A Brief History of Snodwiggs
Our Founding Members... most of them, at least.
It's a well-established fact that bugs are cool, and the people that love bugs are even cooler. It was only natural, therefore, that these two things should be combined. And that is why in November of 2005, a small group of enterprising entomology majors joined forces to create Snodgrass and Wigglesworth, the Cornell University Undergraduate Entomology Club.
Taking its name from two of the most well-known entomologists of our time (who also, coincidentally, had names that were fun to say), Snodgrass and Wigglesworth ("Snodwiggs" for short) initially started out as a small group of 7-10 entomology students who would get together every week to discuss interesting insect-related topics. As time went on, Snodwiggs nearly tripled in size and came to attract undergrads from a multitude of different backgrounds. Today, our enthusiastic and energetic club members hail from departments as diverse as Entomology, Plant Sciences, Bio-Engineering, Math, and even Philosophy! But we are all bound together by our common love of insects and their kin.
From the very beginning, Snodgrass and Wigglesworth was dedicated to both improving our own understanding of the insect world and to fostering a greater understanding and appreciation of insects and their kin in the Cornell and Ithaca communities. To this end, many types of insect-related activities were established in the early years of Snodwiggs that would later become traditions, including weekly guest presentations on entomological topics, an annual winter camping/insect collecting adventure, and the preparation and consumption chocolate-chip cricket cookies (yum!). We have also traveled the country collecting insects and have even conquered a small island!
Now entering its 7th consecutive year of existence, Snodgrass and Wigglesworth has become the largest and longest-lasting undegrad entomology club in Cornell history, and we are going stronger than ever! We have many more fun, insectious plans for the future and we hope that you will join us!
Click here to read our official constitution, which contains more information about our club's mission and principles.
Our Current Activities
Snodwiggs Winter Camping Trip (2008)
Snodgrass and Wigglesworth meets weekly during the academic year to discuss interesting aspects of entomology (click here for our current meeting time/location). Each meeting consists of a short guest presentation (given either by entomology faculty, graduate students, visiting guest speakers, or Snodwigg members themselves) followed by an open-ended discussion and specific club business. It is also our deeply-held belief that every meeting should be furnished with live bugs, plentiful snacks/beverages and (occasionally) pizza.
In addition to our regular meetings, the Snodwiggs are known to partake in many various types of insect-related activities. When the weather is warm (and even when it's cold), we like to use our insect-collecting equipment (including blacklights and aerial/aquatic nets) on group collecting trips in a variety of locations in and around Ithaca. Group members have even traveled to the Southwest to collect insects, and other such trips are likely to be planned in the future.
Every year, the Snodwiggs also like to plan several camping adventures. It is a Snodwiggs tradition to have at least one weekend camping trip during the coldest months of winter, preferably on the coldest and/or snowiest day of the year! We have also been known to camp during the warmer spring months, often in combination with our traditional end-of-the-year barbecue celebration.
Entomological outreach is also an integral and fun part of Snodgrass and Wigglesworth. Our members have given educational presentations at the Ithaca Sciencenter, the Cornell Plantations, the Trumansburg Library, and many other locations! Our combination of enthusiasm and live demos (because who doesn't love a nice, big tarantula?) make our presentations dynamic and popular. Our club has also participated extensively in Insectapalooza, the Cornell Entomology Department's annual Open House event, since 2006. See our Insectapalooza link for more information on this exciting event.
Our other fun activities include: road trips to insect museums (including the Smithsonian in Washington DC and the Natural History Museum in NYC), an upcoming bug-eating contest, and bake sales on Ho Plaza (featuring our famous homemade cricket cookies!). If you've ever seen a guy in a giant bee costume roaming around on the Ho... yeah, that was us. We're also a gregarious bunch that likes to get together for various social events in which we watch bad bug movies, eat snacks (and sometimes bugs!) and generally just have a great time.
See our events calendar for a list of meetings and activities for Spring 2010. Also check out our gallery for images from many of these exciting events, or check below to see how you can get in on the fun!
So How Do I Join Snodwiggs?
Snodwiggs Group Dinner (2007 Washington DC Roadtrip)
Anyone who is currently an undergraduate at Cornell can join Snodgrass and Wigglesworth, regardless of their course of study! No prior entomological experience or insect knowledge is required... all you need is an interest in the wonderful world of arthropods! After all, we are all here to learn about bugs together!
To join our club, simply come to any one of our meetings (which are held on Tuesday afternoons at 4:30pm in 2123 Comstock Hall). It's never too late to start coming and once you attend your first meeting, you are automatically a member of the club! Contact any of our officers if you have questions or need more information! No membership dues will ever be required.
If you're interested, you can also sign up for our mailing list by emailing your name and netID to Jamie (jcf236). You'll then receive weekly meeting agendas/minutes as well as information about upcoming meetings, trips, events, and social gatherings. Remember that you can always be removed from the list if you so wish.