21st Annual Insect Festival

Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County

Bugs Galore, Native Bees, Honey Bees, Composting, Crafts, Bugs in Water, Carnivorous Plants, Insect Hunt, Fun Scavenger Hunt, Bug Games, Story time and more!

Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County will sponsor the 21st Annual Insect Fest on Saturday, September 6, at Mercer Educational Gardens, 431A Federal City Road, Hopewell Township. The festival will be held from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, rain or shine. Admission is free and on-site parking is available. Join us to celebrate these tiny titans that run the world and learn about their vital role in our lives and how they create the biological foundation for all terrestrial ecosystems through fun, hands-on activities!

This year’s celebration will feature educational activities for visitors of all ages, including the popular “Scavenger Hunt,” “Bugs in Water,” and Q&A with our Rutgers Cooperative Extension Horticulturist, Justine Gray. Other highlights of the event are “Bugs Galore,” “Native Bees,” “Composting,” “Carnivorous Plants,” “Crafts,” “Insect Hunt/Catch and Release,” “Storytime,” and new this year, a station where you can create your own “Mosquito Bucket” to take home. This will help to control mosquito growth without harming other insects in our eco-system.

Attendees are invited to view the demonstration gardens onsite and learn how insects interact with the different plants. The public can also learn about various methods of composting, in which insects decompose organic matter and recycle minerals to support the production of food crops and other plants. Along the way, there will be activities designed to teach children of all ages to appreciate and respect the amazing beauty, diversity, and essential roles of our insect friends! In fact, three out of every four of our planet’s known animal species are insects.

Invited partners to the Fest this year include: Tulpehaking Nature Center, The Watershed Institute, Isles, Friends for the Abbott Marshlands, NJ Native Plant Society, Mercer County Mosquito Control Commission, Phillip Alampi Beneficial Insect Rearing Laboratory (NJDA), Rutgers Residential Insects Lab, Rutgers Center for Vector Biology and a NJ Beekeeper. There will be plenty for all to see!