INSECT NET Showcases Interdisciplinary Research at the 2025 Great Insect Fair

Penn State’s annual Great Insect Fair—a beloved celebration of entomology, outreach, and discovery—once again filled the Snider Agricultural Arena with thousands of visitors curious about the fascinating world of insects. This year, INSECT NET was proud to join the festivities, featuring two of its hallmark interdisciplinary projects—BeeScape and MothNet—and highlighting how technology, ecology, and community engagement can come together to advance insect science.

Representing INSECT NET at the booth were trainees Eric Jurado, a Ph.D. student in Mechanical Engineering working in the Mongeau Lab, and Alanna Richman, an Ecology Ph.D. student advised by Dr. Deah Lieurance in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management. Together, they welcomed hundreds of visitors eager to learn how Penn State researchers are applying innovative tools—from robotics and data visualization to ecological modeling—to better understand and support insect populations.

The INSECT NET table featured BeeScape, an interactive web platform that allows users to visualize how their local landscapes support pollinators based on factors like floral resources, nesting habitat, and pesticide exposure. Fairgoers explored BeeScape by typing in their own addresses, sparking discussions about pollinator health and conservation actions they could take at home. The booth also highlighted MothNet, a new citizen-science and AI-driven project designed to identify and map the growing distribution of the invasive box tree moth using machine-learning algorithms and community-submitted photos.

Eric Jurado reflected on how the fair offered new insights into the public’s interest in engineering applications for entomology:

“It was a really great experience—I got to connect with people and professors who were interested in the engineering side of entomology. It gave me a new perspective on my research. I’m looking forward to going there again next year to present my own work!”

For Alanna Richman, the event underscored the importance of ecological literacy and outreach:

“I think I have a unique perspective as an ecologist. While I may not have the same insect identification skills as many participants with more formal entomological training, I understand the ecological importance of insects and how they contribute to ecosystem structure and processes. I had a great interaction with some children when I showed them how to use BeeScape—they searched their address, and I was able to talk with them about how their neighborhood supports bees and what they can do to help pollinators.”

Alanna also noted one of her favorite discoveries from the day: learning about Pennsylvania’s frosted elfin, a critically endangered butterfly species highlighted in one of the exhibits. “I didn’t know much about it before—it was amazing to see how outreach events like this connect people not just to science, but to conservation stories happening right here in our state.”

Through efforts like these, INSECT NET continues to fulfill its mission of fostering cross-disciplinary collaboration, experiential learning, and public engagement in insect science. The 2025 Great Insect Fair served as a vibrant reminder of how combining engineering, ecology, and community enthusiasm can inspire the next generation of insect researchers and conservationists.