Serving the San Francisco Bay Area

Bug Education for all!

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A woman with short hair wearing a colorful sleeveless top smiles and holds a large tarantula on her outstretched hand.
Illustration of a bug with black, white, and green markings on its wings and body, with six legs and two antennae.
Illustration of a beetle with black and white markings on its body, detailed legs, antennae, and head.

Stephanie A. Dole, Ph.D

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Stephanie A. Dole, Ph.D. has been educating the public about insects since 1997. Her extensive experience as a scientist, educator, and researcher includes:

  • Bachelor's Degree in Entomology from University of California, Davis

  • Ph.D. in Entomology from Michigan State University

  • Teaching at Texas A&M University (General and Aquatic Entomology Laboratories), University of San Francisco (Biology of Insects), and CuriOdyssey museum (Pre-K Science Together classes).

  • Presentations on insects to the public at California Public Libraries, CuriOdyssey Museum, Bay Area Discovery Museum, The Exploratorium San Francisco,  Marin Master Gardeners, Modesto Community College, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Great Valley Museum, as well as public and private schools throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. 

    • University of California Davis, Texas A&M University, Michigan State University’s Bug House, Michigan and California public schools, Filoli Gardens, CuriOdyssey museum, Bee Keepers Guild of San Mateo County, and California Academy of Sciences.

    • National Science Foundation funded Ph.D. dissertation research on the diversity of tropical bark beetles, which included the description of 5 previously unknown beetle species, and one new genus.

    • Extensive field experience photographing, collecting and studying insects in the Ecuadorian Amazon, Costa Rica, Guyana, Thailand, the Sonoran Desert, the Sierra Nevada, and throughout California.

    • Publication of 9 scientific research articles in journals such as Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution and the Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences.

    • In 2026, Beetlelady will be releasing her first book, Bug Superpowers, with Storey Publishing. 

  • "Beetlelady is a natural with children. She created so many junior entomologists at the preschool. My son included. It's really wonderful to see the children gain respect for the tiny and sometimes not so tiny insects and spiders."

    - Renee Padgett, Preschool Director

  • "Beetlelady hosted a booth at our elementary school science night. She was surrounded by a swarm of children all evening. Her knowledge of and fascination with insects is contagious, and her audience was captivated!"

    - Kristy Dahl, Ph.D., Mother of 2

  • "Dr. Dole was the star of our event! She had an audience with an age range of 1 – 80 and every single person was thoroughly engaged and mesmerized. She has a knowledge and passion for science that I have rarely seen and it is infectious. She brought a variety of live and preserved animals, and artificial displays which really allowed all ages and comfort levels to explore what she was showing. Before the night was over we made plans for her to come back!"

    - Michelle Sweany, CuriOdyssey

  • "Dr. Dole is one of those rare scholars who can successfully engage, no, enthrall, an audience of any age or education level. She has not lost her sense of wonder and curiosity, and indeed those qualities are contagious to those she interacts with. I have known Stephanie for decades and can attest to her empathy for children especially. I would recommend that you run, not walk, to any event featuring this outstanding human being."

    - Eric Eaton, Author, Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America

  • We love having the Beetlelady visit our library. Kids and families are riveted from start to finish during her unique approach to presenting all things bug related. Stephanie's programs are a great addition to our STEAM programming lineup."

    - Elise Washington, Librarian

  • "We attended a Beetlelady event at Sharepath, and she provided a variety of activities, displays, and live bugs. Her 'bug talks' were great for a wide range of ages and fascinatingly informative!"

    - Gretchen Kindberg, Mother of 3

  • "When my boys took her bug class, I was so impressed that she had lots of hands-on experiences with the bugs for those kids who were ready for that. She was very careful to not push any kids into touching or holding bugs unless they were ready and she had many opportunities to give information in a natural way. They also learned a lot about the scientific aspects at a kid's level. We would take the class again in a heartbeat."

    - Connie Linscheid, Mother of 2

  • "The Beetlelady has an amazing ability to engage children and adults with her informational hands-on programs. Attendees leave with an appreciation of bugs and all they do for us and our environment. Our patrons love her programs and delight in the opportunity to see live insects up close."

    - Amy Selmi, Librarian

  • "Watching children go through the stages of learning to be comfortable, then playing and learning with Stephanie's bugs has been eye opening. We ask children to please respect all life, yet nothing is more powerful than hands-on learning with her bugs! Inspirational to say the least!"

    - Dena Heinz, Preschool Director

  • "Beetlelady adapted 'bug science' content and incorporated multi sensory supports into her presentation which made the experience meaningful, educational and very special for our students with significant disabilities. All students involved were completely engaged!"

    - Sara Hawkinson, Avalon Academy

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Upcoming events.

Get ready for an unforgettable encounter with the amazing world of bugs! Join Beetlelady—Ph.D. entomologist, educator, and insect enthusiast—for hands-on experiences that bring science and nature to life. From live bug encounters to fascinating displays and interactive activities, Beetlelady’s events inspire curiosity and respect for the tiny creatures that share our planet. Perfect for all ages, these events are equal parts education and awe. Check the Event Calendar to see where the bugs will pop up next!