Upcoming Events August 2025
2025-07-30 08:00 - 2025-08-31 17:00 UTC
Hi everyone!

🎉 The DVEC has an exciting lineup of events for August 2025—don’t forget to check out our Upcoming Events Calendar to see what’s coming up!

📅 August 20th is World Mosquito Day, a time to raise awareness about the role mosquitoes play in public health and how the tiny insect changed history. Stay tuned for fun, facts, and hands-on learning you won’t want to miss!

Feel free to share the calendar with friends and family!

Insect Flight
2025-08-06 11:00 - 2025-08-09 11:30
🚁Class is in session—and it’s time to take flight!
This week’s Crazy Science is all about Insect Flight 🛩️
Discover how real insects flap, hover, and glide—and then design your own flyers in our STEM flight challenge!
You’ll craft and test:
✈️ Paper planes and flappers
🎯 Hoop gliders
🌪️ Whirly-birds
Experiment with paper clips, folds, and shapes to see how distance, speed, and lift can change—just like real insect wings in action!
📅 August 6th–9th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Fun Fact: Dragonflies were one of the inspirations for the invention of the helicopter. Truly, one of nature’s best fliers! They can hover and fly backwards, zip and zag through the air at speeds averaging 30 mph!
Think your design can go the distance? Come find out!

Wing It
2025-08-10 10:30 - 15:30
✨Sunday Funday is ready for takeoff—let’s Wing It!
Join us on Sunday as we craft gliders inspired by butterflies, dragonflies, moths, and other flying insects we will learn about in Crazy Science this week!
This fun craft is perfect for all ages!
We will have take-home goodie bag with supplies and instructions for those visiting during activity break time. Don’t forget to ask for one!
📅 August 10th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Let your creativity soar and show us how you wing it!

Mosquito Math
2025-08-13 11:00 - 2025-08-16 11:30
🧮 Crazy Science – Mosquito Math

Class is in session—and it’s time to crunch some bug numbers!
This week’s Crazy Science theme is Mosquito Math, where YOU become the scientist. 🦟📊

Try sorting and counting pictures of mosquito specimens— like the pros do in the lab with real mosquitoes! Learn how math plays a huge role in tracking mosquito populations and protecting our community from vector-borne diseases.

And keep your eyes out—World Mosquito Day is coming up on August 20th!
🗓️ This day honors Sir Ronald Ross, who in 1897 discovered that female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria. His work paved the way for disease prevention worldwide. Today, it’s a time to raise awareness about mosquito-borne diseases like malaria, dengue, and Zika, and to highlight the scientists and public health teams who fight them.

📅 August 13th–16th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Grab your lab coat, sharpen your counting skills, and get ready to count down to World Mosquito Day!

Paint by Number
2025-08-17 10:30 - 15:30
🎨 Sunday Funday – Paint by Number

Sunday Funday is getting a splash of color!
Join us for Paint by Number, where you’ll bring insects to life with bright colors and creative detail—no artistic experience required. 🖌️✨
Follow the numbers to paint your masterpiece, or add your own twist for extra creativity. Perfect for artists of all ages!

💡 Fun Fact: A single female mosquito can lay anywhere from 100–300 eggs at a time, often in floating clusters called egg rafts. In mosquito research labs, counting eggs isn’t just about knowing how many there are—it’s a critical step in studying mosquito biology and behavior. Egg counts help scientists monitor colony health, test the effectiveness of new insecticides or control tactics, and study how well mosquitoes can transmit diseases.

📅 August 17th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Paint, relax, and create something beautiful!

World Mosquito Day Special
2025-08-20 11:00 - 2025-08-23 11:30
🦟 Crazy Science Post – World Mosquito Day Special
This week, Crazy Science is spreading awareness for World Mosquito Day!
Step into the lab with us as we explore the history of mosquito-borne disease through an engaging presentation, observe digital microscope views of Aedes aegypti and Toxorhynchites rutilus.
🎲 Then, join the fun in our Mosquito Jeopardy game, where you’ll put your knowledge to the test in categories like Life Cycle, Myths & Facts, Famous Diseases, Anatomy, and Control. Can you rise to the challenge and claim victory?
And don’t miss this week’s Feature Creature @ 2:30 PM, which will be taking a new spotlight—the mosquito itself. Learn how this tiny insect plays an outsized role in ecosystems, science, and public health.
📅 August 20th-23rd, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Celebrate science, sharpen your knowledge, and discover the mosquito like never before!

Build the Cycle
2025-08-24 10:30 - 15:30
🦟 Sunday Funday – Build the Cycle

Sunday Funday is buzzing with creativity!
Join us for Build the Cycle, where you’ll make your very own mosquito life cycle spinning wheel. From eggs, larvae, pupae, and adults—you’ll spin to reveal each stage and discover how mosquitoes grow and change. ✂️✨

Craft, color, and learn as you build a take-home model that brings science to life. Perfect for curious kids and families alike!

