Field School | Archaeology Field School for Adults with the Office of State Archaeology
FIELD SCHOOL
12-16 August 2024
Archaeology Field School for Adults with the Office of State Archaeology
The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, the Office of State Archaeology (OSA), and the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology, Inc. (FOSA) are pleased to once again be offering our week-long Archaeology Field School for Adults.
Monday-Friday, 9AM-3PM
South Glastonbury, CT
Registration Cost for week-long field school:
$300 - Museum Members; $350 - Non-Members
Participants will gain hands on experience contributing to an authentic and significant archaeological investigation, working with primary sources at a 17th-century colonial site in South Glastonbury, Connecticut. Days will start at 9am and end at 3pm, with a break for a brown bag lunch. The field school will cover the basics of field methods, paperwork, mapping, data management, and artifact identification.
The program is designed to provide a deeper appreciation of the importance of archaeology as a tool for learning about Connecticut’s fascinating past. Learning proper archaeological methods will develop the participant’s understanding of the ethical aspects of archaeology and the archaeologist’s responsibility to preserve the data they retrieve so that it will remain valuable to future researchers.
The Archaeological Field School is taught by Connecticut State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman with support from FOSA, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the Connecticut Office of State Archaeology through education, public outreach, partnerships with local communities, financial support, and public assistance.
While the program is open to all adults, it may be of special interest to educators who teach history or social sciences in a classroom or museum setting.
Space for this program is limited!
Registration is open to adults aged 18+ and ends Wednesday August 7, 2024.
Special Event | Shark Day: Beyond Jaws!
SPECIAL EVENT
Shark Day: Beyond Jaws!
Saturday, 27 July 2024
1pm-5pm
Gant Science Complex Light Court, UConn Storrs
Join the CSMNH and friends to experience the remarkable diversity of sharks and their relatives!
The Museum is celebrating Shark Week with our very own exploration of sharks and rays, members of the group of cartilaginous fish known as elasmobranchs!
- Learn about the world’s biggest shark, the world’s smallest shark, and some of the world’s weirdest sharks
- Touch real shark skin and see real preserved shark and ray jaws
- Be a shark detective to uncover little known animal facts and win a fossil shark tooth
- Learn how sharks hunt for prey using special grasping, crushing, and tearing teeth
*** FREE and open to the public ***
Workshop | Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying Workshop
WORKSHOP
Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying Workshop
Saturday, 20 July 2024
9AM-4PM
UConn Storrs
Learn about and create lures mimicking the native aquatic insects that serve as critical food sources for popular game fish in Connecticut’s rivers!
The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History is excited to once again be collaborating with the Connecticut Fly Fisherman’s Association (CFFA) and the UConn Biodiversity Research Collections (BRC) to hold our Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying Workshop!
Fly fishing experts will guide participants in constructing lures that mimic the shapes and behaviors of Connecticut’s aquatic insects, and entomologists will uncover the biology and ecology of insects and their role as an important food source for fish in local rivers like the Fenton, Farmington, and Willimantic.
Participants are encouraged to use their new skills and lures with subsequent participation in the CFFA’s educational programs of casting and advanced tying.
*** Space is limited and registration is required! ***
$15 for Museum Members
$20 for non-Members
Registration fee includes all materials to create 3 unique flies.
Participants aged 12 – 16 must be accompanied by a chaperone.
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, July 15, 2024.
Registration is limited to 15 participants and closes July 15 or when registration is full.
Field Learning Activity | UConn Arboretum Tour with Drs. Greg Anderson and Mark Brand
FIELD LEARNING ACTIVITY
UConn Arboretum Tour with Drs. Greg Anderson and Mark Brand
Saturday, 8 June 2024
10-11:30am
UConn Storrs
Join along on this beloved walking tour as Drs. Gregory Anderson and Mark Brand, co-chairs of the UConn Arboretum Committee, identify and share stories about some of the most unique and interesting trees at UConn Storrs!
Based on the concept of the “campus as arboretum,” the Arboretum Committee helps to protect, promote, catalogue, and manage the trees and shrubs across campus. Greg and Mark will identify and share stories about some of the campus’ most interesting trees.
*** Space is limited and registration is required! ***
$10 for Museum Members
$15 for non-Members
Participants aged 16 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone.
REGISTRATION CLOSES ON THURSDAY JUNE 6 OR WHEN ALL SLOTS ARE FULL. THERE IS NO WAIT LIST FOR THIS EVENT.
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, June 3, 2024.
