The Ozark Bug Crawl is back for a fifth year at Historic Cane Hill! This family friendly, team-based bug collection competition is held on the grounds and trails of Historic Cane Hill in partnership with the University of Arkansas Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology. The Bug Crawl began in 2022 as a nature-based educational program and to provide a community-based bioblitz to help record the abundance of insect life in the area. This year’s event will be held on Saturday, August 22. Doors open at 9:30, and the event kicks off at 10 AM at the Historic Cane Hill College and goes until 2 PM.

Austin Jones, Ph.D, Instructor of Entomology at the University of Arkansas, will be on-site along with other volunteer experts to inform participants about the types of life they may find, what to avoid, and how to catch different insects.

Participants will be given all the necessary materials to enjoy the Crawl. Austin and his students will check each team’s catches or documented sightings to determine the order of each specimen and share fun facts about each insect. Those teams with the most diverse collections will have a chance to win prizes, including passes to the Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville, personal fans, books, and other bug-themed prizes!

This year the Bug Crawl will again involve a host of entomologically relevant community partners as well as the ENTO-ROADSHOW traveling STEAM classroom.” The Scott Family Amazeum staff will have staff on-site to lead fun activities and the Illinois River Watershed Partnership will allow teams to get up close with aquatic species found in Jordan Creek.

Volunteers from the Diana Project will also be on campus to educate guests about the Diana Fritillary, Arkansas’s State Butterfly, which is an endangered species. 

Returning this year, The Backyard Bugs music group will be performing live from noon-2.

“3 Chicks Concessions” food truck will also be on-site in case participants work up an appetite. Cash or credit cards are accepted.

Teams can be made up of families, friends, or strangers. Anyone who has an interest in the biodiversity of the Ozarks is welcome to participate! Participants are encouraged to bring water, snacks or money for the food truck, insect repellent, and anything else they may need for the day. Teams will meet at the HCH College building on Saturday, August 22th at 14219 College Rd, Canehill, AR 72717. Doors open at 9:30 AM. The event will begin at 10:00 AM. The event is free and open to the public, but anyone planning on attending should register through our website.

This is a FREE event, but we ask you to register to help us prepare supplies.

Historic Cane Hill would like to thank the following sponsors for making this event possible: