Boston Flora

Tag: Mickey Alice Kwapis

  • Sunday, November 3 – Entomology Workshops: Pinning and Learning

    The Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge, will present three separate one hour Entomology Workshops in Pinning and Learning on Sunday, November 3, beginning at 10 am with instructor Mickey Alice Kwapis.

    The first session will work with butterflies. Learn about the anatomy and life cycles of insects and prepare your own beautiful butterfly specimen for display. Participants will explore the wild world of insects through a visit to the arthropod gallery, accompanied by an activity where you will learn to prepare and preserve a butterfly that you get to display in your home. Tools and illustrated instructions are provided for students to keep.

    The second session, from 11:15 – 12:15 will deal with Cicadas. Explore large tropical insects from an evolutionary standpoint with a hands-on look at gargantuan species. Utilizing sustainably sourced empress cicadas (8″+ wingspan), students will learn about insect development and anatomy by preparing and preserving specimens of their own. Each student will get to keep a set of illustrated instructions, tools, and their own finished specimen to display at home. With newfound knowledge, students will also get to explore the arthropod gallery to take in all of the subtle nuances of Earth’s invertebrate species.

    The third hour. from 1:00 – 2:00, deals with Atlas Beetles. Advance registration is required. The cost for the butterfly session is $35 for Museum members and $40 for nonmembers, and the Cicada and Atlas Beetle sessions are $45 for Museum members and $50 for nonmembers. Register at https://hmnh.harvard.edu/calendar/upcoming/event-audience/adults

    Cicada

  • Saturday, December 15, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Entomology Workshop: Pinning and Learning

    Discover the world of insects in a hands-on entomology workshop on December 15 at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge. Students will learn how to prepare and preserve three types of deceased specimens for collections and display, including a large cicada, an Atlas beetle, and the choice of a butterfly or moth. Learn about the science of invertebrates from Harvard entomologist Shoyo Sato, who will introduce us to some of the members of the museum’s live collection. If you’re feeling brave, you can hold a cockroach! Each student will leave with three finished pinned insect specimens ready for drying and display, along with a full set of entomology tools and instructions for future projects.

    This class starts promptly at 10 am and ends between 11:30 am and 12 pm. Students who are delayed are asked to call ahead so we know when to expect you. A contact phone number will be provided after you are registered. We will accommodate late arrivals to the best of our ability but late students are not guaranteed to finish their projects during designated class time. This class is open to adults 18 and older.

    Instructors: Mickey Alice Kwapis, Professional Taxidermist, and Shoyo Sato, Harvard doctoral candidate and entomologist

    Fees: $125 HMNH members/ $150 nonmembers. Advance registration required at https://hmnh.harvard.edu/event/entomology-workshop-pinning-and-learning

    Taxidermy Beetle image

  • Sunday, September 16, 10:00 am – 12:00 noon – Cabinet of Curiosities

    Discover three ways that scientists preserve specimens for study, with Mickey Alice Kwapis at the Harvard Museum of Natural History, 26 Oxford Street in Cambridge, on Sunday, September 16 from 10 – 12. Each student will receive one butterfly and one stag beetle to spread, one owl pellet to dissect, and one small animal to preserve as a wet specimen in a jar. Each student will get to keep their finished specimens as well as their tools to repeat the process at home. All specimens are responsibly sourced. Open to adults 18 and over. $140 Museum members /$150 nonmembers

    Advance Registration required. Register online at https://hmnh.harvard.edu/event/cabinet-curiosities

    Image result for cabinet of curiosities harvard Museum of Natural History