Natural History on the Big Screen: The Love Bugs

Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History and the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital invite you to a virtual screening of The Love Bugs followed by a Q&A discussion. This humorous and poignant documentary explores the love of Nature and the nature of Love—and what it means to completely devote oneself to both. 

Over 60 years Charlie and Lois O'Brien traveled to more than 67 countries, quietly amassing the world’s largest private insect collection, an entomological game-changer of 1.25 million specimens. These two renowned, married entomologists now grapple with the advancement of the Parkinson’s disease that afflicts Charlie. But Charlie and Lois know they need to keep fighting for the value of scientific knowledge,  so they turn to their insects for a little help.

Register to watch the film virtually, and then join us on January 27, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. EST for a discussion with the co-directors Allison Otto and Maria Clinton; Lois O’Brien; entomologist at the National Museum of Natural History, Floyd Shockley; and Nico Franz, director of biocollections at Arizona State University.

This program will be presented virtually. A link will be emailed to all registrants.