Citizen Science Takes Flight: Third Annual Bug Crawl at Historic Cane Hill

Historic Cane Hill

Graphic for third annual Historic Cane Hill Bug Crawl

The Ozark Bug Crawl is back for a third year at Historic Cane Hill! This family friendly, team-based bug collection competition is held on the grounds and trails of Cane Hill in partnership with the U of A Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. Historic Cane Hill began the Bug Crawl in 2022 as a nature-based educational program to help record the diversity of insect life in the area. Now it its third year, the event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 24. Doors open at 9:30 a.m.; the event kicks off at 10 a.m. at the HCH College and will run until 2 p.m.

Austin Jones, instructor of entomology at the U of A, will be onsite along with other volunteer experts to inform participants about the types of life they may find, what to avoid and how to catch various insects and arthropods.

"The Bug Crawl at Historic Cane Hill is a unique event that combines exploration of the beautifully maintained grounds and diverse habitats of Historic Cane Hill with natural science education and discovery," Jones said. "Bugs - in this case meaning insects and other arthropods like spiders, centipedes, millipedes and crustaceans - make up the most diverse group of life on the planet. The goal of the Bug Crawl is to get the public up close and personal with these often-overlooked creatures in a fun, scavenger-hunt-style 'diversity rally' where participants will try to find as many different types of bugs as possible." 

Participating teams will be provided with the necessary materials to enjoy the crawl such as nets and collection containers. Austin and other experts will help identify each team's catch and share fun facts about them. Those teams with the most diverse collections will have a chance to win prizes, including passes to the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville!

"Unique or important finds have a chance to become part of the educational collection housed at Historic Cane Hill," Jones said, "but teams can ultimately choose if they want to keep or release their captured critters. This year the Bug Crawl will again involve a host of entomologically relevant community partners as well as the Ento-Roadshow traveling STEAM classroom."

The Scott Family Amazeum will have staff on site with fun activities and information for kids; the Illinois River Watershed Partnership will be getting up close with aquatic species found in Jordan Creek, and Laurie Scott of NorthWest Arkansas Community College's Living Laboratory in Bentonville will also demonstrate how pollinators impact the world around us. Just in case you work up an appetite for some "grub," the Three Chicks food truck will be onsite, too! 

Teams can be made up of families, friends or strangers, and all ages are welcomed with adult supervision. Anyone who has an interest in the biodiversity of the Ozarks is welcome to participate! Participants are encouraged to bring water, snacks or money for the food truck, insect repellent and anything else they may need for the day. Teams will meet at the HCH College building on Saturday, Aug. 24, at 14219 College Rd., Cane Hill, AR 72717. The event is free and open to the public, but anyone planning on attending should register at historiccanehillar.org/ozark-bug-crawl.