The Insect Orchestra Family Day

 "Join the Insect Orchestra!" August 15th 10-11:30 at Blackstone Field.  Registration and masks required.  Limited to 12 participants!

Buzz, whir, click, chirp! It's summer, and the trees, fields, and warm nights are full of sounds! They sound like machinery, but they're actually insects!  Learn how insects make sounds, then make your own instruments with your family using our kit.  Watch the Insect Orchestra here: https://youtu.be/1lTRC86Q7QI or see it on tour at the Rhode Island Museum of Art and Science (rimosa.org) in August and the RI Natural History Survey (rinhs.org) in September.  Part of the "Art and Science at the Park" series with 15 Minute Field Trips.

Insect Orchestra Part 1

Here's the first of nine pairings I will share this month. Stay tuned for exhibit info. Have a listen here: http://songsofinsects.com/katydids/american-shieldback You can order prints here: https://www.redbubble.com/i/art-board-print/Watermelon-with-wind-up-toy-by-Eco-Artopia/48081030.7Q6GI

FREE Insect Lecture: Good and Bad Bugs

I will be giving a FREE lecture May 24th at 6:30 PM on insects in the garden at:

The Lincoln Library

145 Old River Road

Lincoln, RI 02865

FREE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND!!!

Two FREE (or low cost) events you won't want to miss this weekend:

The Secret Lives of Insects (Pokemon Go with Bugs!).  Saturday, the 17th, 9:30-10:30 or 11:30-12:30, $7.50 per family.  Register at link.

The first ever RI Biodiversity Festival with bird hikes, nature trails, interactive tables, and kid activities!  I'll be demonstrating how to collect and store leaves and seeds.

I hope to see you there!

Next post: History and Humble Beginnings III: The Snake Den!!!

Two Free Insects Lectures

I will be doing two free lectures coming up.  (Both are the same, so pick which one is more convenient for you.)  The first is July 14th 7 p.m. at the Greene Public Library in Coventry.  The second is at 6 p.m. July 21st at the E. Smithfield Public Library.

Insects in the Garden 

What was that bug?  Insects are part of gardening, and knowing which ones are beneficial and which are pests will help you take the best advantage of them.  There are over 4000 types of bees in North America and many are in crisis!  There are over a billion beetle species.  Learn about a few good ones and a few you should look out for.  Join Melissa Guillet as she helps you identify several common insects, which herbs and flowers will attract beneficials or deter pests, even how to raise butterflies!  Live and preserved specimens will be available for examination.  (Don't worry, nothing that bites!)