11th annual BugFest is an educational celebration of the insects around us
CINCINNATI – Bugs. Some creep, others crawl, some even fly. Found in almost every environment on earth, they represent more than half of all known living organisms with more than a million described species. They benefit humans in several ways and are vital to the environment. And many people are afraid of them. At Cincinnati Museum Center, however, we’re celebrating them at BugFest with a day of activities and programming to educate and fascinate us about these amazing insects. Celebrate the 11th annual BugFest on Saturday, June 7 at Cincinnati Museum Center.
Learn more about the bugs that share the world around us and the important roles they play in our ecosystem. Join experts from the Cincinnati Zoo and Northern Kentucky University’s Department of Biological Sciences as they showcase some of the world’s most amazing insects, including those used in criminal investigations. Museum Center’s own experts will let you meet and even hold insects, including Madagascar hissing cockroaches. Pick your favorite cockroach and cheer it on as it races other cockroaches to the finish line in the Museum of Natural History & Science. Visit the Cincinnati Parks Foundation’s Explore Nature program for an interactive backyard bugs discovery station to learn more about the bugs you might find in your own backyard.
Experts will also educate you on insects that bug and pester us. Cincinnati Health Department will provide information on mosquitoes and bed bugs, including live specimens, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture will have a display of non-native invasive insects causing a nuisance and how the Ohio Asian Longhorned Beetle Eradication Program is working to solve the problem. Museum Center experts will also show how bats provide natural pest control by feeding on insects and regulating insect populations. The WAVE Foundation at Newport Aquarium will bring their own bug-eaters as well, including turtles, tortoises and lizards.
All that learning is sure to make you hungry so make sure you stop by the Bug Bistro between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sample delicious brownies, chili and more with a common ingredient: bugs! Commonly eaten around the world, bugs can provide an excellent source of protein and calories in a variety of forms. Snack on grasshoppers, crickets and mealworms or dip them in chocolate if you’re a little less adventurous.
Insects are all around us and are crucial to a healthy environment. Join experts from Cincinnati Museum Center and beyond to learn more about the bugs that share the dirt and fly in the skies around us. Additional programming will be provided by Buckeye United Fly Fishers, Inc., EchoBats, Inc., Grubco Inc., Great Parks of Hamilton County, Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, and Usborne Books.
BugFest is included with admission to the Museum of Natural History & Science or All Museums Pass and is free to Cincinnati Museum Center Members. Join us Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information visit www.cincymuseum.org/events/bugfest.