MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Terminix is infesting the World Wide Web with fun insect lessons through the free educational Web site www.harrysbigadventure.com.

Harry, a Chinese praying mantis, and his insect friends help users navigate the site, which provides parents, teachers and students with free access to a bug encyclopedia, comprehensive insect curriculum and lesson plans, bug-related videos, audio and more. 

“Harry’s Web site is full of educational materials and is designed to be used both in the classroom and at home,” said Valerie Sherman, Terminix vice president of communications. “With harrysbigadventure.com, we’ve created a fun, engaging site that makes the world of bugs more interesting and gives users the world over volumes of free information about insects.”

The site includes an educator center that is designed specifically for teachers and provides them with a one-stop shop for classroom materials. In the educator’s center, teachers can download a 20-page insect curriculum or choose from a variety of insect lesson plans. Both were created by entomologists at Audubon Insectarium and Terminix and correlate with National Science Teacher Association’s (NSTA) standards. NSTA has also approved the site as part of the NSTA SciLinks program, which provides and recommends educational resources for teachers and students. Teachers can also use the educator center to schedule a time for a Terminix expert to make a special classroom presentation or submit a bug-related question to Terminix experts through the “Ask the Expert” feature.

The site also hosts a Bugopedia section that includes an insect encyclopedia with audio and video that lets visitors experience the sights and sounds of the insect world. In Bugopedia, students can learn what sound a velvet ant makes, go underground to see a termite nest or even see a butterfly emerge from its chrysalis via a webcam that streams live video from Audubon Insectarium in New Orleans. 

Harry is one of the insect world’s most famous bugs and developed a cult-like following while blogging about his five-day journey from Memphis, Tenn., to New Orleans, La., for the 2008 opening of Audubon Insectarium. Harry was the final bug to enter Audubon’s extensive collection and was donated and delivered by Terminix. To find out more about Harry and his friends, visit www.harrysbigadventure.com.