‘Lobsters And Lyme’ Spring Break Programs Planned At Peabody Museum

NEW HAVEN — April school vacation week at the Yale Peabody Museum typically means fun and interesting educational offerings for kids and adults alike. This year the better part of one of those days will be dedicated to a program focusing on several seemingly unrelated topics but ultimately connected by the common theme of global change.

Called “Lobsters and Lyme: Biodiversity and Global Change in Connecticut,” the program will take place Thursday, April 19, from 10 am to 3:30 pm, with admission to the museum and all activities free of charge.

Climate change and other major global changes are making their mark right here in Connecticut. The recent lobster die-off in Long Island Sound was attributed to changes in the water temperature and levels of dissolved oxygen. In recent years Connecticut has seen an increase in the number of reported cases of Lyme disease as well as the appearance of the West Nile Virus, both transmitted to humans from other animals by arthropods (ticks in the case of Lyme disease, and mosquitoes in the case of West Nile).

This engaging program for the whole family will feature talks, demonstrations, a puppet show, and games and crafts for kids that are fun as well as educational. Experts will address some issues of concern: Will lobsters return to the Sound? What are the predictions for West Nile virus and Lyme disease? Carmela Cuomo, of the Department of Biology & Environmental Sciences at the University of New Haven, will give the keynote address at 12:30 pm about the lobster die-off.

Two of the museum’s ongoing professional development programs for teachers are looking at some of these changes, how they are related, and measures being taken to address the concerns that arise.

Prior to the keynote presentation there will be a puppet performance at 11 am. Popular puppeteer Betty Baisden will introduce a few new puppets for the performance of “Roxi’s Incredible Insect Adventure.”

At 1:30, Kirby Stafford from the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station will offer “Tick-Proofing Your Yard and Other Preventive Tales.” At 2:30, “Lyme Disease: Clinical Research Issues” will be presented by Janine Evans, MD, Department of Internal Medicine/Rheumatology, Yale School of Medicine.

Other April school vacation programs at Peabody Museum include Identification Day on Wednesday, April 18, from 10:30 am to 1:30 pm, when experts will be on hand to identify visitor finds, be they pottery, feathers, minerals, bones, insects or flowers. All specimens are welcome.

The museum will celebrate Earth Day Friday, April 20, from 10:30 am to 2:30 pm, when local organizations will share their own efforts, along with simple actions everyone can take to protect the earth. Visitors will be able to plant a tree seed and take it home to nurture.

Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History is at 170 Whitney Avenue. For further information, call the museum’s Infoline at 203-432-5050 or visit Peabody.Yale.edu.