their vibrant colours, positive impact on nature, and their strength. Kids are also captivated by bugs' "special powers," such as spinning webs or glowing in the dark.

Butterflies came out on top as kids’ favourite insects (36%), while wasps, daddy long legs, and cockroaches were at the bottom of the list.

Gerry is keen on encouraging children to explore in the hope that it will ignite a passion for wildlife and deepen their understanding of the biodiversity essential for forest health.

Paul Hetherington from Buglife shares Gerry's enthusiasm: “We believe helping children experience this first-hand is key to building long-term awareness, empathy and respect for nature and through our work with Forest Holidays, we hope to spark that fascination early on.”