Bug Girl Becca

Happy new year from me and Dwayne “The Flat Rock” Johnson!
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Hey fellow bug lovers — this past year sure has been crazy! I hope you all have been staying as safe and healthy as possible. I’m sorry to have been absent from social media for so long; I had some health problems (thankfully not COVID related) to manage along with a surprisingly busy field season, presenting at ESA for my first time and applying to graduate programs. With all of this on my plate, I decided it was best to take some time away from social media but I am so excited to finally be back🥰 I’ve missed you all! A big thank you to everyone who reached out to me while I was away. It means a lot!
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Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been slowly adding to my bug family. Here are a few new additions! Hopefully, you’ll all remember Dwayne “The Flat Rock” Johnson (tattoo of Dwayne by .wiedemann). The first three pictures are of him. I was fortunate enough to be able to welcome two new flat rock scorpions to the family! The fourth picture is of a young male Banded Flat Rock Scorpion, Hadogenes paucidens. The fifth picture is of a younger female Flat Rock Scorpion, Hadogenes troglodytes, the same species as Dwayne. These new scorpions need names! Drop some suggestions in the comments below👇🏼Punny names preferred🤪
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I’ve also ordered a premium mystery box from that I just can’t wait to share with all of you as soon as it arrives☺️ stay tuned for more info on that!!

It’s World Turtle Day!🐢 The science is clear: Change is needed for future generations to survive and enjoy a world filled with nature. My friends at have secured over 65,000 acres of vulnerable habitat in Mexico, Africa and Asia. By conserving nature, we contribute to the overall health of the planet’s ecosystems and, hopefully, to the continued prosperity of our species. Follow to see how you can help!
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Leopard Tortoise (Stigmochelys pardalis), Pancake Tortoise (Malacochersus tornieri) and an Eastern Box Turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina)! The first two pictures were taken from my trip to Tanzania a couple years back💕
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Find what you love and pursue it🕷
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No long informational post today. Instead, this is a friendly reminder to find your passion in life and pursue it!! I decided when I was 5 years old that I wanted to become an Entomologist. It was my dream and I made it happen! So can you💕 I’m not saying that it will be easy — I certainly faced my own share of obstacles — but it will be worth it. I’m grateful every day that I get to do what I do🥰
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What’s your passion in life?? Tell me in the comments below! 💕
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This is Poe, my P. hanumavilasumica. Unfortunately, he passed last year from a bad molt. Poe was fairly comfortable being handled and never displayed defensive posture; HOWEVER, please remember that this genus has potent venom and their bite is unpleasant. Handle with care or not at all! For more info on this genus, see a couple posts back.

Groot the Ghost Mantis (Phyllocrania paradoxa)💕
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Ghost Mantises are beautiful insects native to Africa. With their calm demeanor, stunning coloration of browns, grays and greens and their ability to live in communal colonies, these mantises make attractive pets! Their cryptic (AKA camouflaged) appearance helps fool potential predators into believing that this isn’t an insect but instead is just a dead, dried-up leaf. They are even capable of playing dead when disturbed and will keep up the act for minutes at a time! I will gently blow on Groot when she does this and she will drop the act.
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Like many insects, Ghost Mantises are sexually dimorphic, meaning the female and male differ in appearance. Females are larger, thicker-bodied and have 6 abdominal segments. Males, on the other hand, are thinner and smaller with 8 abdominal segments. The males also have longer, thicker antennae and the leaf-like crown on their head is tall, jagged and often asymmetrical. Females have shorter, straighter and more symmetrical crowns along with thin antennae.
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Chime in with your own fun facts about these cool mantises in the comments below! Or, if this is your first time hearing about them, tell me what you think their best feature is🥰 @ Newark, Delaware

Spooks the Ghost Ornamental Tarantula💀
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Poecilotheria vittata, the Ghost Ornamental Tarantula, is a gorgeous arboreal spider endemic to Sri Lanka. As such, these are old world tarantulas and therefor lack urticating hairs. While they are reluctant to bite, this genus has fairly potent venom. A bite can result in moderate to severe pain in tandem with long-lasting muscle cramps. They are also FAST. For these reasons, Poecilotheria (or Pokies, as we lovingly call them) are not recommended for beginner tarantula enthusiasts.
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That being said, I was lucky enough to find my Pokie out and about today! The way Spooks was stretched out over the decorative skull hide in the enclosure was absolutely picture-perfect so I had just to share 🥰
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What are your thoughts on Pokies? Let me know in the comments below!😊

Say hello to Ace the Vinegaroon!👋🏼
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Vinegaroons, or whip scorpions, belong to the order Thelyphonida (previously known as Uropygi). This species (Mastigoproctus giganteus) is native to a few southern states in the US as well as parts of Mexico. Despite their alien-like appearance, vinegaroons are relatively harmless to people. Unlike true scorpions, they lack a stinger; instead, vinegaroons use that long, thing appendage protruding from its posterior for spraying a defensive fluid. The fluid, acetic acid, smells strongly of vinegar and is the source for the common name “vinegaroon”. The acetic acid is not harmful to humans but may burn if it comes in contact with the eyes. It WILL make your skin stink, though, and that’s why I often compare these interesting arachnids to skunks!
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Another fun fact about vinegaroons is that there are actually 7 different species in the United States! Previously, scientists believed that all the vinegaroons in the USA were Mastigoproctus giganteus. Research from 2018 suggests otherwise, however, which is really interesting information! I’d love to go see how many I could find...if only I were in their range😅
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Have you ever seen a vinegaroon before? Tell me about it in the comments below!😊 @ Newark, Delaware

Hey there, bug nerds! Want to learn more about the fascinating and amazing world of arachnids?? Have a child bored at home who needs something educational and exciting to spice up their quarantined classroom?
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Then look no further! I’ve teamed up with entomologist-in-the-making a guest on her wonderful, weekly educational class. This Wednesday, May 6th, at 10am PST (1pm EST), we’ll be teaching you all about arachnids: spiders, scorpions, ticks, mites and more! If you want to tune in, be sure to follow . The class will be taking place on her Instagram Live. We hope to see you all there!
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As a side note, how awesome is Sadie? She’s using her passions to educate others during a scary and troubling time and I couldn’t be prouder of her, so please tune in! It would mean the world to me to bring an abundance of appreciation to her class🥰
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These pictures are from Sadie’s visit last fall. I was able to give Sadie a tour of our USDA lab and quarantine facility before going out bug-hunting together! It was so much fun😊 @ Newark, Delaware

Let’s talk about a different kind of creepy crawly today: salamanders!
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Spring is a great time to find salamanders! As the weather begins to warm up, you may find yourself encountering more of these fascinating animals while searching for bugs. Often found under logs and leaf litter, salamanders are a group of terrestrial and aquatic amphibians belonging to the order Urodela. These lizard-like animals differ from true lizards in that they lack claws, scales and external ear openings. Unlike lizards, salamanders need moisture to survive and cannot endure desiccation. This is especially crucial for the lungless salamanders (Plethodontidae) who rely on “cutaneous respiration”, the process of taking in oxygen through the skin, to breathe. The skin must be thin, full of blood vessels and permeable to water to allow the salamander to pull dissolved oxygen from the water.
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The salamander pictured above is an Eastern Redback Salamander (Plethodon cinereus). These guys are fairly common in our area but I’m always happy to see them!😊
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Do you have a favorite salamander species?? Let me know in the comments below!👍🏼 @ Newark, Delaware