UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Children Attending One Summer Camp This Year Will Encounter A Lot Of Bugs. But They Won't Have To Pack Insect Repellent.

Bug Camp for Kids is an educational day camp for 8- to 11-year-olds. Sponsored by Penn State's entomology department, the camp will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, June 20-23, on Penn State's University Park campus.

"We're really excited about giving kids the opportunity to interact with and learn about insects," says James McNeil, graduate student in entomology and coordinator of the camp. "Kids just seem to have a natural affinity for insects, so our job isn't so much to get them interested as to get them excited about the possibilities and encourage their curiosity."

The camp will feature many hands-on workshops, including "Bugs by the Billions," in which campers will learn what kinds of insects exist, where they live and what they eat. The "Hard Knocks and Soft Bellies" workshop will teach campers about insect skeletons, how they grow and how you can tell the difference between a young insect and an adult insect. In "Eat or Be Eaten," campers will learn what kinds of animals eat insects and how insects hide from predators. "Socializing with Insects" will highlight how insect colonies communicate, or "socialize," with each other.

"We really encourage the kids to ask questions and investigate on their own. Plus, it's a lot of fun watching them get excited about encountering bugs," says McNeil.

Campers also will take bus trips to observe and collect insects for hands-on, minds-on laboratory exercises that use insects as models to illustrate a broad range of biological, ecological and environmental topics. Penn State faculty, staff, graduate students and volunteers will teach the workshops.

The registration deadline is June 6. Enrollment is limited to 30 campers, so early application is recommended.

A registration fee of $220 covers instruction and materials, including a "Tool Box" (insect net, magnifying lens, forceps, identification book, journal and collection box), camp picture, T-shirt and diploma. Parents or guardians are responsible for providing a box lunch and beverage each day and for dropping off and picking up children promptly at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Payment of fees and completion of a medical history and release form are required to complete registration. It is possible to register online at http://conferences.cas.psu.edu if paying with a credit card, but medical history and release forms must be printed and mailed or faxed to the office.

For more information, contact:

Conferences and Short Courses
301B Agricultural Administration Building University Park, PA 16802
Phone: 814-865-8301
Fax: 814-865-7050
email: shortcourse@psu.edu Web: http://conferences.cas.psu.edu

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Writer: Jill Hoover

Editor: Chuck Gill Office 814-863-2713 FAX 814-863-9877