Vespa the Bug Fae

10/11/2026

The Alabama Renaissance Faire is just two weeks away! ⚜️

Join a living legacy of creativity, community, and joy as we celebrate the Faire's 40th anniversary with art, merriment, music, and magic!

🗓 October 24, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, & October 25, 12:00 - 6:00 PM
📍 Wilson Park, 217 E Tombigbee St, Florence, AL 35630
🎟 Free admission!
www.thealrenfaire.org

10/09/2026

10/08/2026

iNat Wednesday 🌿🐛
(Except it's Thursday again...)

Wanted to wait until I got confirmation on some of these IDs, so we're a day late again!

1: spotted orb weaver (Neoscona crucifera)

I wish I had gotten better photos of this lady (these spiders have a really pretty red color on their femurs) - but she was very perceptive and I was very bad at sneaking up on her. She tucked herself up under a leaf to hide, so I snapped a quick photo and let her be.

2: Asian lady beetle (Harmonia axyridis)

Always fun when one of these stop by my booth! If you've seen me at festivals, you probably know that I have ladybug life cycle toys that show the full metamorphosis of ladybugs, including the quite alien-looking larval phase that's pictured here.

3: Wolf Spider (possibly a Rabidosa sp.)

Based on my reading, the markings on a wolf spider's abdomen seem to play a big part in species identification, so I was a bit limited given that the mama was carrying her babies on her abdomen (a behavior shared across the Lycosidae family).

10/06/2026

🔔 EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT 🔔

I'm headed back to Chattanooga, Tennessee for the fall Chattanooga Ren Faire presented by Verre Noir by Joli Jardin!

Step into the Kingdom of Aldston this November and enjoy an expanded experience spanning TWO days and TWO parks! ⚔️

More entertainment, more stages, and more activities! Join us for a weekend of live shows, thrilling combat, artisan demonstrations, and so much more.

🗓 November 14, 10:00 AM–8:00 PM, &
November 15, 10:00 AM–5:00 PM
📍 Coolidge & Renaissance Park, Chattanooga, TN
🎟 chattrenfaire.com

10/05/2026

It's the people that make the place, and nowhere is that truer than RockHill Castle. 🏰 I had such a wonderful weekend seeing old friends and making new ones! 🧡✨️ I can't wait until we all gather again!

10/04/2026

Huge shout out to Very Good Coffee | Mobile Espresso Bar for keeping me caffeinated at RockHill Castle Rennaissance Festival! ☕️✨️

10/03/2026

My first visitor at RockHill Castle Rennaissance Festival. 🕷🧡

09/30/2026

iNat Wednesday 🌿🐛

1: spinybacked orb weaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis)
2: two-lined spittlebug (Prosapia bicincta)
3: angel-wing katydid (Microcentrum sp. ?)
4: carpenter ant (Camponotus sp. ?)

Ants and katydids are two groups of bugs I still have a lot to learn about, so I relied heavily on iNaturalist's suggested IDs for these two.

Truthfully, I also don't know anything about spittlebugs, but this guy's distinctive appearance made him pretty easy to identify.

The thing about bugs, is there's just SO MANY. Insects are the most abundant animals on the planet whether you're measuring by number of individuals, biomass, or distribution.

Many insects require examination under a microscope or even DNA analysis to identify down to the species level.

So while I am able to ID a lot of common insects, there are even more I don't know yet...and a nigh infinite number that I will never know. 🔍

That's part of what makes this so fun. 😉

09/28/2026

We welcomed nearly 1700 visitors to the 36th Annual Insectival at State Botanical Garden of GA! 😯

It warms my fae heart to see so many people come out and celebrate our buggy neighbors. 🪲✨️

Whether you tried a cricket cookie, held a roach or tarantula, shared your love through arts and crafts, or simply appreciated through conversation and observation, thank you for taking the time to recognize these oft overlooked creatures. 🧡🧡🧡