Ten-year-old Jonathan, a native of Tucson, Arizona, is a huge fan of bugs. His affinity for the creepy creatures is comparable to most kids' love for Pokémon. Growing up, Jonathan listened to his grandfather tell him stories about Hawaii, and he has seen many pictures and video of the island.

It came as no surprise that, as his wish, Jonathan wanted to go "bug digging" and deep sea fishing in Hawaii.

Before Jonathan's arrival on the island, the Make-A-Wish Foundation^® of Hawaii contacted the Entomology Department from the University of Hawaii about providing Jonathan with an unforgettable bug experience.

The entomology staff, led by Dr. Marshall Johnson, went all out for the youngster. Jonathan's "bug day" began with a special tour of the Entomology Department and research labs. Jonathan got his first look at the daily work of entomology researchers.

Next, Jonathan was taken to the Wainmanalo Experiment Station, where he actually went bug digging. Jonathan and his new friends in bug-academia looked at termite traps and learned different ways to collect bugs. He also visited the fruit fly production facility, where he learned how millions of fruit flies are reared. Finally, Jonathan received an exclusive tour of the third-largest insect collection in the United States at the Bishop Museum.

As part of his dream vacation, Jonathan and his family also went deep sea fishing and attended a luau. But for Jonathan nothing could top his "bug day." He couldn't stop raving about the bugs and the maggot farm, which were not nearly as big a hit with his mom and sister.

As if the professors at the University of Hawaii hadn't done enough, they presented Jonathan with his very own bug case and allowed him to take home any bug he wanted. Jonathan returned home with a new collection of butterflies, beetles and walking sticks to show his wish granters.