Our Mission
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded and based in Southern Arizona, B.I.C. is dedicated to educating our community about insect diversity while supporting conservation efforts locally and around the world.
By hosting educational events, visiting school classrooms, offering scholarships to entomology students, supporting other conservation organizations, donating entomology collections to public museums, and establishing programs to promote insect conservation and insect research, we aim to increase ento-literacy among the general public and support young entomologists.
We need your help!
Volunteers like you help us achieve our goals worldwide.
OUR CAUSES
What makes us different
Our Founders and Board Members have decades of experience in both conservation and entomology. By combining the two, we are building a solid foundation to support our mission.
We Support
Conservation projects that protect invertebrates and their habitats.
We Give
Resources and funding to aligned researchers and organizations.
We collaborate
With charities, universities, museums, educators, and communities.
We Educate
People of all ages about invertebrates and why they matter.
Working together to create lasting change
Protecting pollinators and other invertebrates
Insects are essential to healthy ecosystems, yet many species face increasing threats from habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and other environmental pressures. B.I.C. promotes the protection of pollinators and other important insects by raising public awareness, supporting conservation organizations, and encouraging practical actions that help preserve insect diversity and the habitats these species depend on.
Connecting charities, universities and researchers
Conservation is strongest when people and organizations work together. B.I.C. builds connections among charities, universities, museums, researchers, and community organizations to share knowledge, support insect research, and expand access to educational resources. We also make charitable contributions and donate entomology collections to public museums, helping valuable specimens remain accessible for education and scientific study.
Educating and inspiring the next generation
B.I.C. is committed to inspiring curiosity about insects and supporting the next generation of entomologists. Through classroom visits, educational events, scholarships, and hands-on learning opportunities, we help students discover the importance of insects and the role they play in our world. Our goal is to increase entomological literacy while giving young people the knowledge and encouragement they need to become future researchers, educators, and conservationists.
Meet the Team
These are the amazing people behind the vision!
Alex & Victoria Bic
Founders
Alex and Victoria Bic met at Purdue University while studying Entomology and Veterinary Medicine. Their shared love of nature and wildlife led them to Arizona, where they founded BicBugs. Today, they combine their scientific backgrounds with a passion for insects, conservation, and education. Both are Research Associates with the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity and have contributed to entomological publications worldwide.
Our Board
Emily Wolverton
Board Member
Read Bio
Emily is the curator at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures in Tucson, Arizona. Emily received her BA from the University of Arizona with degrees in Art, Art Education, and Creative Writing, and has been with the museum for 17 years, serving as curator since 2023. Her publications include the academic journal Museums and Social Issues for her work developing accessible, multi-sensory Touch Tours, and she is the author of over 70 articles on the museum’s collections. Emily’s recent exhibitions include Ray Harryhausen: Miniature Models of the Silver Screen, Signs of Community: Signage of the Old Pueblo in Miniature, and The Pencil is Mightier, showcasing the pencil graphite microsculptures of Salavat Fidai.
Emily is also a taxidermy enthusiast! She has taught bone cleaning workshops, hosted several bug pinning demonstrations, and lives surrounded by her numerous Cabinets of Curiosities. For a brief but glorious time, Emily worked for Bic Bugs, and she is delighted to serve on their Bugs In Community board as they enter this new chapter.
Sam Ignat
Board Member
Read Bio
Sam is a conservationist and an artist. They graduated in 2023 from the University of Arizona with their Bachelor’s in Wildlife Conservation and Management, and through schooling, had many fantastic opportunities to work closely with native wildlife in the field and with a huge variety of museum specimens. Sam also prioritizes long-lasting preservation methods, ensuring each specimen they work with can assist in educating and fascinating people for many years to come.
Sam’s strongest interests in the fields of wildlife conservation and natural history include taxonomy, evolutionary biology, collections preparation and preservation, functional ecology, morphology, human-wildlife interactions, and scientific communication
Wes Elder
Board Member
Read Bio
Wes is passionate about nature, wildlife and ecology! He currently works with local Boy Scout troops in Green Valley, AZ to help them earn badges focusing on nature and ecology.
Steve Miller
Board Member
Read Bio
Steve is the father of 3 kids and a native of England. He’s loved bugs and insects since he was a kid. Now living in Sierra Vista, Arizona, Steve is working to educate the Southern Arizona public about bugs and insects through a variety of outreach programs
Our Bylaws
If interested, you can read more about our bylaws here