This walk may be challenging for some. Although mostly on sidewalk, it will include some hilly areas and walking on grass to get a closer look at the trees. Sturdy footwear is recommended.
Family Day | What Makes a Treehopper?
FAMILY DAY
What Makes a Treehopper?
Saturday, 13 April 2024
1pm-5pm
Gant Science Complex Light Court, UConn Storrs
Join the CSMNH and friends for a fun-filled afternoon all about treehoppers!
We are excited to be celebrating the re-opening of our exhibit Natural Selection is Amazing! Exploring the Dazzling Diversity of Treehoppers with a special Family Day program at UConn Storrs!
Treehoppers are insects distinguished by their impressive head ornamentation, called a helmet. Their helmets come in a wide variety of shapes and styles, mimicking everything from thorns to aggressive ants. These helmets don't just look cool—they've got a great evolutionary story behind them!
Explore the Natural Selection is Amazing! exhibit and learn about all things treehoppers from the evolutionary biologists who study and preserve these amazingly diverse little creatures.
Program highlights and displays include:
- Program co-sponsor Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry will be on site with a hands-on “Build Your Own Treehopper Helmet” station
- "An Ant for a Hat: The Fashion-Forward Treehopper and the Evolution of Novelty," a talk by Dr. Cera Fisher, Postdoctoral Research Associate at Cornell University and one of the treehopper scientists who developed the Natural Selection is Amazing exhibit
- Talks will take place from 2-2:30 and 3-3:30pm
- Preserved specimens from the UConn Biodiversity Research Collections
- Living plant specimens from the UConn Botanical Conservatory
- Activities to introduce visitors to the behaviors and diversity of treehoppers, exploring concepts like mutualism and mimicry
Family Days are free and open to the public!
For parking information, visit https://csmnh.uconn.edu/parking/
If you require any accommodations to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, April 8.
Field Learning Activity | Who’s Been Here? Trail Cameras for Data & Detecting with Dr. Erin Kuprewicz
FIELD LEARNING ACTIVITY
Who's Been Here? Trail Cameras for Data & Detecting with Dr. Erin Kuprewicz
Saturday, 6 April 2024 (Note new date!)
10am-12pm
UConn Storrs
Join mammologist Dr. Erin Kuprewicz from the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History (CSMNH) to learn how to track mammals using passive methods like camera trapping and reading tracks and scat sign in the field. The community is invited to learn about local mammals and how camera traps are used to observe the secret lives of elusive creatures at an active research site at UConn Storrs!
Dr. Kuprewicz is the Curator/Collections Manager and Engagement Specialist for the CSMNH and leads a long-term mammal census project in Storrs as part of the nationwide project Snapshot USA. Hike is recommended for participants aged 8 and up; those 16 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone. This hike may be challenging for some and will include hilly areas and forays off trail to view camera trap sites. Sturdy footwear and long pants are recommended.
Due to inclement weather on March 23, this event will be held on the rain date Saturday 6 April 2024 from 10am-12pm!
*** Spaces still available and registration is required! ***
$10 for Museum Members
$15 for non-Members
Participants aged 16 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone.
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, April 1.
Special Presentation | The Collapse of Nature: Insect Decline in the Anthropocene
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
The Collapse of Nature: Insect Decline in the Anthropocene
at the February Meeting of the Connecticut Entomological Society
Friday, 23 February 2024
7:30 PM
UConn Storrs, Biology/Physics Building, Rm 130
Join the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History and the Connecticut Entomological Society for a free lecture by Entomologist and UConn Professor Dr. David Wagner.
Dr. Wagner will lecture on his entomological research surrounding invertebrate conservation, including topics such as pollinator decline, invasive species impacts, and climate-change threats.
*** This event is FREE and open to the public! ***
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Friday, February 16.
This lecture is being held in conjunction with the Connecticut Entomological Society (CES).
For information about the CES and their regular meetings, please visit their website: https://www.ctentsoc.org/
Special Presentation | Office of State Archaeology Year-in-Review with Dr. Sarah Sportman
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Connecticut Office of State Archaeology Year-in-Review with Dr. Sarah Sportman
Thursday, 11 January 2024
5PM
UConn Storrs, Biology/Physics Building, Rm 131
The frozen winter ground puts most archaeological excavations on hold... but on January 11th State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman will be digging into Connecticut archaeology... in this year-in-review lecture!
Dr. Sportman will highlight recent field work, research, and other activities undertaken over the past year by the Office of State Archaeology (OSA).
*** This event is FREE and open to the public! ***
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Friday January 5.
