Cyndee Watson releasing ladybugs with Girl Scouts. Photo by Alisa Shull.

Alisa Shull and Cyndee Watson, from Austin Ecological Services Field Office, assisted with a volunteer-run Girl Scout camp that focused on learning outdoor skills (such as minimal impact camping skills, outdoor cooking, how to set up a tent, and safety) and insects in Austin June 17 through 20.  Alisa, a Girl Scout leader, developed the programming for the camp and Cyndee was a guest speaker.  Cyndee is a karst invertebrate biologist and she talked to the Brownie and Junior Girl Scouts about insects, her job, and how to attract beneficial insects to your yard.  As part of her visit she brought hundreds of live ladybugs for the girls to release (see photo).  Camp ran for four evenings (three hours per evening) and was attended by 82 girls from first to sixth grade.