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@Ponderable saidCool story but probably not moving the needed on "interest" in bugs. But I do wonder how often this happens with species and gene names. I remember hearing about two genes expressed in flies named Ken and Barbie. These two genes encode for proteins that control the externalization of genitalia. As a kid, this created interest for me, but I was already interested in science so...
A PhD-student in Australia named a insect phylus for Taylor Swift. Will interest in Entomolgy increase by such namings?
https://phys.org/news/2026-09-insect-genus-species-taylor-swift.html
original source (beind a paywall): DOI: 10.1163/1876312x-bja10090
The way to create interest is to get kids outside a lot more. Collect bugs and plants, take pictures of them, identify them, research them.
It has a Promethean angle to it, because when you start thinking more about insects, you suddenly see more of them...
A six-legged, hemiptera found its way on my door screen. It has antennae, a sap-sucking mandible, darkish tan and a kind of triangular torso. Possibly leaf and plant hopping or a seedbug. They are often confused with beetles. Classification guides aren't so intuitive, but even under laboratory tools it's not precise.