Shelby Kittle, (right) MS student in Entomology, demonstrates how to extract honey at last year's BugFest.
2023 BugFest aligns with Discovery Days on August 12
For the second year in a row, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Entomology Department is aligning its annual BugFest open house with the East Campus Discovery Days and Farmer's Market. This year's 2023 BugFest will be held on Sat., Aug. 12, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at Entomology Hall.
The East Campus Discovery Days and Farmer's Market offers a wide variety of educational and entertaining booths throughout the university's East Campus Mall, including in front of Entomology Hall. So no extra travel is needed to join BugFest for Discovery Days attendees.
BugFest will offer educational exhibits and programs inside and outside of Entomology Hall. It made sense to combine the two events, according to Dr. Doug Golick, associate professor of Entomology and this year's BugFest coordinator.
"BugFest is a standing UNL and Department of Entomology tradition," said Dr. John Ruberson, Department Head for the Entomology Department. "We're especially pleased to hold BugFest 2023 in partnership with the final East Campus Discovery Days and Farmers' Market of the summer." Ruberson invited insect enthusiasts to stop by Entomology Hall classrooms to see insect-related displays, games, and educational activities.
Visitors will learn about Nebraska insects, bee biology and how to draw insects. There will also be booths and tables featuring the department's Insect Zoo, Nebraska insects (including the endangered Salt Creek Tiger Beetle), Invasive Insects, Mosquitoes - Good or Bad, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, the UNL Bee Lab (honey bees), Tick Tag Go, Plant-Insect Interactions and a booth by the undergraduate Insect Science Club. The department's Lawrence Bruner graduate student club will be at the welcome table. BugFest is designed to appeal to learners of all ages who love insects or science.
This free event is an opportunity to learn from entomology students, faculty and staff. Parking is available at the north of Entomology Hall, East Campus Recreation Center and east of the Dairy Store.
