Michigan is one of only two states without an official state insect. A group of fifth graders are trying to change that.
A class at Aberdeen Academy, in the Grand Rapids Public School system, got together and decided to find the state’s first ever official insect.
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No, it’s not the mosquito. They settled on the stonefly.
The stonefly, common in Michigan and in both the Southern and Northern Hemispheres, play an important role in the state’s ecosystem, because they are the primary food source for Michigan’s state fish -- the brook trout.
The brook trout was named Michigan’s official fish in 1988. It’s found in many Michigan lakes, rivers and streams, and is a popular catch for fishers.
Brook trout have been described as voracious feeders with the potential to consume large numbers seasonally available mayflies, stoneflies and other aquatic insects as well as terrestrial insects. However, they will often feed on whatever is most readily available like zooplankton, crustaceans, worms and fish.
Now, it’s top prey could join it in Michigan law.
The fifth grade class worked with Michigan State Rep. Rachel Hood, D-Grand Rapids, after the class wrote five-paragraph essays, laying out their case to the lawmaker, including diagrams, according to WOOD-TV.
“I was blown away,” teacher Emma Witkovsky said. “I was so proud of them. I couldn’t stop grinning from ear to ear, just because they put so much time and effort into it. There wasn’t a lot of complaining either, usually having them write essays is like pulling teeth. But this was not.”
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Hood visited the class to talk to them about how a law is made, and soo after, she introduced House Bill 5563, to officially name the stonefly as the state insect. It’s currently in front of the Natural Resources, Environment, Tourism and Outdoor Recreation Committee.
“I’ve learned not to doubt students ever,” Witkovsky said. “Because they will far surpass any expectation when you let them.”
It’s actually not the first time a class was able to help name a state animal -- a 5th grade class from Niles helped name the painted turtle as the state’s official reptile in 1995.