Description:
Interested in gaining hands-on scientific experience and contributing to valuable ongoing research? Join us this summer for a unique opportunity working in the field and lab—collecting and processing ants. MBHI is partnering with the Cold Springs Harbor Laboratory DNA Learning Center on an exciting nationwide community science project, US Ants. The project aims to engage community members in the science of DNA barcoding, while identifying and mapping ant species throughout the United States.

Program Overview
US Ants is a collaborative effort, and participants will submit their findings to a larger, collective database that will help scientists map ant species across the US. Additionally, participants will publish their ant genome sequences to GenBank; in some cases, participants may be the first to publish novel sequences or even discover new species.

The program will consist of a 4-part series: 1 day in the field, 2 days in the lab, 1 day meeting virtually to discuss results. Adults with children are welcome. Suggested age is 13 and up due to more complex material on Lab Days. Registrants 15 and under must be accompanied by a participating adult. Cost is $50 per participant.

Class 1
Collect ants in the field while on a Bug Walk with Bug Wrangler Brenna at the Rock Creek Confluence.

Choose one field date:

Saturday, June 25th 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Saturday, July 16th 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Saturday, August 20th 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Field days are limited to 10, participants provide their own transportation.

Please visit our website to learn more about this four-part series.

Register Now