Second-annual Hokie BugFest to be held Saturday, Oct. 20
Visitors take part in the 2011 Hokie BugFest. Photo by Lindsay Key
The second-annual Hokie Bugfest will be held Oct. 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Inn at Virginia Tech (Latham Ballroom). The Inn is on the edge of the Virginia Tech campus off Price’s Fork Road, close to the 460 Bypass and near downtown Blacksburg. Plenty of parking will be available.
The Hokie Bugfest is a smorgasbord of bug-themed activities for both kids and adults. It features live insect displays, games, crafts, an art contest and a 4-H club insect collection contest. Insect enthusiasts can see a giant bird-eater tarantula, watch cockroach races, try on a beekeeper’s suit, and admire robotic bugs. Other activities include making bug boxes, tossing bug bags and guessing how many crickets are in a tank. After visiting eight exhibits, children can earn a junior entomologist certificate.
The themes of science and discovery are interwoven into all activities. Older kids and adults will enjoy learning about gypsy moths, monsters of the insect world, beekeeping and caring for pet insects and their relatives. Young entomologists can try to stump the “wizards of entomology” and win a prize. They can also learn about aquatic entomology, fly fishing and the importance of insects to our environment. A bonus for teachers: The content of many Bugfest activities ties into state Standards of Learning.
The main attraction of any Bugfest is the bugs themselves. Some well-known “bad guys” of the insect world will be on hand: bed bugs, stink bugs, mosquitoes and termites. Visitors can also admire the exotic bugs in our insect zoo. Blue death-feigning beetles, scorpions, bird-eating tarantulas, hissing cockroaches and giant millipedes will be on display. Our favorites are the vinegaroons – cave-dwelling whip scorpions that squirt vinegar from their tail!
Other featured attractions include the HokieBird, the Hokietron and the Alberti Flea Circus. Jim Alberti’s troupe of performing fleas has charmed audiences from coast to coast. The flea circus and strolling street organ show will perform several times during the Bugfest.
For more details and a schedule of events, go to http://www.hokiebugfest.org.
– Submitted by Susan Terwilliger, Virginia Tech Pesticide Programs
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