United Titanium Bug Zoo
A unique hands-on experience at the Ohio State CFAES Wooster Campus.
The United Titanium Bug Zoo mission is to promote awareness, dispel myths and ignite curiosity in the unseen world of Arthropods, striving to entice budding young entomologists into the exciting field of Entomology. Get up close with more than 50 different arthropod species!
UTBZ is curated by Bug Zookeeper, Jeni Filbrun, and assisted by Community Outreach Specialist, Carrie Elvey. UTBZ operations are fueled by program fees and donations. Consider giving here: go.osu.edu/support-UTBZ
Visit Us in Wooster
Regular Open Hours: Self-guided tours when building is unlocked, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm.
Location: Wooster Science Building on the Ohio State CFAES Wooster Campus, 1680 Madison Ave, Wooster OH, 44691.
Free parking on site, UTBZ accessible from main entrance.
Contact: Email UTBZ@osu.edu to set up an in-person tour or outreach event.
Program Highlight: Cockroach Conundrums
Celebrating curiosity—one cockroach at a time! As part of our revamped school offerings, the United Titanium Bug Zoo created Cockroach Conundrums for grades 3-12. This class introduces students to the scientific method through engaging, student-led experiments centered on food preferences. Designed with simplicity and adaptability in mind, the class allows budding scientists to observe live cockroaches, form hypotheses, conduct experiments, and refine their investigations.
One of the class’s core principles is iteration. After running their initial experiments, students analyze their results and consider improvements or new directions. They may realize, for instance, that food placement affects outcomes or that adults and nymphs have different behaviors.
Why Cockroaches? Cave cockroaches are ideal for classroom experiments. They are:
- Easy to care for: Hardy and low-maintenance, cockroaches thrive in simple enclosures.
- Non-aggressive: Unlike their pest counterparts, these cockroaches are clean and docile, making them perfect for handling and close observation.
- Behaviorally fascinating: Their curiosity and social interactions provide plenty of observable phenomena for student inquiry.
- Always hungry: Unlike our other cockroach species which can be ambivalent about food, the cave roaches are curious, bold and always ready to eat a wide variety of foods.
Working with the cockroaches creates empathy and connection with an insect that, on first encounter, if often met with fear or disgust.
Classes like Cockroach Conundrums demonstrate how entomology can inspire the next generation of scientists. By blending observation, curiosity, and hands-on experimentation, it brings science to life in a way that’s approachable, engaging, and sometimes surprising. These principles are at the core of the United Titanium Bug Zoo programming. For teachers interested in bringing Cockroach Conundrums to their classrooms, contact the United Titanium Bug Zoo at utbz@osu.edu. Together, let’s celebrate curiosity—one cockroach at a time!
Explore The UTBZ
Discover our education programs & events, our history, and how you can support the bug zoo!
