Davina Paterson
Bugs Ed. presenter and insect aficionado

Hello! My name is Davina Paterson, I absolutely love working with insects big and small! I love sharing my passion for entomology with others, making Bug’s Ed the perfect fit for my interests!

From playing with jumping spiders in the backyard at 5, to owning my first pet stick insect at 11, I have loved all things nature from a young age, but never really understood that it could be a career path moving forward.

Once I hit high school I decided I needed to pursue a “real job” - no more playing with bugs for me! After investing much of my time and energy in physics and maths I realised in my final years of school that regardless of career prospects I had to pursue insects, I was determined to be an entomologist - whatever that meant. In 2020 I took a leap and joined the Entomological Society of Queensland, where I got to see just how much was possible when you immersed yourself in the weird and wonderful world of insects. This led me to pursuing a Bachelor of Science majoring in zoology and minoring in entomology.

I am still studying my Bachelor and have learned so much from my mentors around me in the areas of zoology, ecology, taxonomy, entomology (of course!) and science communication, a particular love of mine! I now work in a range of fields, providing me a platform broaden my scope of knowledge which I believe will only enhance and continue to enhance my Bug’s Ed talks going forward! I hope to excite the next generation about bugs just as much as I am, and encourage them to follow their passions - even if that starts with playing with jumping spiders in their backyards!