UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Entomologists from 13 northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states and several Canadian provinces will converge on Harrisburg March 4-6 for the annual meeting of the Eastern Branch of the Entomological Society of America (ESA). But you don't have to work with insects for a living to participate -- activities will include an insect expo for the public and a special workshop for teachers. Both events are free of charge.

The ESA meeting will be held at the Harrisburg Hilton and Towers, One North Second Street, Harrisburg, Pa.

"Insects play a large role in our lives -- both good and bad," says Maryann Frazier, extension entomologist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "Although most of the ESA event is intended for professional entomologists from universities, government agencies and industry, we'll offer fun and educational activities to help raise the public's understanding of these most abundant of creatures."

The public expo, "Insects 2001: The Greatest Show on Earth," will be held from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 4 in the Penn Harris and Harrisburger rooms. Attractions will include:

• Insect zoo -- A hands-on exhibit where visitors can hold an Australian giant walking stick, hear a Madagascar hissing cockroach and see a variety of other unusual insects.
• Insect friends and foes -- A display highlighting insects that we depend upon for our survival, as well as insects that really bug us.
• Catch the bug -- Collectors of all ages will show off their insect collections and talk about the art of insect collecting.
• Mouthpart madness -- See how insects make use of their specialized "tools" to get the job done, and try them out for yourself.
• Cockroaches from around the world -- Meet many exotic species and learn why cockroaches are important to us.

A special workshop for teachers will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Monday, March 5 in the Penn Harris and Harrisburger rooms. The workshop will introduce teachers to the concept of integrated pest management (IPM), which is part of new state academic standards for environment and ecology.

"Pests can include invertebrates such as insects, spiders and slugs; vertebrates such as groundhogs, bats and birds; weeds; and disease organisms," says Lyn Garling, IPM education specialist in Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences. "How we manage these pests in an environmentally and personally safe way is the basis of the IPM approach."

IPM is a science-based decision-making process that can be applied in any pest situation. Using knowledge of biology, math, chemistry and other disciplines, IPM emphasizes prevention, often reducing reliance on pesticides.

Open to teachers of all subjects and grade levels, the workshop will provide ideas for hands-on activities, games and experiments that can be used easily and inexpensively in the classroom. Resource materials, references and activity booklets will be provided.

Teachers attending the workshop can receive six hours of Act 48 credits. To register, contact Carol Hodes by phone at 814-865-4592 or by e-mail at http://paipm.cas.psu.edu.

For more information on the ESA meeting, contact Douglas Pfeiffer at (540) 231-4183 or visit the Web at http://www.ento.vt.edu/EBESA/mtnginfo.html.

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EDITORS: Contact Maryann Frazier at 814-865-4621 and Lyn Garling at 814-863-8884.

Contacts: Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-865-1068 fax