Brutus stands outside the BUGmobile at We Grow Scientists

BUGmobile

Meet our insects on the move

BUGmobile and entomology outreach in the Columbus area are fully booked thru the end of 2026.

Please reach out to request outreach programs in 2027.

Booking for 2027 is available. 

Reach out to request the BUGmobile or other outreach programs in the Columbus area.

The Columbus BUGmobile is Ohio State’s mobile insect zoo —an Airstream camper transformed into a hands-on classroom, museum, zoo and lab. We bring live arthropods and insect education to schools, libraries, community events and groups across the mid-Ohio region.

People in the BUGmobile looking at bugs

Request outreach activities for 2027

Bring the BUGmobile to your school, library, youth program or community event.
Learn about outreach program fees
A close up of a case with pinned bugs

What to expect

See how students and visitors meet live arthropods, ask questions and learn at their own comfort level.
Learn what happens during a visit
Artwork on the BUGmobile showcasing the insects

Support the BUGmobile

Help keep this one-of-a-kind mobile learning space rolling across Ohio communities.
Support our BUGmobile

A hands-on way to meet the tiny creatures that shape our world

Meet a desert millipede, an Australian walkingstick or a Madagascar hissing cockroach — and even hold one if you’d like? 

The BUGmobile helps children and adults look closer, ask better questions and feel more comfortable around insects and other arthropods. If today's learners can be anywhere, science education can travel, too. Through guided, hands-on learning, visitors can replace myths with facts and discover why these small animals matter to ecosystems, food systems and everyday life. 

Three girls looking at a bug in the Bug Zoo.

Looking for the Wooster Bug Zoo?

The United Titanium Bug Zoo is located on the CFAES Wooster campus. The Columbus BUGmobile travels to schools and community sites in the mid-Ohio region.
Visit the Bug Zoo

Educational fun for audiences of all ages

Schools and classrooms

Give students a hands-on STEM experience with live arthropods and real-world science.

Libraries and programs

Add curiosity, movement and discovery to summer reading, after-school or family programs.

Community events

Invite visitors to step inside the BUGmobile, meet live arthropods and learn from Ohio State educators.

Youth groups and clubs

Plan an interactive insect program for youth groups, nature clubs, garden clubs or civic groups.

Nervous about bugs? You are welcome here.

You do not have to love bugs to enjoy the BUGmobile. Many visitors start out unsure, curious or even nervous. Our educators help each person learn at their own pace. You can look closely, ask questions and decide how hands-on you want to be.

See what to expect

Frequently asked questions

The story

BUGmobile donors Daryl and Connie Faustini with Jeni Ruisch and Jamie Strange
The Faustini's with Jeni Ruisch (L) and Jamie Strange (R)

The BUGmobile began with a shared idea: create a mobile space where Ohioans could meet arthropods, ask questions and experience science in a new way. Support from alumni Daryl and industry partners helped launch the project to create a one-of-a-kind outreach space.

Learn how the BUGmobile was created

The source

A Giant American millipede walks across a person's hand
An Asian millipede explores a hand.

The BUGmobile is supported by the Museum of Biological Diversity Insectary in Columbus. The Insectary team cares for arthropods used in education, outreach and research, giving visitors a safe and engaging way to learn from living collections. 

Learn about the Insectary