The Victoria Bug Zoo gift shop offers unique gifts for the whole family.Choose from local art,educational books, insect collecting gear, t-shirts, edible bugs, and more!
Art and gifts: We have gifts for every age and occasion, including beautiful art work from local artists.
Post cards and cards by local artist Richard Wong, inspired by some of our critters!
Books: Whether you are a curious kiddo wanting to learn more about bugs, an avid gardener looking to attract local, helpful species, or someone who just wants to know who shares their home, we’ve got books for you! Come check out our ever changing selection!
Children’s books designed to foster a positive outlook on insects and arachnids! Various reading levels available, all with large pictures and engaging information.
Gardening books
Art and photography books
Field guides for local species.
Entomophagy; the eating of insects, has been practiced by humans far longer than any of us have even been alive! Currently it is estimated that 2 billion people across the world include insects as a regular part of their diet. This may sound like a strange or even gross idea, but there are so many reasons to eat insects!
- Healthy-Insects are on average 50% protein by weight, making it one of the highest protein contents of any meat source. They are also incredibly low in fat!
- Sustainable- Comparing cattle and cricket yield after using the same food and space constraints, the crickets produce 20 times more protein and require 20 times less water than the cattle. That’s not even touching on the methane emissions!
- Safe- Human infectious diseases can often be traced back to thriving in a different animal before adapting to human DNA and bodies. These are called Zoonotic diseases, and are often transmitted to humans through meat consumption. Insects are so different in their DNA from humans, that it is nearly impossible for a disease to make that jump from thriving in an insect to thriving in a human, we are just too different!*
- Tasty- All insects have different textures and tastes; crickets taste a bit like roasted pumpkin seeds, mealworms are a little nutty, ants can range from sweet to spicy! Mix them in with trail mix, toss them in salad or eat them as a snack on their own!
*Note: Zoonotic diseases are very different from diseases using insects as a vector to get to humans (such as mosquitoes being used as a vector for the the protozoa Plasmodium falciparum, the cause of malaria in humans) , or a parasite/pathogen with multiple life stages needing different hosts. A great book on Zoonotic diseases is “Spillover: Animal infections and the next Human Pandemic” by David Quammen.
Educational: Many learning tools are available here at the Bug Zoo for cognitive skill building, problem solving, building and understanding basic biology concepts.
Metamorphosis kits
Adventure supplies: We have a whole range of supplies for the future naturalist; nets and other tools for catching bugs, magnifying glasses, adventure vests and more!
Real Bug keychains, necklaces and bracelets
Gift certificates available year round for your bug-loving friends and family.
Open during business hours.