Science and Suds

05/21/2026

TONIGHT! Science and Suds
You drink beer. Moths drink tears, and... rotting fruit, tree sap, and...some imitate bird p**p while others fake snake heads.

Fascinated? So are we! Come learn the shocking truth about the nocturnal gremlins flying around your backyard.

Cornell insect expert Jason Dombroskie brings the science, stories, and bizarre adaptations of Finger Lakes moths to Science and Suds.

📅 Thursday, May 21, 2026
🕖 7 PM
📍 Hopshire Farm and Brewery

Possible side effects include:
• looking at insects differently
• buying a flashlight “for moth reasons”
• accidentally becoming cool

photo: https://www.britannica.com/animal/luna-moth

05/20/2026

What’s the strangest insect adaptation you’ve ever heard of?

How about caterpillars with horns that sq**rt acid — or moths that can disrupt bat sonar?

Discover these amazing adaptations and more THIS Thursday at Science and Suds: Moths of the Finger Lakes featuring Jason Dombroskie, Manager, Cornell Insect Collection and Diagnostic Lab.

📍 Hopshire Farm and Brewery
📅 Thursday, May 21, 2026
🕖 7:00 PM

Stay after the presentation for a chance to observe live moths outdoors (conditions permitting).

05/14/2026

Science & Suds After Dark

Why do moths fly toward lights?

Good question. Join us next Thursday, May 21 at Hopshire Farms & Brewery to find out!

Jason Dombroskie, manager for the Cornell University Insect Collection and the Insect Diagnostic Lab will share about the incredible diversity of moths in the Finger Lakes.

If conditions allow, we’ll step outside and turn on a light to see what moths appear.

Come early, bring a friend, and let's see what happens!

Photo: Emma Foster, then an undergraduate biological sciences major, helps collect moths with a light trap at research collaborator Jason Dombroskie's house in the Ithaca area. Credit: Binghamton University

05/11/2026

05/09/2026

Join us May 21st for Science & Suds: Moths of the Finger Lakes

The Finger Lakes region is home to an incredible diversity of moths, many of which most people never notice.

Join Jason J. Dombroskie, Manager of the Cornell University Insect Collection and Insect Diagnostic Lab, for a fascinating look at the moths that live right here in our region.

If the weather cooperates, we’ll head outside after the talk and set up a light to attract moths, giving you the chance to see these remarkable insects up close.

Thursday, May 21 at 7pm Hopshire Farms & Brewery

Come early! Grab a seat and a beverage!

Photo: https://www.jasondombroskie.com/research #

04/16/2026

What? No plans tonight? Well, have we got a plan for you! Join us for some weird science TONIGHT at 7pm at Hopshire Farm & Brewery

It sounds weird, but it’s real: the future of medical glue might in fact come from a slug.

A defensive secretion that spreads instantly and becomes almost impossible to remove is now inspiring new materials for use inside the human body - including the heart.

Join Dr. Andy Smith of Ithaca College to hear how this bizarre biology is being turned into real-world medical innovation.

Weird science. Real impact.

Come early! Grab a seat and a beverage!

04/15/2026

Who's up for a little Science & Suds Trivia? If you've been eyeing our posts, you should know this one:

Which animal produces a glue strong enough to stick to wet, flexible surfaces?

A) Octopus
B) Slug
C) Jellyfish

Answer: Slug!

Dr. Andy Smith (Ithaca College) studies this remarkable defensive slime and how its chemistry could help create new medical adhesives.

Join us THIS Thursday, Apr 16, to learn the science behind nature’s strangest glue.

Photo:Nigel Cattlin/Visuals Unlimited/Getty Images

04/12/2026

Bio-Inspo!

Coming up this Thursday (4/16) at Science Suds...

Nature has already solved many engineering problems - we just need to know where to look.

Dr. Andy Smith (Ithaca College) studies extraordinary animal adhesives, including slug secretions that form instant, durable gels on wet surfaces.

Understanding how these materials work is helping researchers design new medical adhesives for use inside the human body.

Join us on Thursday (4/16) at 7pm at Hopshire Farms & Brewery to explore how slug slime could inspire future medical technology.

Photo: Rebecca Falconer and Andrew Smith

04/07/2026

The Science of Super Glue....from Slugs!

Forget stitches and staples, slugs are the super glue of the future. Curious? We are too!

So, join us Thursday, April 16 at 7pm for another edition of Science and Suds

Dr. Andy Smith, Dana Professor of Biology at Ithaca College, studies remarkable animal glues that can stick to wet, flexible surfaces - exactly the kind of conditions that make medical adhesives so difficult to design.

One species of slug produces a defensive slime that spreads instantly and hardens into a tough gel that’s incredibly difficult to remove.

Come hear how Dr. Smith uncovered how this natural glue works, and how it may inspire new materials for medicine.

April, 16, 7pm Hopshire Farms & Brewery

Can't wait? Learn more here: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/forget-stitches-slug-inspired-adhesives-soon-heal-wounds

Photo: The Dusky slug (Arion subfuscus). by Andrew Smith