LONDON, Ohio – “If something gives you the shivers, but you would like to know a bit more about it, maybe it’s time to get to know a few of these ‘animals’ better.”

Those are the words of Jeni Ruisch, curator of the Entomology Insectary, and outreach program director at Ohio State University. Ruisch is bringing the BUGmobile to Farm Science Review to give growers and the general public an idea of what’s lurking in farm fields and elsewhere.

Ruisch calls the BUGmobile her mobile bug zoo and takes it to places like classrooms, retirement communities and the Farm Science Review.

“When you step on board the BUGmobile you are welcome to look, touch or even hold a few of the animals the BUGmobile has to offer,” Ruisch said.

The BUGmobile, a 28-foot-long Airstream trailer, includes a collection of about 200 species of beetles, spiders, crustaceans and other arthropods.

“It’s always a good time to get to know a few of these animals better,” Ruisch said. “You are never too old or young to learn. With this mobile laboratory it makes it easy to watch the bugs on board, or even touch and hold a few of them. We’re able to provide some unique insight into these animals who are so important to food and other ecosystems around the world.

“We raise anthropods back at the Insectary at Ohio State University. A few days before the Farm Science Review, we put these animals in carriers and brought them to the show so people can walk through our displays.”

Tarantulas, cockroaches, scorpions and pill bugs are just a few of the live insects you can visit on the BUGmobile. There are also pinned and preserved specimens of bees, wasps and a multitude of other insects onboard.

“There is no video you can watch that can give you the same experience of holding an animal or just watching it in front of you and talking about it,” Ruisch said. “It’s about exposing people to these animals in a safe and controlled environment.”

Ruisch joined the Entomology Insectary in 2019 to undertake expansion of the teaching insect collection and creation of a physical Columbus Bug Zoo. Ruisch has formal animal husbandry experience with primates, parrots, reptiles and aquatic animals. In 2021, Ruisch took over the management of the Insectary, merging the separate operations into one live arthropod collection devoted to education and outreach, while also coordinating the creation of a truly unique outreach experience in the BUGmobile.

According to Ruisch, farmers might encounter a few of the bugs on display while others may be a continent away.

The Asian praying mantis is useful to farmers as it eats beetle larvae and caterpillars. It was brought to the U.S. for pest-control purposes. Like many of the creatures in the BUGmobile, this mantis was captive-bred.

“My goal was for all our animals to be bred in captivity,” Ruisch said.

Another is the American giant millipede. These slow-moving plant eaters are native to Ohio and love rotting wood. “They’re like kind of the cows of the bug world,” Ruisch said.

Must-see on the list for visitors is the Emperor scorpion and the Australian walking stick.

“The walking stick lives about 10 to 12 months, is native to Australia and eats eucalyptus leaves,” Ruisch said. “These two are the stars of the show when we go out with the BUGmobile. They’re such weird looking animals.”