The Bohart Museum of Entomology at the University of California, Davis will hold an open house titled “Eight-Legged Encounters” on March 15, offering visitors a chance to explore arachnids as well as butterfly specimens and native bee images.
The event aims to engage the public with hands-on activities and educational displays about spiders, bees, and butterflies. The museum’s outreach supports broader efforts by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) to connect research with community needs through science-based programs and events according to the official website.
Visitors can observe scorpions, tarantulas, vinegaroons, whip spiders, and trapdoor spiders. Activities include learning how spiders spin silk, watching arachnids being fed, viewing specimens under microscopes, and crafting model clay arachnids. The petting zoo will feature Madagascar hissing cockroaches and stick insects. Co-chairs Emma Jochim and Felix Duley said the event is free for all ages and includes free parking at Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building.
For those interested in pollinators rather than arachnids, curator Jeff Smith and associate Greg Kareofelas will display butterfly specimens from around the world. Additionally, a new exhibit features photographs of native bees by Krystle Hickman. Tabatha Yang described Hickman’s work as “incredible.” Hickman has spent ten years photographing California’s native bees for her book “The ABCs of California’s Native Bees,” which highlights 26 species from Agile Longhorn Bee to Zone-tailed Banded-Mining Bee. She has also published flash cards featuring 42 native bee species.
Hickman’s photography is gaining national attention; she spoke at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Colombia in 2024 and has lectured at several universities. Her exhibit at Bohart Museum will remain until May 16.
UC ANR secures funding through public contributions according to its official website, promotes sustainable practices for resilient ecosystems according to its official website, utilizes nine research centers representing diverse ecosystems according to its official website, manages Cooperative Extension services within the University of California system according to its official website, conducts over 33,800 educational events annually with more than 18,400 volunteers according to its official website, and operates in all 58 counties delivering science-based information through workshops and partnerships according to its official website.
Director Jason Bond leads the Bohart Museum as professor in the Department of Entomology and Nematology at UC Davis. More information about upcoming events can be found on the museum’s website or by contacting bmuseum@ucdavis.edu.
