Skip to main content
UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension logo
Give      University of Florida
Resources
Toggle Search Form
GIVE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA
  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • Meet The Staff
    • Florida 4-H History
    • Our Mission
    • Florida 4-H Impact
    • Florida 4-H Foundation
  • DONATE
  • 4-H State Calendar
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Find Your Local Office
  • Youth
    • Projects
    • Events
    • Clubs
    • Awards & Recogniton
    • School Enrichment Programs
  • Camps
    • 4-H Camp Cherry Lake
    • 4-H Camp Cloverleaf
    • 4-H Camp Timpoochee
    • Resources

4-H LogoFlorida 4-H

4-H LogoFlorida 4-H

Banner Image of youth looking at insects in a petri dish
‹
›

Insectathon 

The 4-H State Insectathon Event provides 4-H youth with opportunities to demonstrate their knowledge of the entomology world.

This event is opened to Juniors, Intermediates and Seniors. Each county may send up to two teams plus two individuals in each 4-H age level to compete in the state event. A total of 30 youth may represent each county. Teams consist of 3-4 members. Cloverbuds may participate in the art contest. 

Photo of youth holding a scorpion

All levels will compete in the same four sections of the contest but each age division will have different sets of study materials. Where possible, contest materials will be tailored to fit each age division.

Key Questions Information
Who 4-H members - Juniors, Intermediate and Seniors
Cloverbuds may participate in the Insectathon Art Contest
When February 8, 2025 
Where UF Entomology Steinmetz Hall, 1881 Natural Area Dr. Gainesville, FL 32608
Event Check In starts at 8:00 am
Contest starts at 9:00am
Awards at 2:00pm
Cost $10 per person. No charge for Cloverbuds participating in the Art Contest
Registration Registration opens in 4-H Online October 1, 2024 and closes January 22, 2025
Contact Program Content | Dr. Rebecca Baldwin, baldwinr@ufl.edu
Registration | 4hevents@ifas.ufl.edu 

Please bring a picnic to enjoy at the Natural Area Teaching Lab picnic area and hiking trails. The Florida Museum of Natural History (free) and the Butterfly Rainforest (admission cost) are also within walking distance. 

 

  • Insect Collection Contest

    The Insect Collection Contest will have divisions for Cloverbuds, Juniors, Intermediates, Seniors, and a Specialty Collection Division. Read more about each division in the rules below:

    See Insectathon Handbook under general study materials for collection contest rules.

    Insect Collection Resources:

    • Insect Collection 101
    • Hints for Making a Winning Collection
  • Insect Art Contest

    The Insect Art Contest is for 4-Hers to create art about entomology or made with insects. Art can take any form. Some examples would be posters, photography, painting, or jewelry. Be creative! A junior, intermediate, and senior winner will be selected. Participants can enter up to two art entries.

    See Insectathon Handbook under general study materials for collection contest rules.

    Resources:

    • Art Scoresheet
      • Please fill out this form in advance and submit it with your art piece.
  • Entomology ID & Skillathon Contest

    The 4-H Entomology ID & Skillathon Contest provides 4-H youth with opportunities to test their knowledge of entomology. Contest stations include insect identification, insect damage, hands-on skillathon stations, multiple choice questions on special topics, and insect collection judging. Seniors also participate in a quiz bowl.

     

Entomology ID & Skillathon Contest Stations

  • Station 1: Insect Identification & Non-Insect Arthropod Identification

    Time: 60 minutes

    Identify insects (based on the 100 common Florida insects) and non-insect arthropods and answer questions about each insect.

    See Insectathon Handbook under general study materials for collection contest rules.

    Station 1 Study Guide 

  • Station 2: Insect Damage

    Time: 20 minutes

    Identify damage to vegetables, fruits, trees, plants, people, animals, houses/structures and determine the insect causing the damage.

     

    Resources

    • See Insectathon Handbook under general study materials for collection contest rules.
    • Station 2 Study Guide Ag-Related Pests
    • Station 2 Insect Damage Strutctural, Medical, Veterinary Pests
  • Station 3: Special Topic

    Time: 20 minutes 

    Participants will answer a multiple-choice quiz about the topic for the given year. The topics will rotate each year on a 4-year cycle. 

    The topics included will be: 

    • Pollination (2019,2024) 
    • Asian Citrus Psyllid (2020,2025) 
    • Biological Control (2022, 2026) 
    • MythBUGsters (2023, 2027)  

    Study Resources:

    See Insectathon Handbook under general study materials for collection contest rules.

    Pollination 

    • https://smithsonianeducation.org/images/educators/lesson_plan/partners_in_pollination/pollen.pdf 

    Asian Citrus Psyllid 

    • https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/care/pests-and-diseases/pests/management/citrus-psyllid-wasp.html 
    • https://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu/Agricultural_IPM/asian.shtml 
    • https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/citrus/acpsyllid.htm 

    Biological Control 

    • https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/in120 
    • https://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/manage/control-methods/biological-control/ 
    • http://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/marionco/2019/02/07/biological-control-pests/ 
    • https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/IN607

    MythBUGsters 

    • https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/pestalert/lovebug.htm 
    • https://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/misc/lovebug.htm 
    • https://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/347BBMyths.pdf 
    • https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8172003/ 
    • https://kids.niehs.nih.gov/topics/natural-world/wildlife/insects/cockroaches-facts 
  • Station 4: Collection Judging

    Time: 20 minutes

    Participants will have to judge 4 collections. Participants will rank the collections from 1 (best) to 4 (worst) and provide a written reason for their placement. Refer to the Collection Contest for information on how to judge a collections.

    • Junior will rank the 4 collections best to worst. 
    • Intermediates will rank the 4 collections bet to worst. Then select one collection of the four and write 3-5 short comments for improvement on this collection.
    • Seniors will rank the 4 collections best to worst. Then select one collection of the four and write 5-10 short comments for improvement on this collection. 

    Please see Insectathon Handbook under the general study materials for further information on this section. 

  • General Study Materials
    • Insectathon HandbookBackground Info on Insects
    • 4-H Pinning and Models
    • Insect Orders Intro Basic
    • Insect Orders Advanced
    • Florida 4-H Bug Club
    • Webinar for Coaches, Leaders and Parents
    • Insectathon Study Guide

INFORMATION CONTACT:

Dr. Rebecca Baldwin
Email: baldwinr@ufl.edu

University of Florida Logo
Contact

Feedback
UF/IFAS Extension - Florida 4-H
2142 Shealy Drive, P.O. Box 110225, Gainesville, FL 32611
(352) 846-4444

Land Grant Mission
  • Teaching
  • Research
  • Extension
Information
  • Ask IFAS (EDIS)
  • UF/IFAS Experts
  • UF/IFAS Blogs
  • UF/IFAS Bookstore
Policy
  • Accessible UF
  • EEO Statement
  • IFAS Web Policy
  • SSN & UF Privacy
  • Analytics (Google Privacy)

© 2025 University of Florida, IFAS Last Modified:Wed, 20 Nov 2024 11:12:04 EST