Getting Acquainted with Insects at the California State Fair
UC Davis alumnus and "entomology ambassaor"Jakob Lopez, who receivewd his bachelor's degree in animal biology in June, drew the rapt attention of fairgoers at the California State Fair's Insect Pavilion, sponsored by the State Fair, California Department of Agriculture, and the Bohart Museum of Entomology at UC Davis.
State Fair officials recorded a video of him welcoming visitors to the Insect Pavilion. The State Fair ended its 17-day run on July 27.
"I probably talked to hundreds of people at the fair because I was there from Friday through Sunday for about 5 hours each day," Lopez said. Some of the questions:
- "Is this a praying mantis?'
- "Is that a scorpion?"
- "Will it hurt me?"
- "What is their purpose?"
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"This was the first time the Bohart Museum has had an interpreter there throughout the event," said Tabatha Yang, the Bohart's education and outreach coordinator. "Jakob was an excellent ambassador for entomology and the Bohart."
Lopez serves as a volunteer at the Bohart Museum open houses.
For the State Fair's Insect Pavilion, the Bohart Museum provided insect specimens and live insects, including the "sunny stick insects and the Australian stick insects to hold," Lopez said. Among the other insects at the Pavilion: thorny devil stick insects, painted lady butterflies, Madagascar hissing cockroaches, a Death's-head hawkmoth, cave roaches, a black widow spider, a Texan scolopendra, forest scorpions, death-feigning beetles, Spanish isopods, tarantulas, and golden eye stick bugs.
State Fair officials publicized the Insect Pavilion as "crawling with discoveries":
"From stick bugs to helpful pollinators, the Insect Pavilion at the California State Fair is crawling with discovery! Presented by the California Department of Food and Agriculture in partnership with the California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom, along with the Bohart Museum of Entomology—this exhibit invites fairgoers to explore the incredible world of insects — and their vital role in our environment, food supply, and climate resilience."
In the video, Lopez discussed beneficial insects, including honey bees and lady beetles (ladybugs). He pointed out that worker bees in the honey bee colony could exit through through a tube to pollinate the fruits and vegetables in the farm area. Lopez also drew attention to the California trees exhibit. "It shows a lot of bugs that are associated with trees such as boring and firewood and things to look out for for other invasive species."
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His career plans? "I plan on doing something involving zookeeping, museum work, or public outreach."
The Bohart Museum, founded in 1946 by UC Davis professor Richard "Doc" Bohart, houses a global collection of eight million insect specimens, as well as a live petting zoo and an insect-themed gift shop. It is located in Room 1124 of the Academic Surge Building, 455 Crocker Lane, UC Davis campus.
The Bohart Museum director is Professor Jason Bond, the Evett and Marion Schlindler Endowed Chair of Insect Systematics, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology, and the executive associate dean, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.
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