The Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium in St. Johnsbury is inviting residents to get closer to insects through a new exhibit, a butterfly house, and school programs. Deputy Director Karina Weiss said the museum aims to replace fear with curiosity, noting that insect aversion is learned, not innate.
Insects are vital to the Northeast Kingdom's ecology, pollinating crops, feeding songbirds and trout, and decomposing forest debris. Don Miller, professor emeritus at Vermont State University, warned of steep declines in insect biomass globally and locally, citing habitat loss, pesticides, and light pollution.
The museum suggests families plant native species, reduce outdoor lighting, and turn over rotting logs to discover pill bugs and beetle larvae, simple activities that foster appreciation. Firefly watching and moth identification with UV lights are also recommended.
NEK will be looking into local insect population data and the effectiveness of community conservation efforts.
Originally reported by North Star Monthly.
Photo: Daderot (Wikimedia Commons, Public domain). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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