Beetles and moths, snakes and lizards. Some folks run the other way when in the presence of these creepy crawly creatures. But others, like Wish Kid Theo, are simply fascinated and can’t get enough. Theo always had an interest in entomology (the study of insects) and herpetology (the study of amphibians and reptiles), so it was no surprise that their wish was to take a bug-pinning class. For the uninitiated, insect pinning or mounting, is the process of preserving a dead insect by inserting a pin through the thorax, so that the specimen can be preserved, displayed, and studied up close.

In Theo’s case, their wish took them to The Insect Asylum in Chicago, where curator Nina Salem put together a ‘spec-tick-ular’ (her words, not ours!) itinerary that included beetle, butterfly, tarantula, and scorpion pinning, Madagascar sunset moth and Atlas moth pinning, and even an owl pellet dissection and a resin jewelry-making class. The Insect Asylum is literally a one-stop shop for entomologists and the perfect place for insect lovers to fully explore their passion.

And while all that bug pinning would have been enough to put a smile on any budding entomologist’s face, Theo’s adventure was merely getting started. For then they were off to Herpetology Field Study and Husbandry Class with Ryan McVeigh. In his own home zoo, Ryan has an incredible collection of some of the most unique and rare animals in the herpetology community. During this experience Theo learned how to handle and take care of these incredible animals and then went into the field to spot and identify wildlife.

The next day brought even more bug-tastic fun for Theo, as they headed to Chicago’s renowned Field Museum. There, Jim Louderman, Collections Assistant in the Insects Division (and an expert on beetles, millipedes, and spiders) gave Theo a private behind-the-scenes tour, which allowed them to get an up-close look at hundreds of pinned specimens stored neatly in racks of wooden drawers.

A break in the action took Theo to Chicago’s legendary Navy Pier, where they rode on the famous Centennial Wheel, up 200 feet into the sky, where they took in views of Lake Michigan and the city below. Then it was on to a private tour of The Butterfly House with entomologist and owner Joseph Rudy.

Then it was back to the Insect Asylum for a one-on-one meeting with Illinois staple and leading environmental educator, Kim from the Natural Naturalist and an assortment of incredible animals from her program. Theo had the opportunity to hold, touch, and ask questions about some of the coolest animals that Kim owns, including Patagonian cavies, a big red tegu, hedgehogs, rabbits, a blue-and-gold Macaw, and more from Kim's private collection.

After cooling off at Sideshow Gelato, where they were crowned honorary cast member, Theo headed to Incredible Bats for a four-hour meet-and-greet and dinner with owner Sharon and all her animals. Sharon is a dedicated educator in Chicago, who focuses on exotics. Theo had the opportunity to meet Rico the baby sloth, armadillos, bats, a fennec fox, toads, salamanders, moon crabs, tree frogs, spiders, geckos, various types of snakes including king snakes and boas, dormice, skunks, turtles, and so much more.

While Theo’s trip to the Windy City started off with a wish to learn how to pin insects, the adventure they experienced was far more than they could ever have wished for. The sheer number of animals they were able to see and handle will have them telling stories for years to come. And who knows, maybe someday in the future, there’ll be a Wish Kid visiting Theo the entomologist, or Theo the herpetologist, or Theo the naturalist … it all starts with a wish.

We want to extend our deepest thanks to all our donors and supporters for helping make Theo’s wish come true.