💡 Fun Fact: Mosquito larvae are often called wigglers because of the way they squirm through the water.

📅 August 24th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Spin, learn, and create!

No Scheduled Programming
2025-08-27 10:00 - 2025-08-31 17:00
Just a quick reminder—the DVEC will be taking a short routine pause on programs from August 27th to August 31st, as we prep for the next round of exciting activities!
This means Crazy Science, Feature Creature, and Mosquito Cravings will be paused during this week. 11 AM will feature story time instead.
But don’t worry—Scavenger Hunts will still be available and Fish Frenzy will continue as usual at 10:30 AM and again at 3:30 PM, Wed-Sat.
As always, we stop distributing scavenger hunts between 12 PM to 2 PM and after 4 PM. Make sure to get them before these times!

For Sunday Funday (August 31st), we’ll have goodie bags of previous crafts!
Programs resume September 3rd, and we can’t wait to share what’s next! Stay tuned!

Upcoming Events
2025-09-01 08:00 - 2025-09-30 17:00
Hi everyone!

The DVEC has an exciting lineup of events for September 2025—don’t forget to check out our Upcoming Events Calendar to see what’s coming up!

Stay tuned for fun, facts, and hands-on learning you won’t want to miss!

Feel free to share the calendar with friends and family, and let us know in the comments what you’re most looking forward to!

Hide in Plain Sight
2025-09-03 11:00 - 2025-09-06 11:30
🦗 Crazy Science – Hide in Plain Sight
Class is in session—time to test your eyes! 👀

This week’s Crazy Science theme is all about camouflage and mimicry in the insect world. From stick bugs that blend in with twigs to katydids that look just like leaves, you’ll discover how creatures survive by hiding in plain sight. 🌿🪲

Get hands-on as we explore real specimens, practice spotting hidden insects, and even try your skills in a camouflage challenge!

📅 September 3rd–6th, 2025⏰ 11 AM📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Think you can outsmart nature’s best disguises? Join us and find out!

DIY Book Buddy
2025-09-07 10:30 - 15:30
📚 Sunday Funday – DIY Book Buddy

Sunday Funday is getting crafty! ✂️✨
Join us for DIY Book Buddy, where you’ll design and decorate your very own bookmark using vibrant colors, fun patterns, and a splash of creativity. 🐛📖
This activity is perfect for book lovers of all ages—create a bookmark that’s as unique as your favorite story, and take home a buddy to keep your place on every page.

📅 September 7th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Weaving Wonders
2025-09-10 11:00 - 2025-09-13 11:30
🕷️ Crazy Science – Weaving Wonders
Step into the world of spiders!
This week we’ll uncover how these arachnids spin silk, build webs, and use unique hunting strategies to survive. 🕸️✨
Get hands-on in the classroom as we explore spider anatomy, diversity—and even make spider web slime (for in-class fun only).
📅 September 10th–13th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Spin into science and see why spiders are more fascinating than frightening!

Origami Arachnids
2025-09-14 10:30 - 15:30
🕷️ Sunday Funday – Origami Arachnids
This Sunday Funday, fold, crease, and create!
Join us for Origami Arachnids, where you’ll learn step-by-step how to turn paper into a detailed spider masterpiece. Whether you’re new to origami or a folding pro, this hands-on craft is fun for all ages.
💡 Fun Fact: Spider silk may look delicate, but it’s incredibly strong—by weight, it’s tougher than steel! Spiders use it for wrapping prey, making egg sacs, and even floating through the air on a silk thread.
📅 September 14th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Digging Into the Past
2025-09-17 11:00 - 2025-09-20 11:30
🦴 Crazy Science – Digging Into the Past
Grab your explorer hat—this week we’re uncovering the science beneath your feet! ✨
Join us to learn all about fossils and ancient life. We will step into the world of paleontologists as we excavate fossil blocks and even cast our own fossil creations.
Discover how fossils form, what they teach us about Earth’s history, and why they’re key to understanding the creatures of the past.
📅 September 17th–20th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Dig in with us—you never know what amazing discoveries you’ll uncover!

Bugs in Clay
2025-09-21 10:00 - 15:30
🪨 Sunday Funday – Bugs in Clay
Step back in time and explore the world of ancient life!
Join us for Bugs in Clay, where you’ll paint your own clay fossil imprints and take home a piece of prehistory. 🦋 Perfect for budding paleontologists and creative explorers of all ages.
💡 Fun Fact: Some of the oldest insect fossils date back over 400 million years, offering scientists a window into early ecosystems and how bugs helped shape our planet’s history.
📅 September 21st, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Dig into creativity and history—drop your favorite prehistoric emoji if you’re ready to make your own fossil art!

