Insect Fair Stars Teen-Age Tarantula

Children and their families can get close-up views of a 17-year-old tarantula, giant millipedes and other insects of the exotic and local variety at the 6th annual Insect Fair on Saturday and Sunday.

Held at the Los Angeles State and County Arboretum in Arcadia and sponsored in part by the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, the fair is dedicated entirely to insects, the most numerous type of life on Earth.

The fair will be held from 9 a.m to 4:30 p.m. both days. Call (213) 744-3558 or (818) 821-3222.

ASTRONOMY

“Robot Explorers,” the unmanned spacecraft that explore the galaxy, will be the focus of the Los Angeles Valley College astronomy program on Friday at 8 p.m. The college observatory’s 16-inch telescope will be open before and after the show, weather permitting. Call (818) 781-1200, ext. 335.

MARINE SCIENCE

Families can have a hands-on marine science experience examining marine animals, shells and other marine “biofacts” at the Cabrillo Marine Museum’s Discovery Center, an indoor saltwater laboratory, on Saturday from noon to 3 p.m. Call (310) 548-7562.

ORNITHOLOGY

Charles Collins of Cal State Long Beach will discuss his research on the Philippine cave swiftlets at the Los Angeles Audubon Society meeting tonight at 7:30 in Plummer Park. Call (213) 876-0202.

HEALTH / MEDICINE

Health care, interpersonal relations, self-image and other issues involving breast cancer will be discussed in a workshop led by Dorothy Gilden, founder of Breast Cancer Recovery Plus, at the group’s meeting Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Center for Women’s Health, next to Brotman Medical Center in Culver City. Call (310) 478-9463 or (310) 479-3846.

ZOOLOGY

Cathleen Cox, director of research at the Los Angeles Zoo, will lead a class on “Enriching the Lives of Zoo Animals” on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Offered through UCLA Extension, the class will be held at the zoo. Call (310) 825-7093.

ENVIRONMENT

The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History’s spring environmental series continues tonight at 7:30 p.m with a presentation on the natural resources of the Carpinteria Salt Marsh by Wayne Ferren, manager of the marsh reserve, at the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden Library. Call (805) 682-4711 for information.