What are easy bug costumes to DIY?

As Halloween nears, kids and parents begin to plan what costumes they will wear. Many will decide to wear a classic ghoulish costume and dress up as a vampire, ghost, or goblin. However, there are several fun and easy ways to dress up like some of our favorite insects and spiders. Why not work with the kids and help them create a do-it-yourself (DIY) bug costume?

If this Halloween you choose a bug costume idea, you may learn a few feature creature facts along the way. Check out these DIY bug costumes and insect fun facts.

Bug Costume Ideas

Spiders

Spiders are known for their eight legs. Plus, many spiders use their silk production to construct webs for catching food. When assembling a spider costume, remember to construct eight individual legs. Consider mimicking a spider web pattern across a T-shirt.

Supplies:

• Black cotton T-shirt

• White cotton T-shirt

• Masking tape

• Scissors

• Black construction paper

Directions:

1. Lay out a black cotton T-shirt on a flat surface.

2. Using masking tape, make a spider web outline on the front of the T-shirt.

3. Cut out the spaces between the masking tape using scissors.

4. After all spaces are cut, carefully remove the tape.

5. Stretch cut spaces to make the edges of the T-shirt curl slightly.

6. Wear the black spider web T-shirt over a white cotton T-shirt to display your design.

7. Complete the costume by cutting out an eight-legged spider shape from black construction paper. Attach the spider shape to the spider web T-shirt using masking tape.

Spider Fun Facts:

• All spiders produce silk.

• Spiders are nearsighted although most spiders have 8 eyes.

• Female spiders can lay up to 3,000 eggs at one time.

• Jumping spiders can jump up to 50 times their own length.

Lady Bugs

Lady bugs occur in a wide spectrum of colors, ranging from yellow to orange to red. However, one of the most recognizable characteristics of the lady bug is its black spots, which can vary in number. If dressing like a lady bug this Halloween, consider decorating a baseball cap which mimics the lady bug’s oval-shaped body.

Supplies:

• Baseball cap that is red, orange, or yellow

• Black felt

• White felt

• Scissors

• Glue

Directions:

1. Using scissors, cut sheet of black felt in the shape of the baseball cap bill. Glue onto the bill of the cap.

2. Using scissors, cut two small circles out of the sheet of white felt. Glue “eyes” onto the bill of the cap.

3. Using scissors, cut small circles (as many as you like!) out of the sheet of black felt. Glue spots onto the red/orange/yellow portion of the cap.

Lady Bug Fun Facts:

• A lady bug might eat more than 5,000 insects in its lifetime!

• Some lady bugs have up to 20 spots, while others have no spots.

• Lady bug average lifespans from egg to adult is about one year.

• Lady bugs produce a malodorous nasty fluid when disturbed.

• Some lady beetle species have numerous generations each year while others have only one.

Honeybees

Although honeybees differ in color, they are most commonly seen with black stripes alternating with bands of amber. This recognizable color scheme makes honeybee costumes easy to create.

Supplies:

• Yellow cotton T-shirt

• Black fabric paint

• Paint brush

• Masking tape

• Headband

• Black pipe cleaners

Directions:

1. Lay out a yellow cotton T-shirt on a flat surface.

2. Using masking tape, make a horizontal stripe pattern across the T-shirt.

3. In the spaces marked by masking tape, paint black fabric paint with the paint brush. Remember to alternate from black to yellow repeatedly.

4. After all black stripes are painted, allow the fabric paint to dry completely before removing the masking tape.

5. Set aside two black pipe cleaners and a headband. Bend one pipe cleaner around the headband on either side to mimic antennae.

6. Wear your striped T-shirt and antennae headband together for a complete honeybee look.

Honeybee Fun Facts:

• A honeybee’s wings might beat 190 times a second, that’s 11,400 times a minute.

• A single honeybee colony may produce more than 3,500 ounces of honey each year.