UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The newest AgSci ActionLab, "Bugs Win," is a two-part evening event for the whole family. The series will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 27, and Wednesday, Oct. 4, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Pasto Agricultural Museum, located at Penn State’s Russell E. Larson Agricultural Research Center at Rock Springs in Ferguson Township. Participants should plan to attend both sessions as information and observations build from one week to the next.
The intergenerational program will engage kids and adults in hands-on exploration of the same questions Penn State’s agricultural science researchers are working to answer. Each AgSci ActionLab focuses on a specific topic and includes a series of stations that provide activities to encourage lifelong learning. “Bugs Win” will explore insects and the mechanisms that make them so successful.
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences faculty and graduate students participate as speakers and highlight the tools they use in the field and the lab. Each ActionLab participant receives a field notebook to record their observations.
Insects are resilient — they reproduce quickly and transform and adapt to their environment. Humans have created pesticides to control insect pests that damage crops or spread disease; however, insects have evolved robust capabilities to fight back.
“Bugs Win” will feature the work of Fang "Rose" Zhu, assistant professor of entomology, and her lab. Participants will examine the relationship between potato plants and the Colorado potato beetle. Youth and their grown-ups are welcome to explore how insects smell with their antennae and discuss how humans interact with pests and beneficial insects.
The scientists will share their research and discuss how insects, specifically potato beetles, thrive. Family groups will examine how these bugs fight back and see who might win.
Each ActionLab topic is covered in two 90-minute sessions one week apart. Parking is free; there is no cost to attend. However, seats are limited, and registration is required. To register and learn more, visit agsci.psu.edu/pasto/events/family-series.
Individuals who anticipate needing any type of accommodation or have questions about the physical access provided are encouraged to email pastoagmuseum@psu.edu in advance of their participation or visit.