It all started in 2011, when Patience, a lifelong arthropod enthusiast, purchased her first leaf bug from a local reptile expo. The leaf bug was a brilliantly green-hued female Heteropteryx dilatata, and she was given the peculiar name of 'Mugwump' because, according to Patience, "she just looked like a Mugwump." She ate blackberry leaves and lived a long and happy life, until her natural passing a few years later.

Since then, Patience has kept many different kinds and colors of leaf and stick bugs, but they were all given the same name, 'Mugwump,' in honor of their predecessor. Eventually, all phasmids in general became known as Mugwumps, and the word became a common descriptor among her friends and family.

So when Patience and I decided to open our Etsy store, we knew exactly what we had to name it after! Our logo was designed to resemble the face of a Heteropteryx dilatata, paying homage to the very first Mugwump Patience ever owned. The face of these insects may not look very cute to some people, but we find them adorable, and we think it fits our unique style and our interest in everything that is weird and wonderful.

Patience and I were married in 2015, and since then we have combined our love for anthropomorphic art and Mother Nature's intuitive designs to make this humble online store. Our specialty is undoubtedly anything and everything animal related, but we are interested in branching out in other directions as well. We are rapidly stocking our shop with new items, so make sure to follow us for updates!