Discover the Vermont Entomology Academy, inspiring curiosity and connection through insect observation and hands-on learning.
V.E.A., founded by Bernie Paquette in 2025, connects people with nature through the fascinating world of insects. From summer bug observations to mobile outreach, the Academy helps learners of all ages discover the joy and importance of insects in our ecosystems.
Vermont Entomology Academy Curious Connected Alive
Welcome to the Vermont Entomology Academy — where curiosity takes flight!
Our Core Values
- Curiosity — Observation begins knowledge.
- Wonder — Awe fuels lifelong learning.
- Acceptance — Of people and all life forms.
- Scientific Integrity — Fun and rigor belong together.
- Accessibility — Entomology is for everyone.
- Stewardship — Understanding leads to care.
Mission = why we exist
To spark curiosity, build confidence, and strengthen connections to nature through insect-focused observation and learning.
To promote the value of community-science observations for conservation and for monitoring ecosystem health.
To express an identity that is fun, exploratory, and grounded in the natural world.
Goals = what we want to achieve
Inspire curiosity, confidence, and connection with the overlooked creatures that keep ecosystems thriving.
Promote “inverting” — the joy of observing and learning about invertebrates, especially insects.
Encourage community science participation to increase the number of people contributing meaningful observations of insects.
Foster a culture of wonder that motivates people of all ages to explore, notice, and care for the natural world.
Objectives = what participants will learn/do
Through Academy programs, participants will:
Understand the vital roles insects play in ecosystems and in human life.
Explore ecosystem connections — the physical and functional relationships that support biodiversity and resilience.
Learn the fundamentals of entomology: anatomy, diversity, life cycles, and lifestyles.
Experience the joy of observing insects in their natural habitats.
Use iNaturalist to document, identify, and share observations (and become familiar with other entomological resources, including museum collections).
Practice using essential field tools — nets, magnifiers, and guidebooks — to investigate insects up close.
Develop keen observation and identification skills, deepening appreciation for nature’s details.
Cultivate a sense of awe for the small, complex, interconnected beauty of the insect world.
Recognize insects as living beings with needs: finding food, seeking shelter, avoiding danger, and striving to thrive as individuals and species.
You don’t need to know the science of insects to be amazed by them —
But learning a little makes the wonder grow even more.
“I ka nānā no a ‘ike.”
(“By observing, one learns.”)
- Hawaiian proverb
"Caution: observing insects may be habit(at) forming!" - Tom B. Jericho
Note to Bernie about the VEA Programs:
"Be not afraid of growing slowly; be afraid only of standing still." — Chinese Proverb
&
Remember your roots: Reserve time to reconnect with the natural world.
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Vermont Entomology Academy Programs
Below are our core programs. Click through to learn more about each offering.
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Youth Insect Summer Camp
Concept by VEA, run by Saint Michael's College
SMC Bug Huggers Adventure Camp (Grades 5–8)
Our Vermont insect summer camp (1 week, 8 hrs/day) provides middle school students with field-based science learning at Saint Michael’s College.
Students explore:
- Insect observation and collecting
- Aquatic ecosystems
- Insect behavior, beauty, and diversity
- Food webs and ecosystem connections
- Scientific field tools
👉 Read the full camp details and application information in our dedicated post:
Vermont Insect Summer Camp 2026 | Bug Huggers Adventure Camp (Grades 5–8)
You cannot protect what you do not love.
You cannot love what you do not understand.
You cannot understand what you are not taught.
Come learn with us.
The BUGmobile | Mobile Insect Education
The BUGmobile brings entomology directly to:
Schools
Libraries
Nature centers
Community events
This mobile insect education program offers hands-on learning experiences, indoor presentations, and outdoor bug safaris, microscopy demonstrations, and community science training using iNaturalist.
👉 Learn how to host the BUGmobile in your community in our dedicated post:
The BUGmobile | Mobile Insect Education Across Vermont
🦋 Bug & Bird Safari
Guided outdoor excursions, free and open to the public, that explore insects in their natural habitats alongside birds.