Exhibit Reception | Material World: Design for a Healthful and Equitable Future
EXHIBIT RECEPTION
1 November 2023
Material World: Design for a Healthful and Equitable Future
with Cameron Slocum
3-5pm, Light Court of the Gant Science Complex
The design industry is responsible for excessive amounts of waste... But what if there was an alternative?
The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History invites you to join UConn undergraduate student and designer Cameron Slocum in considering this question at an upcoming reception for her exhibit Material World: Design for a Healthful and Equitable Future.
Each component used in Material World was selected after careful research regarding total life cycle and holistic sustainable properties. Material samples—intended to be touched—provide an opportunity for visitors to learn about the diverse qualities of these sustainable materials.
During the reception, Cameron will give brief remarks about the design process for Material World.
View and download press release
The event is free and open to the public, but an RSVP is appreciated as refreshments will be served.
Community Event | The Miniature Plants of Eastern Connecticut with Dr. Bernard Goffinet
COMMUNITY EVENT
Walktober: The Miniature Plants of Eastern Connecticut with Dr. Bernard Goffinet
Saturday, 7 October 2023
10AM - 12PM
Hillside Environmental Education Park (HEEP)
159 Discovery Drive, Storrs, CT
Sign-in begins at 9:45AM at the trailhead.
Gain insights into the mosses of Northeastern Connecticut with Dr. Bernard Goffinet of the University of Connecticut’s Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.
Join Dr. Goffinet on an easy hike through a portion of the 165-acre parcel known as the “HEEP”, or Hillside Environmental Education Park. The HEEP consists of uplands, meadows, woodlands, wetlands (including vernal pools) and riparian zones around Cedar Swamp Brook.
Participants will explore, discover, and hear stories about native mosses and the miniature forest that can be found right below their feet.
*** This event is FREE and open to the public ~ space is limited and registration is required! ***
Participants aged 16 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone.
This hike may be challenging for some and will include hilly areas and some forays off trail to hunt for mosses. Sturdy footwear and long pants are recommended. Depending on the weather, other items that may make your time in the woods more comfortable:
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Water
- Hats and long sleeves/pants
View and Download Digital Flyer
View and Download Press Release
Community Event | Insects & Arachnids at Celebrate Mansfield Festival
COMMUNITY EVENT
Insects & Arachnids at Celebrate Mansfield Festival
Saturday, 30 September 2023
2 - 6PM
Betsy Paterson Square, Downtown Storrs, CT
The CSMNH is excited to be celebrating the 20th Annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival with a diversity of insect and arachnid specimens on display, along with fun activities for all ages.
*** This event is FREE and open to the public! ***
More information about the 20th Annual Celebrate Mansfield Festival can be found on their website.
Field School | Archaeology Field School for Adults with the Office of State Archaeology
FIELD SCHOOL
7-11 August 2023
Archaeology Field School for Adults with the Office of State Archaeology
The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, the Office of State Archaeology (OSA), and the Friends of the Office of State Archaeology, Inc. (FOSA) are pleased to be once again offering their week-long Archaeology Field School for Adults.
Monday-Friday, 9AM-3PM
Wethersfield, CT
Registration Cost: $300 for week-long field school
Participants will gain hands on experience contributing to an authentic and significant archaeological investigation, working with primary sources at an 18th-century colonial site in Wethersfield, Connecticut. Days will start at 9am and end at 3pm, with a break for a brown bag lunch. The field school will cover the basics of field methods, paperwork, mapping, data management, and artifact identification.
The program is designed to provide a deeper appreciation of the importance of archaeology as a tool for learning about Connecticut’s fascinating past. Learning proper archaeological methods will develop the participant’s understanding of the ethical aspects of archaeology and the archaeologist’s responsibility to preserve the data they retrieve so that it will remain valuable to future researchers.
The Archaeological Field School is taught by Connecticut State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman with support from FOSA, a non-profit organization whose mission is to support the Connecticut Office of State Archaeology through education, public outreach, partnerships with local communities, financial support, and public assistance.
While the program is open to all adults, it may be of special interest to educators who teach history or social sciences in a classroom or museum setting.
Space for this program is limited!
Registration is open to adults aged 18+ and ends July 31, 2023.
Community Event | UConn Extension’s Bug Week: Parasite Day!
COMMUNITY EVENT
27 July 2023
UConn Extension's Bug Week Parasite Day!
Celebrate UConn Extension's ninth annual Bug Week with the CSMNH and the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at UConn Storrs on Parasite Day 2023!
