Story of Beetle Saga

At Beetle Saga, this story began with a childhood fascination that never disappeared.

Founder Makana Thompson grew up between Taiwan and the United States. While living in Taiwan, beetles were already a part of everyday childhood culture — from visiting beetle shops and breeding farms to learning about species, genetics, and rearing techniques at a young age. Taiwan has one of the most developed beetle industries in the world, with specialized breeding farms, substrate manufacturers, kinshi production, ecosystem supplies, and a passionate community built around these incredible insects.

But after returning to the United States, Makana realized something surprising: most people here had never truly experienced the world of beetles.

Compared to Asia, the beetle hobby and ecosystem industry in the U.S. is still very small and relatively unknown. Many people see beetles as simple insects — but to those who keep and study them, they are among the most fascinating creatures on Earth.

Even today, humans still understand very little about beetles. Their biology, behavior, breeding triggers, bloodlines, coloration, and environmental interactions remain deeply mysterious and endlessly fascinating. Small changes in humidity, wood composition, bacteria, temperature, or fungal balance can completely affect whether a species breeds successfully or not. Every species behaves differently. Every generation teaches something new.

And beyond the hobby itself, beetles play an incredibly important role in nature. They help forests recycle nutrients, break down decaying wood, enrich ecosystems, and support biodiversity. In many ways, they are silent caretakers of the natural world.

Unfortunately, due to the climate and geography of the United States — especially the dry conditions in many regions — native beetle diversity here is far more limited compared to tropical parts of Asia. Because of this, many Americans never get the chance to encounter the beauty and diversity of these species.

Three years ago, Makana officially began breeding beetles in the U.S. from the ground up. From rebuilding kinshi recipes through countless experiments to stabilizing breeding environments and improving rearing techniques, the journey has been filled with trial, failure, learning, and persistence. After years of testing, Beetle Saga finally developed stable kinshi and ecosystem systems that continue to support healthy and consistent breeding results.

But Beetle Saga was never meant to be just a store selling beetles.

The vision has always been much bigger.

We want to build a complete ecosystem around the hobby — a place where people can discover beetles, learn how to care for them, explore bioactive ecosystems, find high-quality enclosures and supplies, and fall in love with the tiny worlds hidden beneath forests and soil.

Our dream is simple:
One day, we hope beetles can become as appreciated and loved in the United States as reptiles are today.

Not everyone will understand beetles immediately. But once someone truly sees them up close — their metallic colors, behaviors, strength, and complexity — something changes. Curiosity becomes fascination.

This is more than a hobby.
It’s a growing ecosystem, a form of education, and a dream we hope more people will share in the years to come.