Recently, I was invited to attend the Mommy Blogger Spooky Science Event at Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. It was a chance for some of us mommy bloggers to check out the Spooky Science: Bug Invasion 2 exhibit. My first reaction was “ooh, this is going to be fun”! When I told my 12 and 4 year old boys we were going, they squealed with joy, and I really knew we were going to have fun.

We arrived at Bug Invasion and were greeted by two giant animatronic Rhinoceros beetles battling right in front of us. My 4 year old was a bit scared by these two at first, but once we started making our way through the exhibit, he began to really enjoy himself. Bug Invasion has several larger than life animatronic bugs. These include a grasshopper, a preying mantis, a caterpillar, a walking stick, and the two rhinoceros beetles. Each creature moves in slow motion just as a real insect would move. For example, the grasshopper jumps like a real grasshopper, in slow motion. Very cool!

The Bug Invasion exhibit also includes an insect zoo with live bug displays. In addition to the array of live bugs supplied by Discovery Science Center, Dr. Sue’s Traveling Insect & Arthropod Zoo was there with live bugs you can pet. That is if you have a burning desire to pet such things. I’ll admit I pet a millipede. I have boys; I do what I have to do. Dr. Sue also has Madagascar hissing cockroaches, crickets, tarantulas, and stick bugs on display. Her display was very hands-on and you could really see (and touch) all of the insects.

My boys’ favorite activity at Bug Invasion was the 4-D Spooky Science Maze. We donned our 3-D glasses and braved the bugs who were(seemingly) coming right at us. It was all glow-in-the-dark and lots of fun. The 4-D part of the maze includes “smell” although I’m not sure what we smelled. “Can I touch them”? “Wow! Awesome! Really Cool”! “The caterpillar looks like it’s almost at you”. Just a sampling of what my kids said while going through the maze.

In addition to the entire bug goings on, Discovery Science Center had mini pumpkins for the kids to decorate. Tables were set up with various stickers and pens to make a spooky or friendly pumpkin to take home with you. While decorating the pumpkins parents can get a chuckle out of a reel of old movie previews running on the screen. Titles such as: Arachnophobia, Empire of the Ants, Invasion of the Giant Spiders, and The Black Scorpion.

Over all, it was a very enjoyable experience and one I would recommend for you and your family! Just watch out for spiders…