Thursday, noon-4PM
University of Connecticut Storrs
Join us on in the Biology/Physics Building lobby on the UConn Storrs campus to explore the wonderful, under-appreciated world of parasites! As part of UConn Extension’s Bug Week 2023, the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History (CSMNH), will host activities and displays for all ages for Parasite Day!
Visitors will learn the defining features of a parasite and gain experience with microscopes by viewing real natural history specimens. Enjoy displays and activities for all ages: see real museum specimens up close, learn about parasites from diverse environments through games and scavenger hunts, take a tour of the EEB Biodiversity Research Collections (BRC), and hear about ways to keep your pets parasite free from UConn Police Department K9 Officer Carson (and their human handler Officer O’Reilly).
Tours of the BRC will be held every 45 minutes starting at 1:30pm.
EEB Botanical Conservatory Greenhouse will be open during the event with a Parasitic Plant Scavenger Hunt.
*** This family friendly event is FREE and open to the public! ***
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, July 24, 2023.
Workshop | Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying Workshop
WORKSHOP
10 June 2023
Aquatic Insects of Connecticut – Fly Tying Workshop
Saturday, 9AM-4PM
UConn Storrs
Learn about and create lures mimicking the native aquatic insects that serve as critical food sources for popular game fish in Connecticut’s rivers!
Building on the success of last year’s event, the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History is excited to once again be collaborating with the Connecticut Fly Fisherman’s Association (CFFA) and the UConn Biodiversity Research Collections (BRC) to hold their Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying Workshop!
Participants will learn to recognize the primary insect groups and how to tie patterns on hooks to simulate their behaviors and ecology while fly fishing in local rivers such as the Fenton, Farmington, and Willimantic Rivers. Participants are encouraged to use their new skills and lures with subsequent participation in the CFFA’s educational programs of casting and advanced tying.
Registration fee of $15 includes all materials to create 3 unique flies.
Participants aged 12 – 16 must be accompanied by a chaperone.
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, June 5, 2023.
View and Download Digital Flyer
View and Download Press Release
Registration is limited to 15 participants and closes June 5 or when registration is full.
Community Event | UConn Arboretum Tour with Drs. Gregory J. Anderson and Mark H. Brand
COMMUNITY EVENT
13 May 2023
UConn Arboretum Tour with Drs. Gregory J. Anderson and Mark H. Brand
Saturday, 10-11:30AM
UConn Storrs Arboretum
Sign-in begins at 9:45AM in front of the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts on Hillside Road.
Drs. Gregory J. Anderson and Mark H. Brand, co-chairs of the UConn Arboretum Committee, will lead participants on a tour of one of the most spectacular natural resources at UConn Storrs: the trees! Based on the concept of the “campus as arboretum,” the Arboretum Committee helps to protect, promote, catalogue, and manage the trees and shrubs across campus. Greg and Mark will identify and share stores about some of the campus’ most interesting trees.
Participants will receive their own copies of the UConn Campus Tree Touring Guide, which is also available at the UConn Arboretum website.
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Wednesday, May 10, 2023.
Participants aged 16 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone.
Community Event | Earth Day Hike, Trail Clean Up, and Camera Trapping Demo with Dr. Erin Kuprewicz
COMMUNITY EVENT
22 April 2023
Earth Day Hike and Trail Clean Up at UConn Storrs with Dr. Erin Kuprewicz
Saturday, 10AM-12PM
New Storrs Cemetery, 85 North Eagleville Rd., Storrs, CT 06268
Join mammal expert Dr. Erin Kuprewicz, from the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, on a guided educational hike and trail cleanup at UConn Storrs to celebrate Earth Day!
The community is invited to learn about local Connecticut mammals and how camera traps are used to observe the secret lives of these elusive creatures, all while helping clean an active research site. Dr. Kuprewicz will demonstrate how to set up a camera trap in the field and will also discuss her ongoing research in the massively collaborative camera-trapping project “Snapshot USA”. Snapshot USA was launched in 2019 to survey terrestrial wildlife populations across the United States and make the data collected freely available to everyone. This project involves over 115 collaborators from every state in the USA and has been running every fall for the past four years!
Sign-in begins at 9:45AM in W-Lot on Tower Loop Road, followed by a two-hour guided hike and trash pickup
Program participants will meet to sign in before we walk to the trailhead together. Hike is partially off trail, going through some areas of dense vegetation. Cleanup supplies (bags, gloves, and sanitizer) will be provided, but appropriate clothing and protective gear (sun/rain/mud) is required! Event will be held rain or shine!
