By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
Insect-O-Rama is back at the Remington Nature Center.
The annual event will return to St. Joseph after being canceled over the last two years during the coronavirus pandemic.
Nature Center Executive Director Sarah Elder says she was very disappointed the event had to be canceled due to the pandemic.
"But now the way things are, we're back, we've got bugs, spiders, learning about those things and they are different, spiders and bugs are insects are different creatures and kind of sometimes have a bad reputation," Elder tells KFEQ Hotline host Barry Birr. "And so that's why we have Insect-O-Rama."
The event will give people the chance to learn about different kinds of bugs and how they affect the environment
Elder says some insects are vitally important to the ecosystem.
"Some bugs are detrimental, and so spiders eat bugs, all bugs, that's their main food source, so having spiders around helps to kind of keep bug population, or insect population, down," Elder explains. "Including the ones that nobody wants to hear about, bed bugs being the big one."
Elder says there are also bugs that help with composition that are beneficial such as earthworms and pill bugs.
Insect-O-Rama will not only give people the chance to learn about these different bugs, but also maybe eat some.
Elder says one of the presenters will be Paul Landkamer, of Warrensburg, and his insect cuisine.
"It's not just bugs that are there he actually does, they are different flavors, they're seasoned, things like that," Elder says. "Just like, a delicacy I believe in France chocolate covered grasshoppers, chocolate covered crickets, those things are available to purchase to eat, so he doesn't just say oh here's a bug dried out and eat it."
Elder says Landkamer will be there to talk about the benefits of bugs as a food source and also the kind of bugs that should not be eaten.
Insect-O-Rama will be held on Saturday September 10th from 10am to 2pm at the Remington Nature Center.
