Get ready for a a 'Bug Bonanza!'

Kids got you going buggy after a winter of snow days and cabin fever?  Buzz on down to the Long Island Children’s Museum on Sunday, for a multi-sensory day devoted to the largest group of animals on the planet during Bug Bonanza! LICM has teamed up with Lynbrook-based Arrow Exterminating, a leading pest control company in the New York metropolitan area, to provide a “welcome to spring” event that will leave visitors bug-eyed with excitement.
  Bug Bonanza! was launched at LICM in 2009 and proved to be one of the most popular days on the LICM calendar with nearly 1,400 visitors immersing themselves in the world of insects, according LICM spokesperson Maureen Mangan. In developing the range of interactive insect-themed activities, LICM Program Director Aimee Terzulli noted, “Bugs are a great subject to explore because of the mix of fascination and hesitation kids have toward insects. The program combines fun with science and adds a dash of the ‘gross factor’ that’s so appealing to kids,” she added.
  Heading into the warm weather season, the opportunity for children to learn about insects they may encounter during outdoor play is important, Terzulli explained. “Many children pick up bug fears from adults and this event can go far to putting concerns in their place. We hope that Bug Bonanza will squash those fears,” said Terzulli, “and let both children and adults gain a deeper understanding of the important role that insects play in the world. ”
  The partnership between the Children’s Museum and Arrow Exterminating for Bug Bonanza! may surprise some folks. Why is a pest control company acting as a “bug advocate? The answer lies in the company’s strong commitment to education and giving back to the community they serve.
  “We are delighted to partner again with Arrow Exterminating on a program that opens up a subject area that is so fascinating,” said LICM Executive Director Suzanne LeBlanc.  “Arrow shares our commitment to educating children about the insect world, which accounts for more than half of the known species on the planet.” 

  A range of “insect-ivities” will be offered throughout the afternoon that allows visitors to see, touch and even, taste – yes that’s taste – bugs. Bug Bonanza! activities will be held throughout the museum.
* Meet  Arrow entomologists Mike Deutsch and Bern Wendell and several of their “friends” – a tarantula, mantis, and Sylvia, a Madagascar hissing
cockroach.
* Create insect crafts.
* Become a favorite bug (face painting).
* Enjoy “bug tunes” performed by singer-songwriter Bari Koral  in the LICM Theater.
* Chow down at the Critter Café. Everyone can sample candy coated ants, BBQ flavored worm snacks and bacon and cheese flavored crickets.  (Bug Appétit!)

When: Sunday, March 27, 1-4:30 p.m. Museum admission: $10 adults and children over 1 year old, $9 seniors. Additional fees for theater and special programs apply.
Where: Long Island Children’s Museum, Museum Row, Garden City.
(516) 224-5800 or www.licm.org.