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Olympic Hoppers Wanted at The Great Insect Fair - August 2006
August 29, 2006
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Calling all high-jumping hoppers, grasshoppers that is, who can leap tall blades of grass in a single bound! The Great Insect Fair at Penn State wants you!
Sponsored by the College of Agricultural Sciences' entomology department, The Great Insect Fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 23 in the Snider Agricultural Arena, at the corner of Park Avenue and Fox Hollow Road (across from Beaver Stadium) on the University Park campus.
Organizers are inviting children to bring their own grasshoppers to the fair for the Grasshopper Hop, one of several events being planned for the Insect Olympics. Lyn Garling, education specialist with the department, says a grasshopper can hop up to 20 times its own length. “Kids will be able to see how their own grasshoppers stack up to the competition and win some fun prizes,” she says.
Some interesting grasshopper facts:
• There are more than 1,000 species of grasshoppers in the United States
• Grasshoppers can live in all kinds of habitats
• The longest grasshopper is eleven cm long
• Grasshoppers are herbivores
• Grasshoppers have five eyes
• Some grasshoppers rub their wings together to create music, others snap their wings together while flying and others just rub their hind legs across their front wings
Garling has some tips for would-be hopper collectors:
• Grassy areas and gardens in the middle of the day are good places to start looking.
• Grasshoppers are perceptive and can sense you when you are several feet away. Try using a clear plastic quart container (or bigger) and drop it over the grasshopper. Slide a stiff piece of paper or cardboard over the opening to capture the insect.
• Once the grasshopper is in the container, keep it out of the sun. You can also poke holes in the lid for ventilation.
• Be careful with their legs – they can’t regrow them!
The Grasshopper Hop is only one of many exciting events planned. According to Steve Jacobs, a senior extension associate with the entomology department and event organizer, the fair will feature information and exhibits on various biting and stinging insects such as bees, fleas, wasps, bed bugs, spiders, mosquitoes and ticks. Visitors will get to watch live-action images of spiders pouncing on their prey, bees stinging other insects and more projected onto a 10-foot screen. “People are fascinated by insects but are often afraid of being bit. In actuality, very few insects bite or sting. We’re focusing this year’s fair on these biting insects and how to avoid them,” Jacobs explains.
Other fun activities include:
• 10-foot-tall Fangs and Stingers – Being projected live on screen!
• IPM/Pesticide Safety Putt Putt - Test your golf skills and pesticide safety knowledge.
• Cockroach Races – A Great Insect Fair favorite is back by popular demand!
• Insect Olympics - A series of Olympic "events" including Haulin’ Pollen and Grasshopper Hop
• Insect Petting Zoo - See and touch many fascinating, live insects from around the world.
• Honey Bee Display - See the honey bees dance and sample different types of honey!
• Insect Deli - Featuring critter cuisine such as mealworm stir fry and our infamous "Chocolate Chirpies" (chocolate-covered crickets).
• Build-A-Bug Contest - Bring your homemade insect for judging and a chance to win prizes (for rules and guidelines, visit Web site http://entscied.cas.psu.edu/BAB.html).
• Musical entertainment – Featuring Tommy Wareham and Tom Baker and other local talent
• Children's games and activities - Kids can enjoy face painting, games and make their own insect hats and puppets.
• Insect vendors - Shop for insect pets, insect arts, crafts, books and t-shirts.
• The BugMobile! - Learn about insects and integrated pest management while chatting with the one and only talking car.
• Ladybug Theatre – Students from the Delta Program (State College Area High School) perform humorous insect skits.
Admission to the Great Insect Fair is free, although donations will be accepted to help defray costs. Free parking is available at the Snider Agricultural Arena and across Park Avenue behind the Centre County/Penn State Visitor Center. For more information, call the entomology department at (814) 865-1895 or visit the Web at http://entscied.cas.psu.edu/.