Hidden Creatures: A Discussion of the Wondrous World of Parasites with Dr. Dino Martins

Hidden Creatures: A Discussion of the Wondrous World of Parasites with Dr. Dino Martins Tuesday, October 6, 2026 at 7:00 PM *Bundle Ticket (Includes admission and a copy of Hidden Creatures) $35.00 *General Admission (No Book) $10.00 A book signing will follow the discussion and our museum store will be open before and after the program. “The very latest of these blessed triumphs of science is the discovery and identification of the ambuscaded assassin which goes by the name of the hookworm. Its special prey is the barefooted poor. It lies in wait in warm regions and sandy places and digs its way into their unprotected feet.” -Mark Twain, Letters from the Earth Mark Twain was fascinated by the study of nature, insects, and animals. His favorite books to read included ones involving science and nature. In that spirit, we are pleased to welcome entomologist and evolutionary biologist Dr. Dino Martins to talk about his work and latest book, Hidden Creatures. About Hidden Creatures: There is the tapeworm, which can grow 120 feet in length within the gut of a whale; the tsetse fly, a notorious vector of disease that can pierce the skin even of crocodiles with its needle-like mouth; and the most universal symbol of parasitic behavior—the leech. Long villainized as, well, parasitic, these creatures are actually a vital part of every ecosystem—and Dr. Dino Martins, an award-winning entomologist and biologist from Kenya, has made it his life’s mission to demystify these beguiling beings. Hidden Creatures is a journey across the world ten times over—from Martins’s home in the wilds of East Africa to the rainforests of Borneo to cities and backyards across the globe. Along the way we encounter brilliant and eccentric experts who join Martins on his adventures to investigate not only parasites but their hosts, from hyraxes and hippos to, of course, humans. Dr. Martins will be joined in conversation by Dr. Sarah Knutie, an Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Connecticut.