Monarch caterpillars, honeybees, and even Madagascar hissing cockroaches took center stage Saturday as families gathered for the 21st Annual Insect Festival, hosted by the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County at Mercer Educational Gardens.
The free, hands-on event offered children and adults alike a chance to get up close with insects of all kinds and learn about their essential roles in the ecosystem. Stations included “Bugs Galore,” “Native Bees,” “Carnivorous Plants,” “Bugs in Water,” and the always-popular “Scavenger Hunt.” New this year was a “Mosquito Bucket” activity, where visitors created take-home tools to help control mosquito growth without harming other insects.
Beyond the bugs themselves, attendees explored demonstration gardens and composting displays that showed how insects recycle nutrients and support plant growth. Rutgers Cooperative Extension and partner organizations including The Watershed Institute, Tulpehaking Nature Center, Isles, and the NJ Native Plant Society shared activities and exhibits.
It was a chance for everyone learn about the diversity and importance of insects, which make up three-quarters of all known animal species on Earth.
