The 2022 theme for the 39th IFFF is…

“Venom”

5 pm CST, Saturday, February 26, 2022

Activities will begin at 5 pm CST, and film introductions will start at 7:30 pm CST.

Schedule (all times CST)

5:00-5:45 – The Sting of the Wild, Justin Schmidt – University of Arizona

5:45-6:00 – INHS Insect Collection Tour, Dr. Christopher Dietrich – Illinois Natural History Survey Insect Collection Curator

6:00-6:10– Virtual Insect Petting Zoo (nonvenomous insects)

6:10-6:20 – Bee Ventriloquism, (the puppet “Buzz” with ventriloquist Hannah Leskosky)

6:20-6:25 – Break

6:25-6:35 – Insect Crafts (see the Crafts section below!)

6:35-6:45 – Virtual Insect Petting Zoo (tarantulas and honey bees)

6:45-7:05 – Bugscope, Cate Wallace – Microscopy Suite Manager, University of Illinois Imaging Technology Group
7:05-7:30– Art Show and Winner Announcements, Dr. May Berenbaum – Professor & Head, the University of Illinois Department of Entomology

7:30-10:00 – Film clips, presented by Dr. May Berenbaum

As befits our Zoom format, we will be presenting a program featuring animated and live short films and clips from feature-length films. The clips will be grouped in three acts: first, stings as exaggerated comic plot elements; next, reactions to stings, including anaphylaxis, as humorous, dramatic, or horrific highlights; and, finally, shorts revealing the scientific reality of venom and venomous insects, including potential beneficial uses of arthropod venom. Venom usage among arthropods can vary greatly–honey bee workers sting as a means to protect themselves or their colony, while predatory wasps use their venom to paralyze their prey to feed to their larvae. We will even be featuring a live stinging demonstration to highlight the fascinating process of venom delivery. Come and feel the virtual burn!

2022 IFFF Insect Art Contest

You can view all of this year’s submissions here! Announcement of winners will begin at 7:05 pm CST.
For many years, we have held an Insect Art Contest in conjunction with the Insect Fear Film Festival. The art contest is organized, judged, and presented by graduate students, but participation by teachers and students truly makes the art contest a success. In the past, we have solicited entries from art teachers in area schools, but we think that participation in the Insect Art Contest can extend beyond art classes. Any student is welcome to enter.
To submit art to IFFF, please fill out the forms below and send them to Sarah Murphree (sarahmm5[at]illinois.edu): IFFF Art Contest Rules and IFFF Art Contest Entry Form. For more information about the Insect Art Contest, contact Sarah Murphree (sarahmm5[at]illinois.edu) or Luke Hearon (lhearon2[at]illinois.edu).

Look at examples of previous winners from 2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, and 2016

2022 IFFF Events

A talk from the renowned and oft-stung Justin Schmidt (5:00-5:45)—creator of the Schmidt sting pain index
Venomous insect Bugscope (6:45-7:05), where you can see these tiny critters and their weaponry up close!
EGSA Virtual Petting Zoo (6:00-6:10 and 6:35-6:45), where you can learn about tarantulas, wasps, and other venomous insects & arthropods.
IFFF Art Contest Gallery, where you can see all of the insect-themed artwork submitted by K-12 students in the area.
Venom-themed crafts (6:25-6:35) you can do at home—see the Crafts section below!
Get a virtual tour of the INHS insect collection with Dr. Christopher Dietrich (5:45-6:00).

2022 IFFF Crafts

Insect coloring pages are now available!

Honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia, the so-called “murder hornet”)
Red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta)
Assorted Hymenoptera (the taxonomic order of ants, bees and wasps; smaller versions of the above three species)
Tarantula
Various arthropods (tarantula, scorpion, and centipede)

Designs produced by the hard-working artists of the Entomology Graduate Student Association.
Follow along with our insect crafts section (6:25–6:35) and use the instructions below to create your insect crafts.

Instructions for making a venomous spiny caterpillar

Instructions for making a spider on a web

2022 IFFF T-shirts

Purchase your own tee shirts adorned with the 39th IFFF logo.
Order your shirts here!

Festival Links

Act I—Venom for Laughs

Link 1
Silly Symphony, “The Bears and the Bees” (1931)
https://youtu.be/BJCiwdRk6WI?t=139
Link 2
Three Stooges, “Hoi Polloi” (1935)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/WI0VvUbfm70?&start=315&end=410
Link 3
Popeye, “A Jolly Good Furlough” (1943)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/v_-zophTCR0?&start=0&end=100
Link 4
Donald Duck, “Bee on Guard” (1951)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_jUIB6_fYiY?&start=0&end=90
Link 5
Batman, “Bee-Sting Battle” (1967)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_AhNvLyXZ8A
Link 6
Cool Cat, “Bugged by a Bee” (1969)
https://www.dailymotion.com/embed/video/x2ib6j3?autoplay=0
Link 7
The Adventures of André and Wally B. (1984)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/a_9Tsbduk9E?&start=0&end=85

Act II—Venom for Science

Link 8
Odd1sOut, “The Spiders and the Bees” (2019)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/E-fakvMntAk?&start=0&end=484
Link 9
Coyote Peterson, “Stung by a Giant Hornet” (2020)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/i7VMcMJBjD4?&start=0&end=1045
Link 10
Arvin Pierce, “Do Honeybees Really Die When They Sting?” (2016)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/G-C77ujnLZo?&start=0&end=253
Link 11
Adrian Smith, “Fire ants – sting, prey, raft” (2018)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/F60agY1IpmU?&start=0&end=163
Link 12
Adrian Smith, “How Ant Stingers Work!” (2019)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_jygY-ZHPxQ?&start=0&end=189
Link 13
SciShow, “The Problem with Bee Venom Therapy” (2018)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/PBgHGKrvfg0?&start=0&end=308
Link 14
Business Ideas, “$39,000,000 for SCORPION VENOM” (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/_6LbhFaE6rw?&start=0&end=354
Link 15
Born Survivor, “Bee Sting” (2008)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/h03wzwBiJbE
Link 16
Michael Smith talks about his Ig Nobel Award (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Bg0OTnX6S50?&start=0&end=40
Link 17
IgNobel Prize, “Worst place to be stung by a bee” (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/Amkyp-dhYX0?&start=3370&end=3476
Link 18
Dr. Kavanagh Removes Stinger from the Eye (2019)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/QXvxf665z3c
Link 19
ProTrainings, “How to Use an EpiPen” (2020)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/eF7ls0Y8lJI

Act III—Venom for Horror

Content note: some clips are gruesome; the headers of these clips are red. Viewer discretion is advised.

Link 20
To Have and Have Not, dead bees can bite you (1944)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/9dUZYI7rcuU
Link 21
Pure Luck, bee sting (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaalgYGi3iQ
Link 22
My Girl, death of Thomas (1991)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/izDX7BvzDUg
Link 23
Anaconda, tracheostomy (1997)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/MfIvSh-tko8?&start=0&end=133
Link 24
National Security, bumblebee scene (2003)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/PKkN7o4k_gM
Link 25
Case 39, bee in eye (2009)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/8JeC9epWBS4
Link 26
Stung, dinner party wasps (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/mjuLV5YxvUk?&start=4&end=152
Link 27
Stung, wasp transformation (2015)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/GiWHfdnHkHA?&start=4&end=167
Link 28
Evolution of spiderman (1967 to today)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/pbmJTR6wWcE
Link 29
Liberty Mutual, “Spider Bite” (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/embed/jorWUxtg7dI?&start=0&end=22

39thIFFF2022

IFFF 2022