Published on 03/29/13

UGA Insect Zoo Open House set in Athens

The University of Georgia Bug Dawgs of the UGA Entomology Department are hosting the 28th Annual Insect Zoo Open House on Friday, April 5 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the campus in Athens.

The event is open to the public and will be held on D.W. Brooks Drive in front of the UGA Miller Plant Science building.

The Insect Zoo will feature several activities including a photo booth, live bug exhibits, roach races, a butterfly release and more. Face painting, insect painting and other arts and crafts are scheduled for children. In addition, there will be a lottery with several prizes including Beats headphones, a UGA football signed by the team, downtown Athens gift cards and more. Daring visitors to the event can try snacks made from insects.

“The Insect Zoo’s hands-on approach to learning makes this 28th annual community open house very exciting, as it offers an interactive and engaging experience for visitors. The Insect Zoo hopes to teach people to appreciate insects and understand their importance in our lives,” said Marianne Shockley Cruz, a UGA entomologist.

Part of the UGA Department of Entomology, UGA Bug Dawgs, strives to educate the local community and spread awareness of entomology-related topics, causes and issues. The UGA Insect Zoo brings living insects, centipedes, millipedes, scorpions and spiders, as well as museum specimens from Georgia and other parts of the world, to schools, libraries, organizations or community centers for interactive display.

For more information, email entomolo@uga.edu.

Experts/Sources:

Marianne Shockley

H.O. Lund Entomology Club and students in a service-learning entomology class hosted the 2012 insect zoo on March 30, 2012.

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