The praying mantis (Mantis religiosa) officially became the State Insect on October 1, 1977. The name "mantis" (derived from the Greek word for "prophet" or "diviner") appropriately describes the insect's distinctive habit of standing motionless on four hind legs, with the two highly specialized forelegs raised in an attitude of meditation.

At 2,316 feet, Bear Mountain is the highest peak in Connecticut.

The first scientifically verified dinosaur bones discovered in North America were uncovered during the 1818 excavation of a well in Connecticut. These bones would later be sent to Yale University and identified as the remains of an Anchisaurus, which lived during the Early Jurassic Period.

Lyme disease is the most common disease spread by ticks in the Northern Hemisphere. It is estimated to affect 300,000 people a year in the United States. The disease was diagnosed as a separate condition for the first time in 1975 in Old Lyme, Connecticut. It was previously mistaken for juvenile rheumatoid arthritis.

Connecticut designated "Yankee Doodle" as the official state song in 1978. The song was originally sung by British troops to mock American soldiers as Yankee simpletons, but it soon became popular among Americans as a song of defiance, and they added verses mocking the British troops and hailing George Washington as the Commander of the Continental Army.

Hartford is the historic international center of the insurance industry, with companies like Aetna, Conning & Company, The Hartford, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, The Phoenix Companies, and Hartford Steam Boiler based in the city, and companies such as Prudential Financial, Lincoln National Corporation, Travelers, United Healthcare and Axa XL having major operations in the city.

Ella Grasso served as the 83rd Governor of Connecticut from January 8, 1975, to December 31, 1980. She was the first woman elected to this office and the first woman to be elected governor of a U.S. state without having been the spouse or widow of a former governor. In 1980, she resigned due to her battle with ovarian cancer.

The world's first nuclear submarine, the USS Nautilus (SSN-571), was constructed in Groton, Connecticut, between 1952 and 1954. It had the ability to remain submerged almost indefinitely because it used nuclear fuel and no air.

The fragrant star-shaped white and pink flowers of the mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) have delighted travelers since early colonial days. It is also known as spoonwood because Native Americans used to make spoons out of it.

P. T. Barnum was a resident of the city and served briefly as the town's mayor in the late 19th century. Barnum built four houses in Bridgeport and housed his circus in town during winter. He also served two terms in the Connecticut legislature and spoke before the legislature concerning the ratification of the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery: "A human soul, that God has created and Christ died for, is not to be trifled with. It may tenant the body of a Chinaman, a Turk, an Arab, or a Hottentot--it is still an immortal spirit."