Underhill Conservation Commission | Vermont Entomology Academy
— Free (Registration through U.C.C.)
Join naturalists for guided outdoor safaris to discover insects and birds in their natural habitats.
More seasonal programs include:
Backyard insect explorations
Biodiversity workshops
Insect observation walks - your backyard
Participants develop real observation skills and contribute meaningful biodiversity records to iNaturalist.
PAST BUG & BIRD SAFARI EVENTS
on New Road in Underhill
5/11/24
9/7/24
5/11/25
9/7/25
Videos
Back-to-Back Community Presentations: Backyard Insects & Vermont Bees
Two engaging, back-to-back presentations on the insects living right outside our doors. Backyard Insect Finds: Great Discoveries in Nature & VT Bees: Recorded talks. MMCTV Recorded link.
Backyard Insect Finds: Great Discoveries in Nature (45 minutes)
Naturalist Bernie Paquette presents an image-rich look at backyard insects, highlighting surprising behaviors and overlooked species found in local yards, gardens, and trails. All ages welcome.
New Vermont Bee Checklist and Conservation Rankings Published (45 minutes)
Spencer Hardy (Vermont Center for Ecostudies biologist and Farm Upstream) shares highlights from a new decade-long study documenting 352 wild bee species in Vermont. The research shows 60% may need conservation action, marking a critical step toward protecting pollinators.
Discover how much nature is hiding in plain sight—right here in Jericho.
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🦋 Moth Night
Locations TBD Date: Week of 7/18-7/26, 2026 (National Moth Week)
In the planning Stage,
“Lights, Sheets & Wings: Vermont Entomology Academy Moth Week Celebration 2026”
Discover the magic of nighttime biodiversity! Join us after dark for moth-watching, light-sheet exploration, and guided observation with Vermont Entomological Academy and Vermont Entomological Society naturalists.
Riddle: Who can count all the moths in a forest?
A: A 'mothematician'!
Helpful links:
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✨ Firefly Night
The Farm Upstream, Lee River Road, Jericho, Vt. Date between mid-June and mid-July
“Glow & Wonder: Vermont Entomology Academy Firefly Discovery Evening 2026”
Experience the sparkle of summer nights! Learn about firefly communication, watch their bioluminescent displays, and enjoy guided twilight exploration with VEA naturalists.
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🐝🌼Plant–Insect Interactions Project (2026)
VEA Residential Yard & Garden Study
Curious about the bees, butterflies, and other insects visiting your yard? Jericho residents are invited to take part in a 2026 Vermont Entomological Association community science project exploring plant–insect interactions in home yards and gardens.
For more details, see our dedicated post, Vermont Plant–Insect Interactions Project | Community Science in Jericho
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FORUM (Send your insect questions to Bernie)
Bug Banter - Ask the Inverter: Am I anthropomorphizing? It looks downright intelligent.
Bug Banter - Ask the Inverter: A bee is a bee, right? Aren't they all the same?
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Pending project
Jericho, Underhill, Richmond, and Bolton Historical Insect Log:
- The first insect reported on iNaturalist in Jericho was in 2010.
- Create a historical log of insects first posted on iNaturalist in J, U, R, B.
- Then, reach out to find recorded insect observations in J, U, R, B before 2010.
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Get Involved: Join the Vermont Entomology Academy
The Vermont Entomology Academy is recruiting!
We’re looking for passionate individuals who want to help advance our mission to inspire curiosity and connection through insects. WE NEED FOLKS COMMITTED TO vision, commitment, and organization.
We welcome:
🧑🎓 College students
👩🏫 Educators
🔬 Biologists & Ecologists
🎨 Artists & Naturalists
🌎 And other enthusiastic “ists” who love science, nature, and community engagement!
We currently have openings for:
Interested in joining us?
Please contact us to learn how you can get involved with the Vermont Entomology Academy.
Governance
Our organization is being built on passion, shared leadership*, and the belief that everyone has something meaningful to contribute. There is a place for you.
