By: Randi Lee Brazier

CHANGING WITH THE SEASONS

"To live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often." - John Henry Newman. If Mr. Newman is correct, Explorit is well on its way to being an ideal source for fun, scientific learning!

Lots of changes are upcoming at Explorit. This is the last weekend to visit Explorit's current exhibition, "A Fly on the Wall and Other Amazing Arthropods."

Did you know that there is a fly in California called the petroleum fly which lives and breeds in petroleum? Don't miss all the fun bug trivia! Which arthropods are poisonous? Which are predators? Which arthropods do we eat?

Some queen termites live as long as 50 years, but not so this exhibition! Starting Monday, Explorit will be closed to the public until Saturday, June 26 to prepare the summer exhibition "How Does My Garden Grow?"

Through engaging hands-on indoor and outdoor activities learn about such things as how plants grow, what makes a great compost and what happens to the water you put on your garden. Plan to visit several times this summer to discover more and more about how your garden grows.

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If you can't wait until June 26 to dig your hands into the soil, attend Volunteer Planting Day at Explorit! From 10am to noon this Saturday, June 12, help create the native plant garden that is replacing a portion of Explorit's front lawn.

Bring a hat, sunscreen and a water bottle. If you have a trowel, gloves or shovel, bring those along too! Smiles and refreshments will be served.

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Out with the old. In with the new! Old Nugget receipts bring in new funds for Explorit. Nugget Market donates a percentage of receipt totals to Explorit.

So bring in your old Nugget receipts (cash, ATM or check transactions only) to Explorit by June 18 and help add new luster to the wonderful programs you can enjoy this summer!

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Mark your calendars for the upcoming Astronomy Club Meeting set for Saturday, June 19th.

Learn about the stars and planets surrounding us from expert stargazers and check out some "homemade" telescopes designed and constructed by local enthusiastic sky-gurus.

The meeting will commence at 8:30pm at Fairfield School at the intersection of Road 32 and Road 96.

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As many have discovered in the current exhibition, the metamorphosis of caterpillars into butterflies is one of the many wondrous beauties of nature. When a caterpillar has eaten enough, it wraps itself into a cocoon, becoming a pupa. Between ten days and several months later, the cocoon splits open and a colorful, winged adult butterfly emerges.

While Explorit is closed for two weeks beginning June 14, changes will be going on... a new exhibition, facility renovations, and a new native plant garden are developing.

What wonders will emerge? Come and find out June 26!

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Explorit Science Center is located at 3141 5th Street in East Davis. The current exhibition is A Fly on the Wall and Other Amazing Arthropods. Public hours are Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 1:00 to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday through Friday from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Regular admission is $3; members, teachers (with school ID) and children under 4 are free.