Sunday, July 13, 2008
Bugfest 2008 Holds Successful Fundraiser for Rotary Scholarships
They ate bugs at the Caterpillar Café, they touched them, they raced them, they elected a bug Mayor of Insectropolis, and they raised $1500.00 toward scholarships at the 2008 Bugfest, a fundraising event held recently at Ozane’s Insectropolis, 1761Route 9 North, Toms River.
According to Rotary member Christopher Koerner, curator of the bug museum Insectropolis, the roach races during which cockroaches named Clinton, Obama, and McCain raced other cockroaches to the finish line seemed to be the most exciting event for families. “I don’t know what this means,” says Koerner, “but the cockroach Chuck Norris won the races most often.”
Kids also like touching the bugs,” said Koerner. Their favorites were a giant African millipede, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, a rose-hair tarantula, and an Emperor scorpion.” The kids elected Rosie the Rose-haired Tarantula* the Mayor of Insectropolis for 2008.”
Members of the Central Ocean Rotary, who provided food for event workers, sold hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks, and funnel cakes to raise scholarship money. Others who helped make the day successful were representatives from Cattus Island County Park; Master Gardeners of Ocean County; Herbertsville Honey Company; Ron Kinoian, the bug race announcer; and the Koerner family.
Proceeds from the second annual Bugfest, supported by Ozane Pest Control and the Central Ocean Rotary Club, will go toward scholarships for students in the Toms River high schools and Monsignor Donovan High School. For further information, contact Koerner at 732-349-7090.
*Rosie is a Chilean Rose-haired Tarantula, found in deserts and scrub lands of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. Because of their docile and predictable behavior, rose-hairs have become a favorite species among beginning tarantula hobbyists. Rose-haired tarantulas are a fairly slow growing species, taking up to four years to reach maturity. Adults will range in size, but the average leg span is 4 to 5 inches, with the occasional female getting slightly larger. Unfortunately males of this species seldom live more than eight years. Females however, can easily live to be 15 years old, and 20-year-old rose-hairs are not unheard of. Unlike some spiders, rose-hairs do not build webs. They hunt prey using venom to incapacitate small rodents or insects. If a tarantula has been injured (i.e. lost a leg) it can regenerate that limb through a system of molts.
Submitted by Fran Kirschner, Frantasy Enterprises
According to Rotary member Christopher Koerner, curator of the bug museum Insectropolis, the roach races during which cockroaches named Clinton, Obama, and McCain raced other cockroaches to the finish line seemed to be the most exciting event for families. “I don’t know what this means,” says Koerner, “but the cockroach Chuck Norris won the races most often.”
Kids also like touching the bugs,” said Koerner. Their favorites were a giant African millipede, a Madagascar hissing cockroach, a rose-hair tarantula, and an Emperor scorpion.” The kids elected Rosie the Rose-haired Tarantula* the Mayor of Insectropolis for 2008.”
Members of the Central Ocean Rotary, who provided food for event workers, sold hot dogs, hamburgers, soft drinks, and funnel cakes to raise scholarship money. Others who helped make the day successful were representatives from Cattus Island County Park; Master Gardeners of Ocean County; Herbertsville Honey Company; Ron Kinoian, the bug race announcer; and the Koerner family.
Proceeds from the second annual Bugfest, supported by Ozane Pest Control and the Central Ocean Rotary Club, will go toward scholarships for students in the Toms River high schools and Monsignor Donovan High School. For further information, contact Koerner at 732-349-7090.
*Rosie is a Chilean Rose-haired Tarantula, found in deserts and scrub lands of Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile. Because of their docile and predictable behavior, rose-hairs have become a favorite species among beginning tarantula hobbyists. Rose-haired tarantulas are a fairly slow growing species, taking up to four years to reach maturity. Adults will range in size, but the average leg span is 4 to 5 inches, with the occasional female getting slightly larger. Unfortunately males of this species seldom live more than eight years. Females however, can easily live to be 15 years old, and 20-year-old rose-hairs are not unheard of. Unlike some spiders, rose-hairs do not build webs. They hunt prey using venom to incapacitate small rodents or insects. If a tarantula has been injured (i.e. lost a leg) it can regenerate that limb through a system of molts.
Submitted by Fran Kirschner, Frantasy Enterprises
