2026 Insect Spectacular
Beetles, bugs, dragonflies, and more! It’s time to get registered for the 34th Insect Spectacular. The State Entomology Workshop will be held on Friday and Saturday, June 19th and 20th. Activities will be based at the North Community building at 505 N. Buckeye Street in Iola, Kansas.
Registration for the workshop will open April 24th and run through May 25th. Once registration closes, it will not be reopened. There will be no cancellations or refunds of money after Registration closes. Cancellations before Registration closes are eligible for a 50% refund.
A parent from each family must pay full registration and attend the workshop. A parent is to stay with your child or children at the workshop.
Participants need to wear comfortable clothes and shoes – no sandals or flip-flops please. If you wear shorts, please bring long pants for the collection and photo trips. You will be going into pastures and in natural areas. You will need to bring insect/tick repellent, sunscreen, collection net, kill jar and lots of specimen containers. You will need your own camera for taking pictures of insects.
There will be some insect equipment available for purchase at the workshop. We should have a few insect display boxes available for purchase for $65 each, payable at the time of purchase. All boxes will be sold on a first come-first serve basis at the workshop.
Each 4-Her will be allowed to pick up to 3 insects from the collection trips to use in the Saturday pinning class.
Each family is asked to bring one perennial plant from the list below to plant in the Pollinator Garden. Plant list: Aster, Milkweed, Butterfly Weed, Swamp Milkweed, Salvia, Tall Sedum, Catmint, Rattlesnake Master, Blazing Star, Coneflower, Bergamot (Bee Balm), Tall Phlox or Amaranth.
Full registration fee of $85.00 includes supper Friday, lunch Saturday, bottled water, class materials, T-Shirt, and handouts. 4-Hers enrolled in Entomology should pay for full registration.
Younger siblings under 4-H age, spouses, etc. that may be coming along, but not participating in the classes will need to pay a fee of $65.00. This will pay for the meals, bottled water, etc. but will not include a T-shirt or class supplies. Please bring your own sack lunch for Friday noon meal.
If anyone has dietary restrictions, please let us know when you register.
To Register Additional Family Members, at the end of each registration, there will be a bottom marked "Add Group Member". When you have finished with the last additional registration, please choose "Next" and you can confirm payment.
For more information contact:
Vicky Wallace at (620) 804-9170 Email - vicky.wallace55@gmail.com
Possible Hotel: American Best Value Inn
1315 North State Street,
Iola, KS 66749
1-620-498-3973
1 Double Bed for $69