Published on 03/20/14

UGA Insect Zoo Open House set for April

The University of Georgia Bug Dawgs of the UGA Entomology Department will host the 29th Annual Insect Zoo Open House on Friday, April 4 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in front of the Miller Plant Science Building on the campus in Athens.

The educational event is open to students and members of the community. The Insect Zoo Open House will feature a photo booth, live bug exhibits, roach races, beetle tractor pulls and more. Children will enjoy face painting, insect painting and other arts and crafts activities. Daring visitors can try tasty snacks made from insects.

“The Insect Zoo’s hands-on approach to learning makes this 29th annual community event 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, an entomologist with the UGA College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.

As an outreach arm of the UGA Entomology Department, the UGA Bug Dawgs strive to educate the local community and spread awareness of entomology-related topics, causes and issues. The UGA Insect Zoo is often used to bring 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 on the travelling zoo, email entomolo@uga.edu.

Experts/Sources:

Marianne Shockley

The University of Georgia Insect Zoo Open House will feature a photo booth, live bug exhibits, roach races, beetle tractor pulls and more. Daring visitors can try tasty snacks made from insects.

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