"'Ooh, these things give me the willies, and I am not getting near them." "Wonder what those things are and what they eat?" Statements like these were heard amongst preservice students as they embarked on "bug" research. This article offers insight into their sojourn as they observe, discover, classify, and begin to distinguish the common word "bug" from the specific characteristics of an insect. These activities can be modified for middle to upper elementary students to develop classification and observation skills.