Annual Bugfest event crawls back into the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Bugfest returns to the Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University this weekend.

"We're going to have hundreds of different live bugs here at the Academy as well as amazing examples of our specimens," said the Academy's Mary Bailey.

The annual event showcases these invertebrates and provides attendees with a new perspective.

"The main reason why we have Bugfest is that we want people to understand and appreciate how amazing and integral to ecosystems all of these animals are- and they're really not that scary when you get up close to them," explained Bailey.

While bugs will be the stars this weekend, there is always a lot to see, like the reemergence of "Haddy", which was discovered in 1858 in Haddonfield.

"The dinosaur, Hadrosaurus foulkii, the skeleton you see behind me, is a really important part of Academy's history," said paleontologist Jason Downs. "It became the first mounted dinosaur skeleton anywhere in the world."

The original mounted skeleton lasted until the early 1930s, but started to fall apart. Haddy resurfaced in 2008 as a temporary exhibit but later went back to storage. The skeleton was recently restored and returned to display.

The skeleton is a reproduction of the original 80-million year old fossils, which are kept upstairs. Action News got a behind-the-scenes look.

"A lot of these have been reconstructed, glued together, filled in with plaster," Downs indicated.

But bugs are all the rage here this weekend.

Scientist-led bug walks on the Parkway will help visitors tune into the tiniest details of their surroundings.

You can even eat bugs, if you choose. Lemon ant ricotta bites will be prepared for sampling.

And roach races are especially popular.

"You can come and decide which species of roach you think will scuttle to glory," Bailey said.

For more information visit the Academy of Natural Sciences website.