Bug House an amazing outreach tool this spring

June 07, 2013

The Department of Entomology's Bug House has been an amazing outreach tool for entomology and nature in general this spring through three key events. Funding the Bug House continues to be a challenge, however.

The Bug House has been an amazing outreach tool for entomology and nature in general this spring through three key events. Courtneay Smith and Gary Parsons organized more than a dozen student volunteers with additional support from Keith Mason and Barb Stinnett. In March, nearly 100 children and adults attended the annual Spring Open House to handle insects, ogle the colorful box displays and color their own insect drawings. MSU’s first Science Fest was held for 10 days in April and included two Bug House open houses, which brought in almost 300 people. Our blockbuster event is serving as a stop on “Be a Tourist in Your Own Town” held this year June 1. About 1,100 “tourists” bolstered their knowledge of insects with a walk through the Bug House. Special features of the day were letting children into the butterfly flight room to have a close encounter with painted lady butterflies and monarchs, and the “giant cave cockroach” colony donated to the Bug House by entomology alumni Trisha Samota and Steve Nichols. Trisha was the first entomology undergraduate who came to the department after attending every one of our summer Bug Camps continuously from the first one! She now works as a technician in Del Delfosse’s lab.

Despite the dedicated efforts of staff and student volunteers and donations made by visitors, funding the Bug House continues to be a challenge. If you are interested in supporting this worthy cause, please visit http://bit.ly/BugHouseGift or mail a check made out to Michigan State University. Please note with your check that the contribution is for the Bug House and send it to:

MSU Department of Entomology
288 Farm Lane Room 243
East Lansing, MI 48824