Insect Festival 2024

Overview

30 booths + symposium talks + grad student-led Ask a Scientist Cafe
4 food trucks
​150 faculty, staff, post-doctoral fellows, students
60 community Volunteers
4,000 visitors (approx.)

Theme insect

This year’s theme insect was the ubiquitous and friendly horse lubber, Taeniopoda eques. Its bold, shiny, black with neon coloration warns predators of its toxicity, allowing this grasshopper to munch on its favorite plants unmolested. It is the largest grasshopper in the United States, being found across the southwest and Mexico. Its name comes from the term ‘land lubber’ since they rarely fly.

Press