UConn students are encouraged to join the Office of Sustainability after the demonstration to continue cleaning the campus center at Fairfield Way – campus cleanup ends at 2pm! UConn students can register to join the Office of Sustainability Cleanup through UConntact.
The cleanup portion of this event is being held in collaboration with the Office of Sustainability’s EcoCaptains as part of UConn’s Spring Weekend program. This campus cleanup is sponsored in part by The Last Green Valley’s Cleanup and Greenup Program.
View and Download Digital Flyer
View and Download Press Release
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Monday, April 17, 2023.
Recommended for participants aged 8 and up; those 16 and under must be accompanied by a chaperone.
*** This event is FREE and open to the public, but registration is requested! ***
Special Presentation | More than Scenery: Yellowstone, an American Love Story with Janet L. Pritchard
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
5 April 2023
More than Scenery: Yellowstone, an American Love Story with Janet L. Pritchard
Wednesday, 3-5PM
Barnes & Noble at UConn, 1 Royce Circle, Storrs, CT
Talk begins at 3:00PM, with refreshments and book signing to follow.
The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History is pleased to be hosting Janet L. Pritchard for a talk and signing event at Barnes & Noble at UConn for her new book More than Scenery: Yellowstone, an American Love Story.
Janet L. Pritchard is a landscape photographer and Professor of Photography at the University of Connecticut. She will share her captivating photographs and insightful personal stories about Yellowstone National Park and the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, paying tribute to a complex ecosystem where wild nature and culture meet, and the complexities of our relationship to the natural world are revealed.
Talk will be streamed live via Zoom with generous support from the Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry.
The event is free and open to the public. Registration is required if you wish to participate virtually but is recommended for everyone.
If you require an accommodation to participate in this event, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Friday March 31, 2023.
Special Presentation | Archaeology at the Two Wrasslin’ Cats Site in East Haddam, with Connecticut State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman
LECTURE
22 February 2023
Archaeology at the Two Wrasslin’ Cats Site in East Haddam, with Connecticut State Archaeologist Dr. Sarah Sportman
Wednesday, 7PM
East Haddam Historical Society & Museum, 264 Town Street, East Haddam, CT
Connecticut’s newest Paleoindian site, the Two Wrasslin’ Cats Site, was identified in 2020. Avocational archaeologist Mark Clymer was drinking coffee in the backyard of the Two Wrasslin’ Cats coffee shop in East Haddam, when he looked down and spotted a piece of stone tool-making debris on the ground. This discovery initiated a series of small archaeological investigations on the coffee shop grounds, led by the Office of State Archaeology with Mark Clymer and volunteer excavators. The excavations uncovered artifacts that reflect a typical Paleoindian toolkit, including rebased fluted points, endscrapers, gravers, and channel flake fragments, all of which are were made on high quality stone materials from New York.
The first inhabitants of our region, known to archaeologists as Paleoindians, arrived in what is now Connecticut at the end of the last ice age (10,000-13,000 years ago). They were hunter-gatherers who moved seasonally across the landscape, probably following the paths of migrating animals. Archaeological sites from this time period are relatively rare, and each new find adds important information to our growing body of knowledge about the first peoples to live in what is now Connecticut.
The archaeological research at the Two Wrasslin’ Cats Site is part of a growing list of recent and ongoing projects at Paleoindian sites in Connecticut. The information collected from this project, as well as recent excavations at the Brian D. Jones Site in Avon and the Templeton Site in Washington, shed new light on Paleoindian lifeways in what is now southern New England. The Two Wrasslin' Cats Site is also an important public archaeology project. The location of the excavations, in the back yard of an active coffee shop, provides the opportunity for the public to interact with the archaeologists while they work, ask questions, see artifacts, and witness the archaeological research process.
This event is sponsored by and will be held at the East Haddam Historical Society & Museum in East Haddam, CT.
For more information contact them at 860-873-3944.
The Office of State Archaeology is part of the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, a unit of the Institute of the Environment at the University of Connecticut.
Opening Reception | Right Below Your Feet: A Beautiful Evolutionary Success Story
OPENING RECEPTION
Right Below Your Feet: A Beautiful Evolutionary Success Story
26 October 2022: Wilbur Cross Building, Lobby Rotunda
Reception begins with refreshments at 3:00PM, with remarks to follow
Join the CT State Museum of Natural History as we welcome Dr. Bernard Goffinet and Mark Smith to discuss their photographic exhibition and the intrinsic beauty of the group of plants known as bryophytes.