No Scheduled Events
2025-09-24 - 2025-09-28
Just a quick reminder—the DVEC will be taking a short routine pause on programs from September 24th to September 28th, as we prep for the next round of exciting activities!
This means Crazy Science, Feature Creature, and Mosquito Cravings will be paused during this week. 11 AM will feature an optional story-time instead.

But don’t worry—Scavenger Hunts will still be available and Fish Frenzy will continue as usual at 10:30 AM and again at 3:30 PM, Wed-Sat.
As always, we stop distributing scavenger hunts between 12 PM to 2 PM and after 4 PM. Make sure to get them before these times!
For Sunday Funday (September 28th), we’ll have goodie bags of previous crafts and/or freestyle art! For this special week we’ll also extend our Scavenger Hunt activity!
Programs resume October 1st, and we can’t wait to share what’s next! Stay tuned!

October Upcoming Events 2025
2025-10-01 10:00 - 2025-10-31 17:00
Hi everyone!
The DVEC has an exciting lineup of events for October 2025!
Stay tuned for fun, facts, and hands-on learning you won’t want to miss!
Feel free to share the calendar with friends and family!
Have questions? E-mail DVEC@amcdfl.org!

Crazy Science – Fact or Fear
2025-10-01 11:00 - 2025-10-04 11:30
Crazy Science – Fact or Fear

Is it fact—or just fear?

This week’s Crazy Science is all about busting bug myths. From earwigs crawling into ears to whether daddy longlegs are actually dangerous, we’ll separate truth from tall tales.

💡 Fun Fact: Daddy longlegs is a common name used for many different arthropods, such as crane flies, cellar spiders, and harvestmen. All of which share one common trait, very long spindly legs!

📅 October 1st–4th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Join us as we uncover the real science behind the creepy-crawly stories you’ve heard!

DIY Pom-Pom Critters
2025-10-05 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday –DIY Pom-Pom Critters

Get fuzzy, get spooky, and get creative! 🎃

This Sunday Funday, join us for DIY Pom-Pom Critters and craft your very own fuzzy bug friends. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season with a mix of creepy-cute fun!

📅 October 5th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

🕸️ Bring your creativity and leave with a critter buddy that’s all your own!

Important Announcement
2025-10-08
Notice:
Due to unforeseen circumstances, today’s Crazy Science, Feature Creature, and Mosquito Cravings programs will be unavailable on October 8, 2025.

We sincerely apologize for the short notice and appreciate your understanding.

The DVEC will remain open during regular hours, and all other exhibits and activities will still be available for visitors to enjoy.

Programs are scheduled to resume tomorrow, October 9, 2025.
Please, keep an eye on our page for any updates or changes.
For any questions, please contact us at DVEC@AMCDFL.ORG.

Crazy Science – Fireflies and Friends
2025-10-08 11:00 - 2025-10-11 11:30
⚠️ Notice: Crazy Science – Fireflies and Friends program is paused for October 8, 2025 and will resume tomorrow, October 9. We apologize for the short notice—thank you for your understanding.

Crazy Science – Fireflies and Friends

Get ready to light up the lab! 🔦✨
This week’s Crazy Science dives into the glowing world of bioluminescence and fluorescence. Discover how fireflies, glowworms, and even scorpions create their own natural light and why some creatures shine under UV!

💡 Fun Fact: Scorpions glow under UV light! 🦂 Scientists believe this glow may help them detect light levels, confuse prey, or even communicate with other scorpions. The exact reason is still a mystery researchers are trying to solve!

📅 October 8th–11th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Join us to explore how nature glows and uncover the secrets of bioluminescent bugs and their shining friends!

Sunday Funday – Patchwork Pumpkins
2025-10-12 10:30 - 15:30
🎃 Sunday Funday – Patchwork Pumpkins

It’s pumpkin season at the DVEC! 🍂
Join us for Patchwork Pumpkins and paint your very own paper mâché pumpkin. Mix and match colors, patterns, and textures to create a one-of-a-kind fall masterpiece! Perfect for all ages and creative levels.

📅 October 12th, 2025⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM  2 PM – 3:30 PM📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Bring your imagination and a splash of autumn spirit—let’s get crafty this Sunday Funday!

Crazy Science – Tiny Terrors
2025-10-15 11:00 - 2025-10-18 11:30
Crazy Science – Tiny Terrors

Get ready for a small but mighty adventure! This week’s Crazy Science explores the world of mosquitoes, ticks, fleas, and other little biters that make a big impact.
Learn what makes these arthropods true “tiny terrors,” how they bite, feed, and spread disease—and why understanding them helps us protect ourselves and our pets! 🕷️🦠

🎯 Activity: Join us for a fun trivia challenge to test your bug knowledge and see if you can outsmart nature’s stealthiest biters!