* Everyone has the power to shape things. The leader’s role then focuses on facilitating shared decision-making and supporting others. A community leader facilitates people who are there by choice. Leadership essentially becomes about facilitating co-creation circles and deep listening.
A hybrid approach between centralized and decentralized leadership may sometimes be needed.
- Leadership by proposal: The community leader is the group’s main resolver of ambiguity.
- Leadership by invitation: The community leader’s role is to proactively and personally invite people to contribute.
- Leadership by role-modeling: The power of a community leader to shape culture and embody a group’s values.
🌼 Join the Movement - bring to the table whatever you are good at!
The Vermont Entomology Academy welcomes all curious minds — students, families, educators, and lifelong learners — to explore the fascinating world of insects.
Because when we pay attention to the small things,
We begin to understand the big picture of life on Earth.
Vermont Entomology Academy offers insect learning experiences from your yard to public parks; entomology and invertebrate education for kids in classrooms at schools, libraries, churches, and other meeting places.
Materials Wish List
- Stereo Microscope: A Stereo Microscope (often referred to as a dissecting microscope) is generally superior to a Compound Microscope (which often has a monocular head) because insects are typically too large, opaque, and three-dimensional for a compound scope.
- Stereo microscopes are ideal for insects, and, in this explanation by Microbehunter, rocks, as they offer 3D, low-power magnification (typically 10x–80x) with a long working distance for manipulating opaque, large, or thick objects. Unlike compound scopes designed for thin, transparent slides, stereo scopes offer a 3D view—a "stereo image"—due to two separate optical paths.
- Or Dissecting stereo scope (Mono head): A dissection scope, or stereo microscope, provides 3D, low-magnification (typically 10x to 40x) views of solid specimens such as insects, plants, and rocks. It is designed to manipulate samples under the lens, featuring long working distances and both reflected/transmitted lighting. Common uses include biological dissection, entomology, and, at higher magnification (3.5x - 90x).
- Insect Guide books (new or used)
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THANK YOU Donors
- Bee The Change (Mike Kiernan et al): Scholarship funds for Bug Huggers Adventure Camp
- Anonymous donor: Scholarship funds for Bug Huggers Adventure Camp
- Stephen and Clare Earley: Scholarship funds for Bug Huggers Adventure Camp
- Vermont Entomology Society: Insect-themed t-shirts for registrants in Bug Huggers Adventure Camp
- Spencer Hardy: Glass vials to temporarily hold live insects for close-up observation
- Brad Vietje: Copper Sieve for straining out water invertebrates from ponds or streams.
- Declan McCabe: Magnifying glasses with lanards.
- Emily Rowe (Northern Woodlands org.): 30 copies of Northern Woodlands magazine.
- Alden Wicker (Communication Specialist, Vermont Center for EcoStudies): 25 copies of VCE Field Notes magazine.
- David Barrington, Cathy Paris: Loan of a vintage 'Dinky Toys MG Roadster' for a Bee Photo Shoot.
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Affiliates Programming
Vermont Entomological Society annual meeting & potluck.
Members of VES bring ideas and food items to share. Please contact Michael Sabourin if you have agenda items to share.
Beetles! Butterflies! And so much more! Join Vermont Entomological Society naturalists and entomologists for an exploratory stroll on the Birds of Vermont Museum grounds.
Bring magnifying glasses and an insect net if you have one. Binoculars can be helpful. Do bring your water bottle and dress for the outdoors. Pack a lunch if you would like to picnic after the walk. If it is raining on the day of the walk, please call the Museum (802 434-2167) to see if we have rescheduled to Sunday.
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"To provide opportunities for children, or anyone, to witness the magic and glory of the natural world at its best is a small act that may be carried down the road. If it instills a desire to save a caterpillar, a snake, or a turtle, or to care for our environment, then it has made a difference."
-Meghan McCarthy McPhaul, Night Flyers: North American Silk Moths Face Invasive Challenge: Northern Woodlands magazine, Spring 2014
