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

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!

Crazy Science – Apple Orchard Allies
2025-11-05 11:00 - 2025-11-08 11:30
Crazy Science – Apple Orchard Allies
This week’s Crazy Science explores how beneficial insects protect our crops! 🐞Discover how ladybugs, lacewings, and parasitic wasps act as natural pest control in apple orchards. Then dive into our Fizzy Apple Volcano experiment to simulate natural reactions in a fun, hands-on way!
📅 November 5th–8th, 2025⏰ 11 AM📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL
Fun Fact: A single ladybug can eat up to 5,000 aphids in its lifetime!

2025-11-09 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Tweet Treats

Join us this Sunday to make your very own bird feeder using recycled materials! Learn how small efforts help local wildlife thrive—right in your own backyard.

📅 November 9th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12 PM–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Help feed our feathered friends this fall and take home your creation!

Crazy Science – Leaf Litter Critters
2025-11-12 11:00 - 2025-11-15 11:30
Crazy Science – Leaf Litter Critters

This week’s Crazy Science uncovers the hidden world beneath the leaves! 🍂
Use Berlese Funnels and light sources to discover how scientists find insects and arthropods living in decomposing leaf litter.

📅 November 12th–15th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Fun Fact: Some soil mites are smaller than dust but are vital decomposers in healthy ecosystems!

Sunday Funday – Magnetizing Fall
2025-11-16 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Magnetizing Fall

Get creative and craft your own autumn magnets! 🍁 Paint festive wooden magnets to decorate your space with fall flair.

📅 November 16th, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12 PM–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Crazy Science – Chrysanthemums
2025-11-19 11:00 - 2025-11-22 11:30
Crazy Science – Chrysanthemums
This week’s Crazy Science explores how chrysanthemums are used as powerful, plant-based insect control against pests.

Learn how these flowers produce natural insecticides and discover why pyrethrin-based products are widely used in pest management today.

Then join us for a nature walk in the garden as we look for plants with natural defenses and a leaf chromatography demo in the classroom to see the hidden pigments inside real leaves!

Fun Fact: Pyrethrin from chrysanthemums have been used for centuries and are still found in many household repellents today!

📅 November 19th–22nd, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine, FL

See how nature protects itself and how we use those tools today.

Sunday Funday – Bloomin’ Fun
2025-11-23 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – Bloomin’ Fun

Celebrate fall’s final blooms with a floral twist!
Join us for Bloomin’ Fun, where you’ll create colorful paper-plate flowers inspired by our chrysanthemums lesson this week. Learn how real flowers help keep pests away, while you design your own masterpiece to take home!

📅 November 23rd, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM–3:30 PM (Break 12 PM–2 PM)
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Craft, color, and create your own garden of paper blooms to brighten your day!

No Scheduled Events
2025-11-26 10:00 - 2025-11-30 17:00
As the season of gratitude arrives, we want to take a moment to thank everyone at the DVEC, AMCD, and our wonderful community for your incredible support, enthusiasm, and participation throughout the year. Your engagement helps our programs grow and inspires us to keep creating hands-on science experiences for all ages!

DVEC will be pausing our daily programs this week as we prepare upcoming activities and complete routine planning.

Programs Paused:
November 26th–30th Crazy Science, Feature Creature, and Mosquito Cravings Fish Frenzy will continue as usual at 10:30 AM and again at 3:30 PM, Wednesday through Saturday.

DVEC will also be CLOSED on November 27th & 28th in observance of Thanksgiving.

Scavenger Hunts will be available Sunday this week at the usual distribution times: 10 AM- 12 PM & 2 PM- 4 PM.

From all of us at the Disease Vector Education Center, thank you for being part of our growing community of learners, explorers, and science enthusiasts. 💛

Our December calendar will be filled with new activities, holiday-themed fun, and educational adventures. It will be posted on Sunday, November 30th, so stay tuned for all the exciting updates!

We can’t wait to share what’s next at the DVEC next month!

Thanksgiving Closure
2025-11-27 10:00 - 2025-11-28 17:00
The DVEC will be closed Thursday–Friday, November 27–28 in observance of Thanksgiving.
We’ll reopen with regular hours on Saturday, November 29.
We’re so grateful for our community and everyone who visits, learns, and explores with us.Wishing you a warm and wonderful holiday with your loved ones!

Upcoming Events December 2025
2025-12-01 10:00 - 2025-12-31 17:00
Hi everyone!

The DVEC has a fun and educational lineup of events this December 2025!

Dive into hands-on science, creative seasonal projects, and winter-inspired adventures into nature’s tiniest inhabitants.

Stay tuned as we share each activity throughout the month, and tell us which one you’re looking forward to the most!

Crazy Science – Hibernation
2025-12-03 11:00 - 2025-12-06 11:30
Crazy Science – Hibernation
This week’s Crazy Science dives into how animals survive winter by slowing down, conserving energy, and using special adaptations to stay warm.
Discover how hibernation works in mammals, reptiles, and even insects—and learn why arthropods rely on strategies like diapause, supercooling, and sheltering to make it through the cold months.
Then join us in the classroom for a hands-on activity comparing fur, blubber, and feathers to see which insulates best when you place your hand (safely!) into ice-cold water.
📅 December 3rd–6th, 2025⏰ 11 AM📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine, FL
Explore how winter shapes wildlife behavior—from cozy sleepers to cold-hardy critters built for snow.
Fun Fact: Some frogs—like the wood frog—can freeze solid in winter and thaw back to life in spring! They protect their cells with natural antifreeze compounds.

Sunday Funday – DIY Snowmen
2025-12-07 10:30 - 15:30
Sunday Funday – DIY Snowmen
Get ready for a frosty burst of creativity at this week’s Sunday Funday!
Build and decorate your own adorable snowmen using fun winter materials that bring the magic of the season to life. Perfect for families, little artists, and anyone who loves a cozy craft day.
📅 December 7, 2025
⏰ 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM
⏸️ Break 12 PM to 2 PM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center, St. Augustine FL
Join us for a whimsical winter workshop and take home your very own handmade snowman.

Crazy Science – Snowflake Science
2025-12-10 11:00 - 2025-12-13 11:30
Crazy Science – Snowflake Science
This week’s Crazy Science explores the icy world of snowflakes as we uncover how these winter wonders form!
Learn the science behind crystal growth and compare the symmetry of snowflakes to arthropods.
Then wrap up with a hands-on look at crystal formation and take home your own paper snowflake templates to create frosty designs of your own!

📅 December 10th–13th, 2025
⏰ 11 AM
📍 Disease Vector Education Center – St. Augustine, FL

Join us as we dive into the science beneath the snow!
