Welcome back to the Lab!
As we move into summer, I’ve decided to take a break from writing Notes from the Lab while I focus on our exciting summer programs. But don’t worry! You can still read up on local insects in our What’s Buzzin’ dispatch every Friday, and Notes from the Lab will return in the fall. In the meantime, check out what I’ll be up to and where you can see me the next few months!
Barcoding US Ants
Barcoding US Ants is by far my biggest endeavor this summer. For the last two years, MBHI has been partnering with the DNA Learning Center in Long Island to identify and map ant species across the US using DNA Barcoding. Now, we are offering Barcoding US Ants to the community-at-large as a citizen science project. To learn more about this opportunity, check out our Barcoding US Ants page.
Insect Abundance
In addition to Barcoding US Ants, we are continuing our insect abundance and biomass survey in partnership with MPG Ranch. This project is more behind-the-scenes, but I’ll be working on it whenever I have the free time!
Online Bug Encounters
You can continue to tune in to our Online Bug Encounters every Wednesday at 1:00pm on our Facebook page if you need your bug fix. This is your chance to meet our bug ambassadors in real-time, and ask your burning bug questions.
Thursdays at SpectrUM
Come meet our bug ambassadors at SpectrUM every Thursday from 3-5pm! We feature a rotating cast of our popular bug ambassadors so you have the opportunity to meet someone new every time.
Bug Birthdays
For the true bug fanatics, why not celebrate your birthday with our bug ambassadors? This opportunity is not just for kids, either. Schedule a birthday party for you, your kid, or your kid-at-heart. The bugs will bring the fun regardless of your age! Check out our birthday party page for more info or to schedule.
I’m excited to take this time to dive into our summer programming and of course, research some new and exciting content for when Notes from the Lab returns in the fall. Thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm for Notes from the Lab, and stay tuned for future content!
Until next time, thanks for visiting the lab!
Bug Wrangler Brenna
brenna@missoulabutterflyhouse.org
Want to revisit a previous Notes from the Lab issue? Check out our archive! Do you want to request a subject for an upcoming issue? Email me at the address above and put “Notes from the Lab” in the subject line.