ITHACA, N.Y. – Ever wonder what it’s like to stick your hand in a bucket of maggots? Your chance will soon be here at Insectapalooza 2018.

Now in its 15th year, the interactive, hands-on celebration of insects will take place Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., in Comstock Hall. Hosted by the Department of Entomology, the insect fair will feature upward of 150 species of live insects, thousands of pinned specimens from the Cornell University Insect Collection, educational displays, activities and exhibits.

With a “fear factor” theme, just in time for Halloween, one exhibit will give participants a rare opportunity to plunge their hands into a bucket of maggots.

Other mainstay exhibits will include a butterfly room, where visitors can interact with free-flying butterflies; a pollinator room devoted to live honeybees and bumblebees, with honey-tasting and a pollinator-friendly garden exhibit; an arthropod zoo with scorpions, exotic spiders including tarantulas, and other unusual arachnids; cockroach races; and kid-friendly activities including face painting and stickers.

The event seeks to raise awareness about the many ways insects are important.

For more information, visit the Cornell Entomology website.