💡 Fun Fact: Some ticks can survive for months—or even years—without a meal! Their incredible ability to go long periods without feeding makes them highly resilient and successful parasites.

📅 October 15th–18th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Do you have what it takes to face the tiny terrors? Come find out!

Sunday Funday – Bug Bands
2025-10-19 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Bug Bands

Get creative and crafty this Sunday Funday with Bug Bands!
Decorate your very own rainbow loom bracelet with special DVEC-made critter charms—including some of our Tiny Terrors from this week’s Crazy Science! 🦟
Choose from colorful designs or craft your own pattern to make a one-of-a-kind wearable keepsake. Perfect for all ages and bug lovers alike!

📅 October 19th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12:00 PM
2:00 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

We’re weaving together creativity, color, and critters—don’t miss it!

Pumpkin Hunt Soon!
2025-10-22 08:00 - 17:00
Something spooky is hiding around the DVEC…

Get ready to hunt for pumpkins big and small during our Halloween event! Some will bring you sweet treats, while others may come with a playful trick you’ll have to complete to earn your prize!

Face painting, candy, and surprises await—so bring your trick-or-treat bags and your best pumpkin-hunting skills!

Stay tuned… the full event details drop October 27th, 2025!

Visit us for Halloween fun October 31st, 2025!
https://diseasevectoreducationcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Halloween-Video-2025.mp4

No Scheduled Events
2025-10-22 10:00 - 2025-10-26 17:00
Just a quick reminder!

The DVEC will be taking a short routine pause on programs from October 22nd to October 26th as we prepare for our next round of exciting activities!

During this time, Crazy Science, Feature Creature, and Mosquito Cravings will be on pause. At 11 AM, we’ll offer an optional story-time instead.

Don’t worry—Scavenger Hunts will still be available, and Fish Frenzy will continue as usual at 10:30 AM and again at 3:30 PM, Wednesday through Saturday.
Please note: Scavenger hunts are not distributed between 12 PM–2 PM or after 4 PM, so be sure to grab them beforehand!

For Sunday Funday (October 26th), if available, we’ll have goodie bags featuring previous crafts and/or freestyle art options! Plus, our Scavenger Hunt will get a special extension to Sunday for this week!

Programs resume October 29th, and we can’t wait to share what’s next!

Crazy Science – Zombie Bugs & Parasitoids
2025-10-29 11:00 - 2025-11-01 11:30
Crazy Science – Zombie Bugs & Parasitoids

This week’s Crazy Science explores how fungi and parasitoids can turn insects into real-life zombies! 🕷️
Discover the eerie world of Cordyceps fungi that control ants’ minds and the wasps that use other insects as living nurseries.
Then put your skills to the test in our Zombie Spore Challenge—a hands-on simulation tracking how infections spread through contact!

📅 October 29th–November 1st, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Can you contain the outbreak—or will the spores take over?

Pumpkin Hunt!
2025-10-31 10:30 - 17:00
🎃 Special Event – Halloween Pumpkin Hunt at the DVEC! 👻
Join us for a spooktacular Halloween adventure at the Disease Vector Education Center! Hidden around the center are pumpkins waiting to be found—each one hiding a surprise inside!
🕸️ Event Details:
📅 October 31st, 2025
⏰ Starts at 10:30 AM
*While supplies last*
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Bring your trick-or-treat bags and hunt for pumpkins filled with tricks and treats! Turn them in to claim your prize!
Face painting will be available until 4 PM (pauses from 12 PM–2 PM).
🧡 What’s the prize?
You might find candy, toys, stickers, or even a special treat—but watch out, some pumpkins contain fun challenges like riddles, impressions, and other Halloween “tricks”!
🕷️ Attached Flyers Include:
Pumpkin Hunt Rules – Learn how to play safely and where pumpkins are hidden.
List of Tricks & Treats – See what prizes and silly challenges await!
Come for the candy, stay for the fun, and see what spooky surprises await inside the DVEC this Halloween! 🎃✨

Upcoming Events November 2025
2025-11-01 10:00 - 2025-11-30 17:00
Hi everyone!
The DVEC has an exciting lineup of events this November 2025! 🍂
Join us for hands-on science, creative crafts, and fun fall discoveries about insects, plants, and nature’s hidden helpers.
✨ Stay tuned for engaging activities all month long, and let us know which one you’re most excited about!

Sunday Funday – Watercolors in Autumn
2025-11-02 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Watercolors in Autumn

Fall into creativity this Sunday Funday! 🍂

Blend warm watercolors and paint vibrant autumn-inspired scenes using silhouette cutouts. Whether you’re an artist or just love fall colors, this cozy creative activity is perfect for all ages!

📅 November 2nd, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM – 12 PM
2 PM – 3:30 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Let your imagination flow with the hues of autumn—stop by and paint your own seasonal masterpiece!
