Why would anyone want to take 7,000 creepy-crawly creatures?
Last August, thieves crept quietly through a museum. It was the Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavilion. They cracked open display cases one by one and took the treasures inside. Then they snuck down the fire escape and left.
Did they steal shiny jewels? Gold coins? Precious paintings?
No. They stole . . . bugs.
Bug Burglary
Chris Mattison/NPL/Minden Pictures
The bandits took 7,000 tarantulas, scorpions, and cockroaches. It was one of the biggest bug burglaries in history.
The stolen creepy-crawlies were some of the rarest insects on the planet. And many were very dangerous. This includes the six-eyed sand spider, which is packed with deadly poison.
Why would anyone want to steal thousands of insects?
Simple: for money.
A giant rhino roach sells for $250.
A Queen Alexandra’s birdwing, the world’s largest butterfly, is worth a whopping $4,250.
In the U.S. and many other countries, buying and selling exotic bugs is against the law. But because insects are small and easy to hide, thieves often don’t get caught.
In this case, the looters were found. Their crime had been captured on a security camera. But by the time the criminals were found, they had already sold most of the stolen insects.
Other museums have donated new bugs to help rebuild the collection. Still, the museum’s owner hopes that the original bugs are returned. “We just want our critters back,” he said.
Can't Miss Teaching Extras
New Orleans has the largest insectarium in the United States. Take your class deeper into the world of creepy-crawlies by showing this 1-minute video.
To experience the Philadelphia Insectarium and Butterfly Pavillion without leaving your classroom, visit their photo gallery. Take a few minutes to review the pictures beforehand and choose your favorites to show your class.
This 1 1/2-minute news clip shows the actual security camera footage of the bug heist!
