An Evening of Blacklighting

Join Beal Botanical Garden, the MSU Bug House, and the Dept. of Entomology in the garden for a special nighttime insect exploration in conjunction with Jan Tichy's "Darkness" exhibit at the Broad Art Museum.

Blacklighting is a unique way of using light to attract nocturnal insects to a specific location so they can be examined and photographed. This method is commonly used by entomologists to study insects. It involves shining a special type of light on a surface, usually a bedsheet, where insects gather as the evening progresses. Guests can expect to see moths, beetles, lacewings and many other types of insects.

Multiple lights will be set up in different areas of the garden and guests will be invited to rotate between stations to observe the variety of insects present throughout the garden. Visitors may wish to bring a water bottle, mosquito repellent, and a small flashlight.

Contact Amanda Lorenz (lorenzam@msu.edu) with questions.