• insect zoo

Fees

2025 Summer Program

We are booked for June and July 2025...We are no longer accepting requests for these months. 

30th Anniversary Tour: Spreading the Bug Love for 30 years!

Host the Insect Zoo (name change coming soon!) for our 30th anniversary tour: Spreading the Bug Love across Iowa for 30 years!

We will set up 100 species of living arthropods, from tarantulas and walking sticks to scorpions and isopods, in a walk-through display. Participants will get up close and personal with our friendly multi-legged friends, learning why they are important and walk away with fun facts about each. While no formal presentation is given during this display, knowledgeable Insect Zoo staff are there to answer questions, give information, and help the kids touch cool bugs!

This 1-hour display is $275 plus mileage. We also offer a 2-hour display for $425 and $200 for each additional hour, plus mileage.

We encourage you to host the Insect Zoo on the same day as area libraries! Those sharing a day will split the mileage for the trip. Reach out to libraries in your county or bordering counties and see if they want to host the zoo on the same day as you!

Summer fills up quickly so please submit your request form here Request Form

***Donate to the Insect Zoo***

www.foundation.iastate.edu/insectzoo

The Insect Zoo charges the following fees for our programs and displays



School programs are $125.00 per 1-hour session. (Limit of 30 participants per program)


Non-school programs are $150.00 per 1-hour session. (Limit of 30 participants per program)


Large Group programs are $250.00 per 1-hour session. (Unlimited participants) Only available weekends and summer.


Please fill out a request form for a precise quote. Quotes will not be given via email or phone.

Please note that our geographic range is limited to the state of Iowa.


Community Outreach

Transcript or Alternate URL: 

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ISU Insect Zoo’s 30th Anniversary Tour 2025!

Join the Iowa State University Bug Zoo on Our 30th Anniversary Tour, Spreading Bug Love in Iowa for 30 years!
Check out 100 species of living arthropods. From beetles to roaches, tarantulas, and scorpions, come get up close and personal with some very important animals!

Come spend some time exploring the bumpy exoskeleton of the death feigning beetles, feel the light touch of a walking stick on your arm, hear the hissing cockroach and touch the soft and fuzzy Rosie the tarantula.

June 3rd
9-10 am Crawford Co. Extension Day Camp
1-2 pm Glidden Public Library

June 4th
10-11 am Mount Ary Library
1-2 Gibson Memorial Library

June 5th
10-11 am Woodbury County Library

June 6th
10-11 am Indianola Public Library

June 7th
4-6 pm Scandinavian Days-Story City

June 9th
9 am – 12 pm Newton Public Library

June 10th
10-11 am Eldora Public Library
2-3 pm Clarksville Public Library

June 11th
10-11 am Ericson Public Library-Boone
1-3 pm Adel Public Library
5-6 pm Minburn Public Library

June 12th
10-11 am Truro Public Library

June 13th
10:30 am – 12:30 pm Eddyville Public Library

June 16th
12-2 pm Montezuma Public Library
3:30-4:30 pm Drake Community Library-Grinnell

June 17th
10-11 am Hampton Public Library
1-3 pm Mason City Public Library
June 18th
10-11 am Springmier Community Library
2-3 pm Oxford Public Library
4:30-5:30 Ely Public Library

June 19th
10-11 am Alton Public Library
1-2 pm Boyden Public Library
3:30-4:30 Sheldon Public Library

June 20th
10-11 Lied Public Library-Clarinda

June 21st
12:30-2:30 pm Robert W. Barlow Memorial Library-Iowa Falls

June 23rd
10-11 am Pocahontas Public Library
12:30-1:30 pm Rolfe Public Library
2:30-3:30 pm Laurens Public Library
5-6 pm Fonda Public Library

June 24th
10 am-12 pm Sergeant Bluff Public Library
2-4 pm Le Mars Public Library

June 25th
10:30 am-12:30 pm Jesup Public Library
2-4 pm Vinton Public Library
5:30-6:30 Hawkeye Public Library

June 26th
10-11 am Lakin Library and Envisioning Center-Tabor
1-3 pm Glenwood Public Library
4:30-5:30 Malvern Public Library

June 27th
10 am-12 pm Scotty County Library-Eldridge
2-4 pm Moline Public Library-Moline, IL

June 28th
3-5 pm Howard County Fair

June 29th
2-4 pm Jefferson County Fair

June 30th
1:30-2:30 pm Moravia Public Library

July 1st
10 am-12 pm Fort Dodge Public Library

July 2nd
2-3 pm Dayton Public Library

July 7th
10-11 am New Hampton Public Library

July 8th
10-11 am Amana Community Library
3-4 pm Norma Anders Public Library-Dysart

July 9th
10-11 am Marengo Public Library
2-3 pm Oskaloosa Public Library

July 10th
10 am-2 pm Iowa City Public Library
4-5 pm Fairfax Public Library
7-8 pm Swisher Public Library

July 11th
10-11 am Dallas Center Public Library
1-3 pm Urbandale Public Library

July 12th
10 am-12 pm Franklin County Fair

July 14th
10-11 am Grimes Public Library

July 15th
10:30-11:30 am Alden Public Library
1:30-2:30 pm Albion Municipal Library

July 16th
10 am-12 pm Waverly Public Library
2:30-3:30 pm Cascade Public Library
July 17th
10 am-12 pm Madison County Fair
1:30-2:30 pm Norwalk Easter Public Library
6:30-7:30 Carlisle Public Library

July 18th
9-11 am Osceola County Fair
3-5 pm Cherokee County Fair

July 19th
10 am-12 pm Taylor County Fair

July 20th
10 am-12 pm Union County Fair

July 21st
10:30-11:30 am Bondurant Community Library

July 22nd
10-11 am Andersen Center Point Library
1-3 pm North Liberty Public Library

July 23rd
10-11 am Kinney Memorial Library

July 24th
10 am-12 pm Hamilton County Fair
5-7 pm Louisa County Fair

July 25th
4-6 pm Emmet County Agricultural Show

July 26th
10 am-12 pm Des Moines County Fair

July 28th
10-11 am Keokuk Public Library
1-2 pm Donnellson Public Library
3:30-4:30 Montrose Memorial Library

July 30th
10-11 am Nevada Public Library

July 31st
10:30-11:30 am Story City Library-Held at the Community Center
1-2 pm Gilbert Public Library
5:30-6:30 pm Wadena Public Library

August 1st
11 am-12 pm Roland Public Library

August 16th
10-11 am Renwick Public Library

August 23rd BUG VILLAGE!! On ISU Campus.

Schedule your post from Meta Business Suite.

Teacher Resources

Use this vocab sheet to learn about the Honeypot Ants!

After learning the Honeypot Ant vocab words, use this word find as a fun way to reinforce those words!

There is also an answer key.

You can print these fun coloring sheets for your learners!