Frost Entomological Museum live insect zoo

These are the animals we currently have on display:

Australian Walking Sticks - these insects are a favorite at the museum. While their large size and spiky appearance can scare people, they are quite docile and never bite. Their diet consists entirely of leaves from plants in the rose and blackberry families. They are also called Macleay's Spectre. One of our sticks hatched on June 15, 2004.

Madagascar Giant Hissing Cockroaches - these large roaches are all bark and no bite. When they feel threatened, they emit a hissing noise by squeezing air out of the holes in their abdomens. It is supposed to startle predators, giving the roach enough time to escape. There are always young hissers to be seen at the museum.

Chaco Golden Striped Tarantula - a favorite of visitors, this tarantula is a new addition to the collection. It eats crickets and meal worms. Unlike many other kinds of tarantulas, the Chaco Golden Striped does not hide or burrow, so you can always be sure to see it when you visit. When it is fully grown, it may reach a size of 8 inches across!

Malaysian Jungle Nymph - also a type of walking stick, our jungle nymphs are a lesson in camouflage. Adult females are bright green and leaf-shaped, while adult males are brown and stick-shaped. They spend most of their time sitting perfectly still. Fully grown, these are one of the largest insect species in the world. Our female has started laying eggs recently.

Giant Black African Millipede - another new addition to our collection, this is an impressive looking "bug" at about 10 inches long. Millipedes, even giant ones, are harmless though, so there is no reason to be afraid. We feed our Giant fruit and vegetables.

The Frost Museum also currently has on display: a Tiger Centipede, American Cockroaches, Death's Head Cockroaches, Millipedes, Pill Bugs, Crickets, and Mealworms.

Want to see a video clip of an American Cockroach feeding frenzy? Click here to download the 9 MB Quicktime file.