UMaine Students Get Up Close with Outreach Insects

On Wednesday, February 25th, the Patch Entomology Club at the University of Maine (UMaine) welcomed guest speaker Chloe Hart, a Class of 2025 graduate who now works in the Gardner Lab. Hart's role at the lab involves entomology outreach, and she frequently brings live insects to events to show both living and pinned insect specimens, to help people better appreciate these remarkable, yet often misunderstood animals.

Along with live insects, Hart brings other educational materials, such as field guides, books, and preserved specimens. (Photo by Camryn Sudimick)

At this meeting, Hart introduced attendees to UMaine's outreach insect collection, the same species she brings to events, giving them the opportunity to see these species up close, and even handle them. The collection includes species like an Indonesian shield mantis, spiky flower mantis, American giant millipede, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, darkling beetles, and a blonde tarantula, many of which are far larger and more striking than insects one might find in Maine.

Some attendees had never been to an Entomology Club meeting before. After hearing whispers of a "bug show," they showed up at Deering 301, curious to see what the event would entail.

Attendees observe a blonde tarantula in its enclosure. (Photo by Camryn Sudimick)

Hart explained that people's reactions to insects often shift over the time of the experience. Some participants even form unexpected connections with the insects. Hart described how some people "absolutely fall in love with the cockroaches," asking, "'Can I name it?'"

Entomology Club member, passes "Pothos," an Indonesian shield mantis from the UMaine outreach insect collection, to another member. (Photo by Camryn Sudimick)

In addition to providing an opportunity to interact with insects, this event also highlighted the role of outreach in shaping how people perceive them. Hands-on events like these have the potential to draw in new audiences and spark curiosity about insects.

Watch the video below to see insect outreach in action:

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/b02915_f7b7c79c88604431978c0bd39b0ce2b1/1080p/mp4/file.mp4