UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Technology is an integral part of everyday life in the 21st century. Fittingly, Penn State’s 2023 Great Insect Fair will highlight the theme, “Bugs in the System,” focusing on the technology used in entomology.
All are invited to attend the Great Insect Fair from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 30, at the Snider Agricultural Arena on the University Park campus. The Department of Entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences sponsors the event.
This year’s theme will engage visitors with high-tech videos, introduce specialized beekeeping equipment, and showcase different traps used to survey and collect insects, said Michael Skvarla, director of Penn State’s Insect Identification Laboratory.
“In my experience, people love to learn about the things professionals take for granted because we see them daily,” he said. “We decided to focus on technology to highlight the tools and tech entomologists use but that the public might not see.”
There will be opportunities to see live insects, including an insect zoo, butterfly tent and nocturnal insect tent. Additionally, visitors can learn about ticks and tick bite prevention, monarchs and milkweed, and the spotted lanternfly.
Other fun and interactive activities include backyard bees, honey tasting, face painting, T-shirts and more from the entomology Graduate Student Association, and vendors who will be selling various insect arts and crafts, books, and tees.
Admission to the Great Insect Fair is free, although donations will be accepted to help defray costs. Free parking is available at the Snider Agricultural Arena.
For more information, contact the Department of Entomology at entomology@psu.edu or visit the department’s website.