Insects
American Cockroach
The American Cockroach is the largest of the house-infesting roaches in the United States and a major pest.
Banana Cockroach
The Banana Cockroach is considered a minimal pest and can usually be found in trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, piles of lumber, piles of leaves and mulch.
Bee Swarm
Honeybee hives have long provided humans with honey and beeswax.
Blue Possum Beetle
These beetles can be found in the desert areas of the southern United States. They roll over and play dead when disturbed by potential predators.
Giant Wood Cockroach
This cockroach from South America is one of the largest species known to man. They can grow up to 4 inches long.
Jungle Nymph Walkingstick
The Jungle Nymph Stick is one of the heaviest insects. In Malaysia they are often kept by people who feed them guava leaves and use the droppings to make tea.
MacCleary's Spectre Walkingstick
These Australian walkingsticks hang upside down on branches and sway to appear like dead leaves in the wind.
Madagascar Hissing Cockroach
Madagascar hissing cockroaches are large cockroaches (2-3 inches long and 1 inch wide), which are native to the island of Madagascar, off the coast of Africa. This cockroach is easily maintained and reared which makes it an ideal organism to study in the classroom.
Patent Leather Beetle
A shiny pronotum as slick as patent leather inspired one of many common names for the Patent Leather Beetle. Both larvae and adults make a kissing sound when handled, but it is naturally employed to communicate with each other.
Pepper Cockroach
Peppered cockroaches can be found in Guatemala, Costa Rica, Panama, and Colombia, where they prefer to live among the leaf litter on the humid forest floor.
Sabah Walkingstick
These walkingsticks are from Borneo and grow from egg to adult in only five months.
Wheelbug
This large insect is well-noted for its incredibly painful bite when disturbed or nonchalantly handled. The Wheel Bug operates primarily from summer into fall and feeds on other insects including slow-moving caterpillars.
White-Eyed Assassin Bug
Assassin bugs have piercing-sucking mouthparts used to impale prey or enemies and inject venom. The white eye-like spots on this insect’s wings serve to warn enemies of its painful bite.