Bug Camp - Summer 2025
Summer 2025 camp roster is full. Camp registration and waitlist are closed.
Insects are the most abundant animals on earth! Not only are these creepy-crawlies everywhere, they provide many necessary benefits to humans and human society. Through a variety of hands-on activities and interactive field trips, Bug Camp: Insects. Science & Society will teach kids how amazing and valuable bugs truly are. Campers will gain experience with science in the field and the lab, and will come away with an understanding of the important relationship between humans and insects.
Bug Camp: Insects, Science & Society is supported by the University of Maryland’s Department of Entomology and the University of Maryland Extension, 4-H Youth Development.
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o Field trips around the UMD campus to local bug habitats
o Bug bodies and life stages o Interacting with bugs in their natural environment o Lab experiments with live bugs o Bug DNA & genetics |
o Team building & games
o Arts & crafts o Pollinators & Pests: How humans and bugs get along o Bug habitats and houses |
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Bug camp is for youth ages 7-12 (at time of session)
Camp counselors are trained and accredited by the 4-H Youth Development program and the staff to camper ratio will be approximately 1:7.
The camp is non-residential and will be held daily from 9:00am – 3:00pm on the UMD College Park campus with after care available from 3:00-4:30pm at additional cost.
There are two one-week sessions of Bug Camp. The sessions are identical in content.
Session 1: June 23-27
Session 2: July 7-11
Camp fees: $420 camp fee (shirt included)
Camp and aftercare fee: $545 ($420 camp fee (shirt included) plus $125 for aftercare)
Financial Aid: We will be offering need-based financial aid for up to 2 campers per session. Please indicate on the interest form if interested in applying for financial aid.
Those who apply for financial aid but are not awarded will be billed for the full camp fee. Payment will be due prior to the start of camp.
Camp counselors are trained and accredited by the 4-H Youth Development program and the staff to camper ratio will be approximately 1:7.
The camp is non-residential and will be held daily from 9:00am – 3:00pm on the UMD College Park campus with after care available from 3:00-4:30pm at additional cost.
There are two one-week sessions of Bug Camp. The sessions are identical in content.
Session 1: June 23-27
Session 2: July 7-11
Camp fees: $420 camp fee (shirt included)
Camp and aftercare fee: $545 ($420 camp fee (shirt included) plus $125 for aftercare)
Financial Aid: We will be offering need-based financial aid for up to 2 campers per session. Please indicate on the interest form if interested in applying for financial aid.
Those who apply for financial aid but are not awarded will be billed for the full camp fee. Payment will be due prior to the start of camp.
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- Submit the Interest Form (linked closed)
The 2025 Bug Camp Interest Form opens on Monday, February 24th, at 12:00 PM. Submitting the interest form does not guarantee your camper’s spot. If space is available, you’ll receive a link to complete registration and payment. Campers are officially registered only after payment is confirmed. - Receive Notification to Register and Pay
If space is available when we receive your form, you’ll get a registration and payment link. Spots are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, based on the order your interest form was received. Payment must be completed within 5 business days of receiving the link, or the spot may be forfeited. - Registration Confirmation
Once payment is processed, you’ll receive an email confirming your camper’s registration, session #, and what to expect between registration and the start of camp.
If your preferred session is full, you’ll be notified and can choose to join the waitlist (limited to 15 spots per session). Open spots will be offered in the order waitlist requests were received.
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FAQs |
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Q: When should I expect to receive the additional required documents for camp?
A: All additional required camp documents will be emailed to the guardians of registered campers via the email addresses provided on the campers registration form. If you did not receive your packet, please contact, Amy Yaich at [email protected] or by phone at 301-405-3911.
Q: I forgot which session I enrolled my child in, whom do I contact?
A: Please email Amy at [email protected] or call her at 301-405-3911.
Q: What are the procedures for having someone other than a legal guardian pick-up my child from camp?
A: To release a child to someone other than a legal guardian, we will require written permission from a legal guardian.
Q: I have materials I would like to donate to the camp. Whom do I contact?
A: Feel free to write to us at [email protected] with a description of the materials and someone will be in touch.
Q: I am interested in teaching and/or internship opportunities with your camp. How can I get involved?
A: Our primary counselors are pulled from a group of 4-H individuals. However, we do offer the internship priority to students from the University of Maryland, particularly those from a math, science, or education track. We will consider interested individuals from outside of the University as well. Interested in working for us please send a brief description of your qualifications and a statement of purpose (what you would like to get out of working at our camp and what you hope to contribute to our camp) to [email protected] .
Q: We live out of state or far away. Are there lodging options available?
A: We do not offer any on-campus lodging. However, the City of College Park has numerous nearby hotels: https://campustravel.com/university/university-of-maryland-conference-visitor-services/
A: All additional required camp documents will be emailed to the guardians of registered campers via the email addresses provided on the campers registration form. If you did not receive your packet, please contact, Amy Yaich at [email protected] or by phone at 301-405-3911.
Q: I forgot which session I enrolled my child in, whom do I contact?
A: Please email Amy at [email protected] or call her at 301-405-3911.
Q: What are the procedures for having someone other than a legal guardian pick-up my child from camp?
A: To release a child to someone other than a legal guardian, we will require written permission from a legal guardian.
Q: I have materials I would like to donate to the camp. Whom do I contact?
A: Feel free to write to us at [email protected] with a description of the materials and someone will be in touch.
Q: I am interested in teaching and/or internship opportunities with your camp. How can I get involved?
A: Our primary counselors are pulled from a group of 4-H individuals. However, we do offer the internship priority to students from the University of Maryland, particularly those from a math, science, or education track. We will consider interested individuals from outside of the University as well. Interested in working for us please send a brief description of your qualifications and a statement of purpose (what you would like to get out of working at our camp and what you hope to contribute to our camp) to [email protected] .
Q: We live out of state or far away. Are there lodging options available?
A: We do not offer any on-campus lodging. However, the City of College Park has numerous nearby hotels: https://campustravel.com/university/university-of-maryland-conference-visitor-services/
Have a question that is not answered here? Write to us at [email protected] or call us at 301-405-3911.
