Insect Week 2027 runs from Monday, June 21, to Sunday, June 27, 2027. The Royal Entomological Society organizes the week, which celebrates insects with free events across the UK and Ireland under the theme “Stand tall for the small.”
This guide covers what happens, how to take part, and the dates for future years.
Key takeaways
- Insect Week 2027 is June 21–27, 2027, the last full week of June.
- The Royal Entomological Society (RES), founded in 1833, runs the week.
- Events include bug hunts, museum displays, workshops, and a photography competition.
- Anyone can join an event or host their own activity.
Insect Week 2027 at a glance
- Dates: Monday, June 21 – Sunday, June 27, 2027.
- Organizer: Royal Entomological Society.
- Theme: “Stand tall for the small.”
- Where: across the UK and Ireland, plus online.
- Cost: most activities are free.
- Former name: National Insect Week.
- Official site: insectweek.org.
Table of Contents
When is Insect Week 2027?
Insect Week 2027 is Monday, June 21, to Sunday, June 27, 2027, as listed by the Royal Entomological Society. It falls in ISO week 25 of 2027.
Insect Week is usually held in the last full week of June. The 2025 week ran June 23–29, and the 2026 week ran June 22–28. Every June 2027 date is in the 2027 calendar.
What is Insect Week?
Insect Week is the UK’s largest celebration of insects. The Royal Entomological Society runs it to raise public interest in insects and the science of studying them, with a focus on getting young people into entomology.
The week was formerly called National Insect Week. The society, founded in 1833, works with partner groups in science, natural history, and conservation, who run most of the events.
The theme is “Stand tall for the small,” a reminder that small creatures keep ecosystems running.
Professor Jane Stout, President of the Royal Entomological Society, put it this way for the 2026 week: “Insects are fundamental to healthy ecosystems and our everyday lives, yet many species are under increasing pressure.”
What happens during Insect Week?
Insect Week brings hundreds of free events, run by museums, universities, wildlife groups, and schools. Typical activities include bug hunts, nature walks, exhibitions, workshops, science demonstrations, and photography sessions.
In 2026, the society added City Hubs for the first time, coordinating bigger programs in five cities:
| City Hub | Main venues | Activities |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | National Museum Cardiff, St Fagans National Museum of History | Insect collection displays, outdoor bug hunts |
| Liverpool | World Museum | Interactive displays, photography workshops, art |
| Dublin | Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin | Nature walks, exhibitions, webinars |
| Edinburgh | National Museums Scotland | Dung beetle museum trail, family activities |
| London | RES Insect Garden, Stratford Cross | School sessions, guided exploration, public events |
The 2027 venues have not been announced yet. The society lists each year’s events on insectweek.org in the weeks before the start.
How can you take part in Insect Week 2027?
You can join a public event, enter a competition, run an activity, or simply look for insects where you live. Most activities need no experience and cost nothing.
- Find an event: browse the event map on insectweek.org and book any that need tickets.
- Enter the competitions: the week includes creative competitions, such as insect photography, open to the public.
- Host an activity: schools, clubs, and community groups can run their own event and ask the society to list it.
- Go on a bug hunt: look under logs and stones, check flowers for pollinators, and note what you find.
- Record what you see: add sightings to a wildlife recording app, so scientists can track insect numbers.
Late June is a good time to see insects in the UK. Long days and warm weather bring out butterflies, bees, dragonflies, and beetles.
Why does Insect Week matter?
Insect Week matters because insects pollinate crops, recycle waste, and feed birds and other animals, yet many species are declining. Great Britain and Ireland are home to more than 24,000 species of insects (Countryfile).
Flying insect numbers are falling fast. The Bugs Matter survey, which counts insects squashed on car number plates, recorded a 59% fall in “splat rates” across the UK from 2021 to 2025, an average drop of 19% a year (Kent Wildlife Trust).
Insect Week dates 2025 to 2031
The Royal Entomological Society confirms each year’s dates itself. The dates for 2028 onward below follow the recent pattern of the last full Monday-to-Sunday week of June, and may change.
| Year | Dates | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Monday, June 23 – Sunday, June 29 | Held |
| 2026 | Monday, June 22 – Sunday, June 28 | Held |
| 2027 | Monday, June 21 – Sunday, June 27 | Confirmed by the RES |
| 2028 | Monday, June 19 – Sunday, June 25 | Expected |
| 2029 | Monday, June 18 – Sunday, June 24 | Expected |
| 2030 | Monday, June 24 – Sunday, June 30 | Expected |
| 2031 | Monday, June 23 – Sunday, June 29 | Expected |
Insect Week is one of many nature weeks in the year. The others, with their 2027 dates, are listed in the Awareness Calendar 2027.
Frequently asked questions
When is Insect Week 2027?
Insect Week 2027 runs from Monday, June 21, to Sunday, June 27, 2027.
Who organizes Insect Week?
The Royal Entomological Society organizes Insect Week, with help from partner organizations in science, natural history, and conservation.
What is the theme of Insect Week 2027?
The theme of Insect Week 2027 is “Stand tall for the small,” celebrating the small creatures that keep ecosystems running.
Is Insect Week only in the UK?
Most Insect Week events take place in the UK, but the week also reaches Ireland, with a City Hub in Dublin in 2026, and runs online activities open to anyone.
Is Insect Week the same as National Insect Week?
Yes, Insect Week is the new name for National Insect Week. The Royal Entomological Society runs both under the same program.
How can schools take part in Insect Week?
Schools can run their own bug hunts or lessons, use the society’s free learning resources on insectweek.org, and list their activity as an Insect Week event.
