Earthbound Hosts a Bugs-on-Wheels Experience

The set up for Bug-on-Wheels was in the Mott Auditorium. Photo taken by Shaelyn Lampinen.

OLIVET, Mich. - Conquering your fears at the Bugs-on-Wheels experience. The University of Olivet Earthbound club hosts Nadia Greely, Bugs-on-Wheels owner and sole operator, on Feb. 26, 2025.

“We were aiming to hopefully have more, you know, educational programs and involve the community with animals,” Sarah Grove, earthbound vice-president said.

The Curly Hair Tarantula, according to A-Z Animals, these tarantulas have about one thousand species located in Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Photo taken by Shaelyn Lampinen

Greely aka “The bug lady” created Bugs-on-Wheels as a hands-on educational experience with various types of bugs. Ever since she was young she had a fascination with bugs. She got her first tarantula when she was 14-years-old, growing her love.

Greely came up with the idea of Bugs-on-Wheels three and a half years ago. Creating a hands-on learning experience, her business began to grow just one month after launching.

Greely's hopes for Bugs-on-Wheels to show kids and adults that bugs aren't as scary as we are taught.

“I've done, you know, events like this, and being able to see people conquer their fears and to learn things they never knew about these creatures,” Greely said.

For this specific experience at UO she brought a Curly Hair Tarantula, Cicada Shells, Blue Death Feigning Beetles, Stag Beetle, Asian Forest Scorpion, Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, Tailless Whip Scorpion, Giant Vietnamese Centipede, Giant African Millipede and a display case of local taxidermied butterflies and moths.

The Blue Death Feigning Beetles get their name because when they feel threatened they will play dead while laying on their backs. Photo taken by Shaelyn Lampinen.

“I was like, great, something different and introducing people to, you know, unhuggable animals. Things with the wrong number of legs.” Leah Knapp, earthbound advisor said.

Written by Shaelyn Lampinen