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Article for: The Davis Enterprise
Date: May 9, 2003
Author: Tom Wickersham

MORE INSECTS INVADE EXPLORIT

Explorit's current exhibition features insect activities and includes some live insects for visitors to meet. On Sat. May 17, even more insects, including some of the largest beetles found on Earth, will be on display.

From 1:00 to 3:00, visitors will be able to see specimens and live insects from the UC Davis Bohart Museum. The "Insect Petting Zoo" is free with paid admission to Explorit.

Director of education and outreach Sheryl Soucy-Lubell says that she'll have plenty of specimens for visitors to check out. She'll even have some activities for some of the younger visitors.

The exhibition "What's the Buzz? Insects around Us" examines insect diversity, life cycles and adaptations. The May 17 program will allow visitors to apply some of their entomology expertise as they pour over the specimens from the Bohart Museum.

"We have examples of some of the largest beetles from around the world, like the Goliath beetle," Soucy-Lubell said. The beetles, insects from all over the world and California insects will be part of Soucy-Lubell's presentation.

The "Insect Petting Zoo" will also include craft activities, including an activity on insect metamorphosis. "I'll also have activity sheets for kids to take home with them," Soucy-Lubell noted.

The Bohart Museum of Entomology is the second-largest insect collection on the west coast. It is also the third-largest university collection in the world.

Soucy-Lubell will also bring some live animals, both insects and non-insects. Live insects will include termites, stick insects and roaches. The non-insects will include millipedes and the emperor scorpion. "The emperor scorpion is from Africa; it's the big black one you see on 'Fear Factor'" Soucy-Lubell said.

Insects are important to understand for many reasons, the least of which is that they outnumber all of us. "Insects make up nearly three-quarters of all animals on earth," Soucy-Lubell said.

Among the benefits provided by insects is providing a source of food for many other animals and for their tremendous pollinating skills. They are also the unsung heroes of recycling.

"Insects are very important decomposers," Soucy-Lubell said. "We'd be living in a giant trash heap if it weren't for insects."

Don't miss this special presentation on Sat. May 17 as part of Explorit's exhibition "What's the Buzz? Insects around Us."

"What's the Buzz?" continues through June 8. The exhibit is sponsored by AgraQuest/Pam Marrone and Aspen Pest Management.

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Explorit Science Center is at 3141 5th Street in East Davis. The current exhibition is "What's the Buzz? Insects around Us," which continues through June 8. Public hours are Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday from 1 to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.explorit.org or call Explorit at (530) 756-0191.