Bug Magnet Craft: Dragonflies, Bumblebees & Butterflies

My bug magnet craft hatched one summer day in my kitchen when the grandchildren were spending a week with me.

Together with magnifying glasses and sketch books we journeyed off into the back yard in the hope that some bugs would be willing to let us watch and learn about them. Those kids enjoyed learning about the bugs we found in the yard and loved recreating them with craft items even more!
We added a magnet strip on the back of each one so they would stick to the fridge and hold memos of things to do that would bug us if we forgot!

Ready To Create Your Own Bugs?

Tools

Scissors
Black sharpie marker
Glue (or hot glue gun)
Small wire cutters

Craft Supplies

Artificial pearls and beads
Wire free chenille
Pre colored wooden craft spoons or wood craft sticks
Pom poms
Sequins
Glitter pens
Thin flexible wire cut to 2 inches for each antenna
Magnet strips

Dragonfly Bug Magnet

1. Choose two wooden sticks or spoons the same color and cross one
over the other. Just cross them slightly so they resemble dragon
fly wings. Glue in the middle of one stick and lay the other
stick over it.
2. Choose a stick of a different color for body. Place glue on top
of wing section and glue to under side of body.
3. Dispense a strip of glue on body of dragonfly and cover center
with the wireless chenille leaving about ¼ of an inch or a
little longer open.
4. Select two pearls and glue them in front of the chenille for
eyes. A small portion of the colored stick will show.
Take the sharpie marker and fill in two large circles for the
eyes.
5. Glue a section of magnet to the bottom of the dragon fly.

Bumble Bee Bug Magnet

1. Choose a yellow stick and cut in half.
2. Glue a pom pom on top of the cut side of the stick or spoon.
3. Take the sharpie and draw black lines on the body for the bee
pattern.
4. Take another yellow stick or spoon and cut in half. Each half
will be used for the wings of the bee.
5. Glue one wing at an angle on half of the body and glue the other
wing in the same fashion. It might be necessary to have to
overlap the one wing on top of the other.
6. Take glitter glue and outline wings. The over laying wing will
be some what disguised now so it does not look like it is
overlapping.
7. Select two tiny white beads and glue to pom pom for eyes. Draw
two black dots on beads on eyes.
8. Take a piece of two inch wire folded and ends curled and glue to
head above eyes for the bee’s antennas. Glue magnet on bottom of
bee.

Butterfly Bug Magnet

1. Choose three sticks or spoons.
2. Lay and glue on stick on top of the other to resemble a cross.
3. Cut the other stick in two and position in a slanting direction
under the first set of wings that formed the cross.
4. Glue two pearls to the end of the stick The pearls will rest at
the end of the stick.
5. Glue a chenille strand over body as instructed for the
dragonfly. The chenille will slightly cover the pearls appearing
to be tucked under the chenille.
6. Take folded two inch wire for antenna and glue to top of head
slightly behind the eyes. Take sequins and glue on wings of
butterfly.