Meet the Bugs

The Oregon State University BugZoo includes a collection of live insects and related arthropods. Our in-house collection provides students with an opportunity to care for the critters and learn more about them in a stable, controlled environment. The bugs are also a major component of our outreach programs. We have various live exotic and endemic organisms in our collection, including: walking sticks, millipedes, cockroaches, beetles, spiders, termites, and other organisms. Please contact bugzoo@oregonstate.edu for a current inventory.

Bugs In Residence

Walking Stick

Walking Stick

Baculum extradentatum

Origin: Southeast Asia

Download the factsheet for the Walking Stick

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Madagascar Hissing Cockroach 

Gromphadorhina portentosa

Origin: Madagascar

These herbivores hiss when threatened.

Download the factsheet for the Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

Giant Prickly Stick Insect

Giant Prickly Stick Insect

Extatosoma tiaratum

Origin: Eastern Coastal Australia

This herbivore eats eucalyptus leaves at home; here in the states they enjoy blackberry leaves. 

Download the factsheet for the Giant Prickly Stick Insect

 

Mealworm

Tenebrio molitar

Other Bug Friends

Black Widow Spider
Lactrodoctus spp.
Origin: Southwestern United States
Only the females of these species are poisonous.

North American Termite
Reticulitermes spp.

Pacific Banana Slug
Ariolimax columbianus

Pink-winged Insect
Sipyloidea sipylus

Silkworm
Bombyx mori