Since 1997, Woodland Park Zoo’s Bug Club has connected kids with bugs through a variety of arts and crafts, science, music, and other multidisciplinary activities. Erin Sullivan, WPZ keeper in our Bug World exhibit, participated in a Bug Club at San Francisco Zoo as a child and was inspired to establish a bug Club when she came to work at Woodland Park Zoo. Bug Club encourages kids to explore bugs in their backyards and share their discoveries with one another. WPZ’s Bug Club meets once a month for two hours; kids sign up quarterly, but many continue on for years.

Links: Bug Club Web site Worldly Antenna - January 2004 - May 2004 - October 2005 - March 2006 - June 2006 - Sept. 2006 - January 2007 - May 2007 - August 2007 - December 2007 - March 2008 Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program Bug Photo Gallery IBC Photo Gallery

In 2003, Bug Club was asked by the Tree Kangaroo Conservation program to bring Bug Club to Papua New Guinea. This began the establishment of the International Bug Club network. In addition to Bug Clubs in schools in Papua New Guinea, the network continues to grow. There are Bug Clubs at zoos across the United States, including:

• Roger Williams Park Zoo, Rhode Island
• Dallas Zoo
• Brookfield Zoo, Chicago
• Giddens School, Seattle
• Machias Elementary, Snohomish
• Bellevue Montessori
• Beachwood Elementary, Tacoma

We invite you to check out the Worldly Antenna, our International Bug Club newsletter, and if you are interested in starting a Bug Club and joining the network, please review the materials available on this site and contact us at bug.club@zoo.org if you have any questions.