2025 Bug Week Programs & Activities

Bug Week 2025 is July 13-19 and we will be having in-person events as well as online activities.

UConn Extension’s Bug Week is right around the corner, and we have programs for the whole family.

If you have questions about any of our programs, please email us at bugweek@uconn.edu or call 203-207-8440.

Bug Week programs & activities you can participate are listed below with the registration form. We also have online opportunities available.

A fishfly rests on a tree branch, camouflaged against the bark, with green leaves in soft focus nearby.

Bug Hunting & Raising for the Family

Saturday, June 14, 2025, 10:00 AM - 12 PM (Yes, June is correct)
Adults (Youth 12+ may accompany registered adult) | New London County Extension Center 562 New London Turnpike, Norwich, CT 06360

Registration Required

$50 for non Master Gardners, $40 for Master Gardners.

Want to see some fascinating insects in their natural environment? Want to learn which host plants they hang out on, and where they hide? Come on a bug hunt with Pamm Cooper on the New London Extension Center grounds in Norwich as she shows us how to find the hidden critters living amid our native and ornamental plants. Pamm will start the class with a PowerPoint presentation identifying some of the common insects we might see in the field, such as beetles, bees, and caterpillars. Then we will head out onto the grounds to “shake out” some of our friends from their cozy plant homes so we can take a closer look. Pamm, who is always on the lookout for insects in their native habitats, will also bring along some interesting live insect samples for the class to view.

Cookies on a rack.

Crunch Into the Future: Discover the Benefits of Edible Insects!

Monday, July 14, 2025, 7:00 pm - 8:00 pm
All-Ages Event | Windham County Extension Office 139 Wolf Den Road Brooklyn, CT

This event is FREE and open to the public

Are you ready to rethink your plate? Join us for a fascinating presentation on Edible Insects: The Sustainable Superfood of the Future.

Why Attend?
✔ Learn how insects can help combat world hunger
✔ Discover their environmental benefits
✔ Explore their surprising nutritional value
✔ Taste the future with samples of edible crickets and cricket chirp cookies.

(Individuals with seafood allergies should not participate in sampling.)

Also Featuring:
• A recap of the edible insect banquet served to University of Connecticut students
• Take-home recipes for the adventurous eater
• Resources on where to buy edible insects
• Additional reading materials to explore at home

Whether you're curious, skeptical, or hungry for change, this event will open your eyes—and maybe your mouth—to the incredible potential of edible insects.

Bugs are more than just a buzz—come find out why!

scavenger hunt

Insect Wonders at the Farm

Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 3 pm - 6 pm
All-Ages Event | Spring Valley Student Farm, 104 Spring Manor Road, Storrs, CT

This event is FREE and open to the public

While at the Spring Valley Student Farm, you can play Bug Jeopardy, take a guided tour, learn about beekeeping, and see the vegetables we grow for the UConn Storrs campus. This is a FREE event.

Preying mantis on green leaf

Bugs at the Brookfield Library

Tuesday, July 15, 2025, 5:30 pm and 6:30 pm - Brookfield Library 182 Whisconier Rd, Brookfield, CT 06804
Grades K-2 at 5:30 and grades 3-5 at 6:30 pm | This event is FREE. Pre registration is required - more info coming soon.

Join us for a fun and interactive Bug Workshop at the Brookfield Library, hosted by a UConn Extension Master Gardener from Fairfield County and Fairfield County 4-H! Young explorers will get an up-close look at the amazing world of insects through hands-on activities, bug-themed crafts, and fascinating facts about the tiny creatures that share our world. Kids will learn how to identify different bugs, discover their important roles in nature, and even make their own take-home bug creations. It’s the perfect way to spark curiosity and get kids excited about science and the outdoors!

Bug Week at 3rd Thursday with CSMNH & Friends 

Thursday, July 17, 6-9pm Willimantic 3rd Thursday Street Fest 

All-Ages Event | This event is FREE and open to the public

The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History will be teaming up with The Last Green Valley and the Willimantic Public Library to offer educational displays and activities for all ages at Willimantic’s 3rd Thursday Street Fest! Visitors can learn about pollinators and the differences between moths and butterflies, make their own beetles and caterpillars, and watch live hornworm caterpillars on display. 

Free parking at Jillson Square and the Walnut St. Parking Garage 

Fly on flower.

Bug Out at the Monroe Farmers Market

Friday, July 18, 2025, 3 pm - 6 pm - Monroe Farmers Market - 7 Fan Hill Road Monroe, CT
All-Ages Event | This event is FREE and open to the public

Celebrate Bug Week with us at the Monroe Farmers Market! Stop by the Fairfield County 4-H table for a fun and educational experience the whole family will enjoy. We'll have hands-on bug crafts, fascinating insect information, and exciting prizes for anyone who comes dressed like a bug!

Whether you're a budding entomologist or just curious about the insects in your backyard, there’s something for everyone. Learn about the important roles bugs play in our environment and discover how cool (and cute!) creepy crawlies can be.

scavenger hunt

Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

Friday, July 18, 2025, 3 pm - 6 pm
All-Ages Event | Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory (CVMDL), 61 North Eagleville Rd., U-3089, Storrs, CT 06269-3089

This event is FREE and open to the public

While at the Connecticut Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory at UConn, you visit with the experts to learn about ticks and other parasites, and have some hands on time with a dissection microscope! Samples in closed containers are welcome.

Pro Tip: It's within walking distance to the UConn Dairy Bar so you might want to plan on stopping by for a sweet treat!

people in butterfly garden

Bug Walks

Saturday, July 19, 2025, from 10 AM - 1 PM

All-Ages Event | Middlesex County Extension Center, 1066 Saybrook Road, Haddam, CT, 06438

This event is FREE and open to the public

The program will include bug hunts in the Extension gardens, displays of live insect identification, crafting with 4-H, and giveaways. People of all ages are invited to explore the wonderful world of insects, and Master Gardeners will be available to answer your gardening questions. You are welcome to bring insects you'd like to have identified, but please bring them in an enclosed container.

Online Opportunities

clover around bugs

Bugs in the Garden Escape Room Activity

Have fun solving puzzles and learning about different insects with this 4-H Escape Breakout.

Click here to start.

Find more 4-H Escape Breakouts here.

Bug Week 2024 Fill in Picture

Give life to the pictures by adding color to celebrate Bug Week 2024!

Download the images by clicking here and here

 

Bee Cake Pops Recipe

Celebrate our pollinators by creating cake pops and then eating them! Even better, learn about the importance of bees while you do it.

Click here for the recipe.

Close up with the Rainbow Scarab

Get a good look at, and learn more about the beneficial Rainbow Scarab. This dazzling dung beetle that can be found around our very own state of CT!

Visit the page by clicking here.

Online Insect Quiz

Whether you want to learn more about the amazing world of insects or brag to your friends about your insect knowledge this quiz will test your skills. Just like in nature, only the strong will survive.

Click here to play!

Sweet and Salty Beetle Cookies

Sweet and salty caramel, pretzel, and pecan cookies that look like they are about to crawl off of the tray. Learn facts about the most diverse group of animals on the planet while you chow down.

Click here for the recipe.

Strawberry Ladybugs

Ladybugs make everyone smile. Not only are these beetles cute, but they are valuable beneficial that protect our garden and are shrouded in myths and legends. Learn about what makes lady bugs so awesome before chomping into a strawberry version of one.

Click here for the recipe.

Up Close with the Luna Moth

Huge, green, and beautiful, the Luna Moth is a sight to behold. See this moth break out of its shell to face the world, all while learning what makes these animals so amazing.

Visit the page by clicking here.