“Right Below Your Feet” introduces a group of organisms called bryophytes, also known as mosses, liverworts and hornworts. With about 20,000 species in the group, bryophytes exhibit a broad range of physical features and sizes. Unlike most flowering plants, bryophytes can often survive significant water loss. This allows them to thrive in many environments across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic, from bare rock surfaces to leaves. This exhibit offers a magnified look at bryophytes, and highlights some of the features that have contributed to their remarkable evolutionary success.
The exhibit was planned and produced by the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History in collaboration with the Goffinet Lab (Bryology and Lichenology) in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut and Mark Smith, co-owner and founder of Macroscopic Solutions.
Dr. Goffinet and Mr. Smith will talk about how they created the images in the exhibit, from collecting specimens in the field to their use of a Macropod System to capture such intricate details. Real specimens will also be on display at the opening. Visitors will have an opportunity to examine specimens up close and ask questions.
*** The event is free and open to the public, but registration is recommended!!! ***
If you require accommodations to participate, please contact the CSMNH at 860-486-4460 or CSMNHinfo@uconn.edu by Friday October 21.
Parking information can be found at https://csmnh.uconn.edu/parking/
Download full Right Below Your Feet flyer
This exhibit was funded by the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History with additional support from a National Science Foundation grant entitled Collaborative research: Diversity of the moss Physcomitrium pyriforme: significance of autopolyploidy within a phylogenomic and experimental framework, awarded to Dr. Bernard Goffinet in the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (No. DEB-1753811).
Community Event | Walktober: A Visit to the Miniature Forest with Dr. Bernard Goffinet
COMMUNITY EVENT
Walktober: A Visit to the Miniature Forest with Dr. Bernard Goffinet
Saturday, 8 October 2022
10AM - 12PM
Hillside Environmental Education Park (HEEP)
159 Discovery Drive, Storrs, CT
Gain insights into the mosses of Northeastern Connecticut with Dr. Bernard Goffinet of the University of Connecticut’s Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology.
Join Dr. Goffinet on an easy hike through a portion of the 165-acre parcel known as the “HEEP”, or Hillside Environmental Education Park. The HEEP consists of uplands, meadows, woodlands, wetlands (including vernal pools) and riparian zones around Cedar Swamp Brook.
Participants will explore, discover, and hear stories about native mosses and the miniature forest that can be found right below their feet.
*** This event is FREE and open to the public but registration is recommended! ***
The program is open to adults and children, but children must be accompanied by an adult. This hike may be challenging for some and will include hilly areas. Items that may make your hike more comfortable:
- Sunscreen
- Bug spray
- Water
- Hats and long sleeves/pants
Community Event | UConn Extension’s Bug Week: Parasite Day!
COMMUNITY EVENT
UConn Extension's Bug Week: Parasite Day!
Come explore the wonderful, under-appreciated world of parasites!
Friday, 22 July 2022
12PM - 4PM
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
Join us on in the Biology/Physics Building lobby on the UConn Storrs campus to explore the wonderful, under-appreciated world of parasites! As part of UConn Extension’s Bug Week 2022, the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History (CSMNH), will host activities and displays for all ages for Parasite Day!
• Learn the defining features of a parasite
• Be a dog parasite detective
• See examples of the awesome diversity of parasites from real natural history specimens
• Participate in parasite paraphernalia giveaways
• Tour the Biodiversity Research Collections
• Visit parasitic plants in the UConn EEB Greenhouses
• Learn about the Nest Parasite Community Science project
• Enjoy a free cup of parasite-themed Dairy Bar ice cream
*** This event is FREE and open to the public! ***
Workshop | Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying Workshop
WORKSHOP
Aquatic Insects of Connecticut - Fly Tying Workshop
Learn how to tie fishing flies that mimic insects eaten by CT game fish with experts in fly fishing and entomology!
Saturday, 25 June 2022
9AM - 4PM
University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
The Connecticut State Museum of Natural History (CSMNH), the Connecticut Fly Fisherman’s Association (CFFA), and the University of Connecticut’s Biodiversity Research Collections (BRC) in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology are collaborating to teach the first ever Aquatic Insects of Connecticut Fly Tying course (this course was rescheduled from a previously offered version this past April).
This one-day Saturday workshop will focus on learning about and mimicking native Connecticut aquatic insects that serve as critical food sources for the popular game fish in our state rivers. Participants will learn to recognize the primary groups of insects and how to tie patterns on hooks to simulate their behaviors and ecology while fly fishing in local rivers such as the Fenton, Farmington, and Willimantic Rivers. Participants are also encouraged to utilize their skills and the lures they construct with subsequent participation in the CFFA’s educational programs of casting and advanced tying.
