Our Story

For as long as I can remember I have been fascinated by bugs. As a young child, I would love spending time outside collecting beetles, caterpillars, spiders and centipedes. We lived opposite thousands of hectares of bushland, home to many different varieties of bugs. I would spend my days looking for them and begging my parents to keep them so I could study them closely. This was always met by the same response ‘one day inside, then they go back where they were found’.

The love and fascination never faded, and even as an adult I find myself captivated by animals and their beauty. I’ve had the pleasure of visiting many different parts of the world, seeking out the small natural wonders this Earth has on offer. Spending a couple of years travelling and volunteering through Central America really taught me a lot about the balancing act of our Earth’s environments and the importance of protecting it. Upon arriving back in Australia and moved into an environmental education role with my now partner Michael. There’s something so special about sharing knowledge and stories about the environment with people of all ages and demographics.

In the Spring of 2019, I found a beautiful Monarch butterfly that had been hit by a car. It was a shame to let her beauty fade away and become dust on the sidewalk, so I picked her up and brought her home. After a few hours of reading tutorials, carving out pieces of recycled foam, and hunting for some old sewing pins, I felt ready to try my hand at setting and preserving her properly. Needless to say, I was hooked, and insect preservation soon took over my life. That beautiful monarch still sits on my work desk, serving as a nice little reminder of where it all started.

In 2021 I started The Quirky Beetle with the hope to share these beautiful little pieces of nature with others. I spent months researching reputable suppliers, as environment conservation is something very close to my heart. A whole lot of love goes into every Quirky Beetle creation, and I hope you enjoy these beautiful pieces as much as I enjoyed creating them.

- Talia
The Quirky Beetle