Rutgers Master Gardeners, from left to right, Karen Prager of Princeton, Nancy Putnam of Hopewell, Priscilla Knight (“fly”) of Ewing, Jane McPhail of Pennington, Joyce Bush (“firefly”) of Bordentown and Calleen Parson of Pennington get ready for the Puppet Show at the 13th annual Mercer Master Gardener Insect Festival to be held on Saturday, Sept. 12, at Mercer Educational Gardens, Hopewell Township.
The 13th annual Insect Festival sponsored by the Rutgers Master Gardeners of Mercer County will be held on Saturday, September 12, 2015, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Mercer Educational Gardens, 431A Federal City Road, Hopewell Township.
Attendees are invited to view the seven demonstration gardens — Annual, Butterfly, Cottage, Herb, Native Plant, Perennial and Weed ID. Along the way, there will be activities to entertain and teach children of all ages about the incredible and often beautiful insects common to the Northeast. The event will be held rain or shine; admission is free and on-site parking is available.
Many exciting activities will be offered this year. Viewing tiny organisms through microscopes at the “Bugs in Water” activity will be back by popular demand. Enjoy an insect hunt on the paths through the restored meadow or visit with native-bee and honeybee experts who can explain why we need to be less fearful and more respectful of the most important pollinators in our ecosystem. Learn how insect predators and birds can help control insect pest populations and reduce the use of chemical pesticides. Everyone can take a look at red wriggler worms making compost in a simple container that is easy to set up at home.
Popular events from previous years will include butterfly births, monarch butterfly tagging, bugs galore (insect inspection and handling), the insect puppet show, bug hotel construction, hayrides and Q & A with Barbara J. Bromley, Mercer County Horticulturist. Local environmental agencies will also be present with their experts and displays including Rutgers University Entomology faculty, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association, Mercer County Mosquito Control, NJ Department of Agriculture Beneficial Insect Rearing Laboratory, Mercer County 4-H, and Mercer County Equestrian Center. The Naturalist from Mercer County Parks will also be present to lead insect-related activities.
Cooperating Agencies: Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey; U.S. Department of Agriculture, and County Boards of Chosen Freeholders. Rutgers Cooperative Extension, a unit of the New Jersey Agricultural Experimental Station, is an equal opportunity program provider and employer. Contact your local Extension Office for information regarding special needs or accommodations. Contact the State Extension Director’s Office if you have concerns related to discrimination, (732) 932-5000, ext. 584.
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