Registration fee is $15 and includes all supplies to tie three unique flies
Registration is limited to 20 participants, aged 14 and up
*** Participants aged 14-17 y must be accompanied by a chaperone. This chaperone does not need to pay or register, unless they also want to tie flies during the workshop! ***
Visit s.uconn.edu/flytying for more details.
Contact the CSMNH at CSMNHInfo@uconn.edu with questions or for more information.
Teale Lecture | The View from Here: A Geologist’s Perspective on Living Through Climate Change
EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES
The View from Here: A Geologist’s Perspective on Living Through Climate Change
10 February 2022: Andrea Dutton
Professor, Department of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.
Teale Lecture | Ending Populatin Growth: A Race Against Ecological Limits
EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES
Ending Population Growth: A Race Against Ecological Limits
21 October: Jane O'Sullivan
Honorary Senior Research Fellow, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Australia, and Co-convener of The Overpopulation Project
Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.
Teale Lecture | The History & Future of Conservation
EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES
The History & Future of Conservation
30 September 2021: Michelle Nijhuis
Journalist and Author of Beloved Beasts: Fighting for Life in an Age of Extinction
Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.
Opening Reception | Natural Selection is Amazing! Exploring the Dazzling Diversity of Treehoppers
OPENING RECEPTION
Natural Selection is Amazing! Exploring the Dazzling Diversity of Treehoppers
12 March 2020
One group of animals expresses the power of natural selection in a particularly vivid way. This group shares a unique physical structure, not seen in other animals, that manifests itself in a dizzying array of fascinating and beautiful forms. This exhibit explores how the amazing power of natural selection has shaped the natural history of one lineage of insects—the treehoppers.
Climte Change Action Lecture Series | Project Learning Tree
LECTURE SERIES
Climate Change Action: Learn what you can do locally to help address climate change
8 March 2020: Beth Bernard, Project Learning Tree
Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth (preschool-grade 12). Beth will lead children's activities during this session.
This lecture series was co-sponsored by the CSMNH and Joshua's Trust.
Teale Lecture | We are not pricing climate risk: A Wall Street perspective
EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES
We are not pricing climate risk: A Wall Street perspective
5 March 2020: Robert Litterman
Chairman of Risk Committee at Kepos Capital, LP
Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.
Climate Change Action Lecture Series | Climate Change in School Curricula
LECTURE SERIES
Climate Change Action: Learn what you can do locally to help address climate change
9 February 2020: State Representative Christine Palm David Michel
Representative Christine Palm recently submitted legislation to ensure that climate change is addressed in CT school curricula. Representative Michel will share their experiences of this process with us.
This lecture series was co-sponsored by the CSMNH and Joshua's Trust.
Teale Lecture | Connecting with Organisms—Restoring the Human Connection with Nature
EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES
Connecting with Organisms—Restoring the Human Connection with Nature
6 February 2020: William "Ned" Friedman
Arnold Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Director of the Arnold Arboretum, Harvard University
Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.
Climate Change Action Lecture Series | Regional Climate Change Adaptation
LECTURE SERIES
Climate Change Action: Learn what you can do locally to help address climate change
12 January 2020: Dr. Anji Seth
Dr. Seth, UConn Associate Professor in the Department of Geography and Director of Applied Research for the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaption, will present a talk on regional climate adaptation—how will a changing climate affect us on a local rather than a global scale?
This lecture series was co-sponsored by the CSMNH and Joshua's Trust.
Special Presentation | The Shape of Storrs with Dr. Robert Thorson
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
The Shape of Storrs with Dr. Robert Thorson
7 December 2019
Join us for a very special Saturday presentation by Robert Thorson on the natural history of UConn! In his recent UConn Magazine feature, Dr. Thorson tells the story of the pre-agricultural origins of the UConn campus. Thorson takes the long view in “The Shape of Storrs,” making a direct link between our emotional attachment to the scenery of Horsebarn Hill, the physical layout of campus, Dairy Bar ice cream, and the special soil that made the 1698 Storrs Family farm successful enough to outlast others. In this unique public talk, he will share the fascinating story that explains why Charles and Augustus Storrs would ultimately have the opportunity to donate their land for an agricultural school in 1881.
This lecture series was hosted by the CSMNH and the Institute of the Environment.
