The Olympics' participants received "an introductory lecture on entomology," said Dave Helmstadter (senior-agricultural extension education). This is a crucial step in exposing children to insects, as "they start to see it at a young age and they remember bugs for their whole lives."
Despite the presence of a traditional food stand featuring hot dogs and hamburgers, some patrons chose to experiment at the Insect Deli.
"There's a longer line than for the regular food." She added that reviews of the fare were excellent, despite "a couple of kids who spit out the crickets," Cara Curran (junior-nutrition) said.
John Au, 12, of Boalsburg, delighted in the non-traditional cuisine, stating that wax beetle moth larvae taste "kinda like chicken."
Beyond the entertainment and information the fair provides, it also serves as an excellent forum to advertise Penn State's entomology program.
The student body often misunderstands the College of Agricultural Sciences, said Maryann Frazier, senior extension associate.
"The goal is to get people to understand about insects and what we do, and who we are as entomologists," Frazier said.
The College of Agricultural Sciences receives attention from the project with the fair trying to eliminate misconceptions about the college.
Helmstadter summed up this goal.
"(Agricultural science) is not just cows, sows and plows. It involves everything."
