Butterflies, moths take over natural sciences museum at BugFest Sept. 14

RALEIGH

Sep 4, 2024

Get buggy with it when the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences hosts BugFest on Saturday, Sept. 14, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Come satisfy all your web weaving, wing flapping, dungball rolling, creepy crawling and (of course) bug munching pursuits in one day!

This year, BugFest spotlights butterflies and moths. Did you know that our state butterfly is the Eastern tiger swallowtail? And in 1587, colonist and artist John White depicted the Eastern tiger swallowtail while accompanying Sir Walter Raleigh’s third expedition to the New World. It is the first butterfly known to have been documented in the United States.

Throughout the day, BugFest visitors can talk to bug experts, enjoy games and activities (like Stag Beetle Battles and live cockroach racing at the Roachingham 500), or take in live music and presentations designed to entertain and educate the entire family.

If looking at all the live and preserved insects makes you hungry, you can grab a plate of unique food at the Café Insecta, where local restaurants offer a variety of free bug-filled fare, which this year ranges from Sweet and Spicy Chili Worm to Cricket Cobbler.

At 5 p.m., enjoy a free screening of the B(ug)-movie classic “Mothra” (1961). Watch closely as an expedition to a mysterious volcanic island uncovers twin, tiny fairy priestesses and their mythical deity, who soon sets out to attack the world.

Don’t forget to take time to see “Amazing Pollinators.” Slip into the wings of pollinators like bats, bees, beetles and butterflies and embark on an unforgettable survival quest in this role-play adventure game. Tickets for “Amazing Pollinators” are on sale at the Box Office and online at naturalsciences.org.

BugFest is presented by BASF with additional support from Murphy’s Naturals, Syngenta and the Veterinary Emergency Group.

About the NC Museum of Natural Sciences

The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences in downtown Raleigh (11 and 121 W. Jones St.) is an active research institution that engages visitors of every age and stage of learning in the wonders of science and the natural world. In addition to two downtown buildings showcasing seven floors of world-class exhibits, the Museum runs Prairie Ridge Ecostation, a 45-acre outdoor education and research facility in west Raleigh, as well as satellite facilities in Whiteville, Greenville and Grifton (Contentnea Creek). Our mission is to illuminate the natural world and inspire its conservation. Downtown Raleigh Hours: Tuesday–Sunday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. General admission is free. For more information, visit www.naturalsciences.org.

About the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (DNCR) manages, promotes, and enhances the things that people love about North Carolina – its diverse arts and culture, rich history, and spectacular natural areas. Through its programs, the department enhances education, stimulates economic development, improves public health, expands accessibility, and strengthens community resiliency.

The department manages over 100 locations across the state, including 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, five science museums, four aquariums, 35 state parks, four recreation areas, dozens of state trails and natural areas, the North Carolina Zoo, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, the African American Heritage Commission, the American Indian Heritage Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, the Office of State Archaeology, the Highway Historical Markers program, the N.C. Land and Water Fund, and the Natural Heritage Program. For more information, please visit www.dncr.nc.gov.

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