Oak Mountain to host annual bug race

If you’ve got a competitive spirit and don’t mind some real creepy crawlers, come out to Oak Mountain State Park on May 25.

The park will host its 5th annual Memorial Day Bug Races at 10 a.m. at the basketball courts, just past the park office on Terrace Drive.

The event will be officiated by park naturalist Emily Cook and take place in competition circles on the courts. 

“The bugs are placed in the middle of the circles, and the one who crosses out first wins,” Cook said. “We do several races to make sure everyone gets a chance and to see if the same bugs can win more than once.”

The event is open to people of all ages, and last year about 30 children, ranging from ages 3 to 12, took part. Participants can bring their own bugs or join Cook in a search for their entries just prior to race time, she said. 

“We have some serious competitors, including one young man last year, about 8 or 9 years old, who brought a bug vacuum which enabled him to catch several different bugs to race,” Cook said. “The kids are pretty brave when it comes to handling the bugs but, depending on what we find, the parents are more afraid than the children.”

Cook said the racers of choice are typically crickets, ants and beetles, but spiders — technically not bugs but arachnids, meaning they have more than six legs — have also taken part.

“But we don’t consider that cheating and will just make a special category for them,” she said.

Cook, who has served as park naturalist for 8 years, also presents educational programs and conducts school field trips and park hikes throughout the year.

“Depending on the time of year and where we go, we see many, many different aspects of wildlife, including birds, different trees and plants and, of course, lots of bugs,” she said.

The Memorial Day Bug Races are free with the park admission charge, which is $4 for adults, $1 for ages 6-11 and seniors 62 and over, and free for those under age 6.

For more information on the bug races or other park events, go online to alapark.com or call the park office at 620-2520.