The Arthropod Collection has an active outreach and extension program that reaches thousands of people every year. We maintain a live insect and arthropod zoo and many displays of preserved arthropods that we use for activities such as:

• Classroom visits and presentations for public and private schools
• Visits to the Arthropod Collection by the public, students, girl scout and boy scout troops, and day camps
• Lectures and presentations to the public, professional biologists and pest control specialists
• FFA and 4-H state entomology contests since 1983
• Participation in local events such as the state fair and Earth Day
• Arthropod curriculum for 4-H and for Las Cruces Public Schools

If you would like to schedule an appointment to visit the Arthropod Collection, or if you would like us to come speak to your classroom or group, please click here! Our presentations give a broad overview of the diversity of insects and other arthropods worldwide, but we are also happy to focus on a specific topic (body structures and functions, habitats, beneficial insects, life cycles and metamorphosis, etc.).

Other outreach activities include:

• Identification of arthropods for the general public and through Cooperative Extension
• Outreach publications (100 Common Insects of NM, Carol Sutherland’s Insect Coloring Book, articles on Insect zoo kiosk and Amateurs in Entomology)
• Participation in STEM events at public and private schools

Is there a fee?

Presently we offer this service free of charge but are always open to accepting donations to help pay for travel and other expenses. If you would like to support our collection or outreach program with a donation, please visit our donation page here. We appreciate your support!