Meeting Danielle the Tarantula

And other adventures behind the scenes at the insect zoo

Heres how good these people are. Ive had no coffee and not much sleep, but at a bit after 8 a.m., Im already convinced that its fun to hold a cockroach so big I need both hands. The entomologist who just eased the Madagascar hissing cockroach into my bare hands is Faith Deering, who coordinates education here at the Smithsonians O.