Teale Lecture | Hotter, Wetter, Drier: Contemporary Urbanization and Challenges for Sustainability
EDWIN WAY TEALE LECTURE SERIES
Hotter, Wetter, Drier: Contemporary Urbanization and Challenges for Sustainability
14 November 2019: Karen C. Seto
Frederick C. Hixon Professor of Geography & Urbanization Science, Yale University
Visit the Edwin Way Teale Lecture website for more information and the link to view recorded lectures.
Community Event | Connecticut Archaeology Fair
COMMUNITY EVENT
Connecticut Archaeology Fair
19 October 2019
CSMNH participated in the Connecticut Archaeology Fair held at UConn. This event was dedicated to the career and contributions of State Archaeologist Brian Jones.
We held “shoebox archaeology” digs for children and these events were a huge success! Kids of all ages participated in simulated digs, unearthing artifacts, cleaning them, and preparing them for identification by professionals. These young archaeologists were able to unearth animal bones, musket balls, barn door hinges, and other amazing artifacts.
Workshop | AntU Toy Theater Workshop
WORKSHOP
AntU Toy Theater Workshop
5 & 6 September 2019
The Ballard Institute and Museum of Puppetry at the University of Connecticut, in conjunction with UConn’s Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History, will offer a free two-day community puppet workshop on Oct. 5 and 6 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to design and build short toy theater shows about army ants and their associated species (their “guests”). The toy theaters created will be included in the new exhibition Army Ants and their Guests: Works Inspired by the Carl and Marian Rettenmeyer Collection, opening at the Ballard Institute on Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Participants will be invited to perform their toy theaters at the exhibition opening.
This workshop and the Army Ants and their Guests exhibit are part of AntU, a UConn endeavor designed to involve a variety of academic disciplines to engage a broad audience in the wonders of the complex biological systems of army ants and their hundreds of associated “guests”. To learn more about AntU, visit Antu.uconn.edu.
Participants will build toy theaters with students and faculty from UConn’s Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology in groups of three to four people. The toy theaters will be exhibited in the Army Ants and their Guests exhibition opening at the Ballard Institute on Oct. 17 at 6:30 p.m. Some toy theater productions may be performed as part of the opening events.
Community Event | UConn Extension Bug Week: AntU Day 2019
COMMUNITY EVENT
UConn Extension Bug Week: AntU Day
25 July 2019
"The Love Bugs", 12PM
Entomologists Charlie and Lois O'Brien amassed one of the largest private insect collections in the world over their careers and 55 years of marriage. Meet them in this amazing film, and see their remarkable collection as they begin to transfer their more than one million specimens of iridescent weevils and planthoppers to Arizona State University.
Bugs, Butterflies, Beetles, and More - Learn to Identify the Common Groups of Insects, 1PM
Did you ever wish you could identify "that bug" in your backyard? this is the place to learn! Entomologist Jane O'Donnell has managed the scientific research collections at UConn for over 30 years, and has many years of experience identifying local insects. She can help!
ALL DAY: Be Our Guest and Activities for All Ages!
- Bring your own insects and work with experts to learn how to identify them!
- Take our insect identification challenge and win a cool prize
- Tour the Biodiversity Research Collections
- See a demonstration about silk moths and cocoons
- Check out the live fungus-growing ant colony
- Enjoy fun giveaways and Dairy Bar ice cream
- Visit the UConn Rainforest
Presented by the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History
Special Presentation | Orchids
SPECIAL PRESENTATION
Orchids
Saturday April 6, 2019
Celebrate rare orchids in bloom with two unique talks, world-class experts, and tours of the EEB Greenhouses!
Morning Tea with Charles Darwin—Almost Mad About the Wealth of Orchids, 11AM-12PM
UConn Professor Kenneth Noll portrays history’s most famous biologist and naturalist, Charles Darwin. Charles Darwin’s 1862 book Fertilisation of Orchids explores natural theology and the relationship between insects and plants that resulted in their beautiful and complex forms. Tea and scones will be served.
Understanding Orchids with Renowned Author William Culina, 1:30PM-2:30PM
Orchids are the most diverse, mysterious, and exotic plants in the world. Their popularity as houseplants has surged in recent years as advances in nursery production have made them inexpensive and widely available. Drawing from his award-winning Understanding Orchids, Bill will explore the fascinating, challenging, and deeply rewarding world of orchids. You will never see them the same way again!
Between Talks Visit the EEB Greenhouses
The greenhouses hold the broadest collection of global plant diversity in the Northeast—including over 200 species of orchids, many of which are not commonly grown. Staff will be on hand to guide visitors.
Presented by the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History