Karlee Friesen is taking the Victoria Bug Zoo to a different level with Taylor Swift and #bugsoftiktok.

乌鸦传媒淚 definitely try to follow different trends,乌鸦传媒� Friesen said.

Her take on the pet paw scanning situation sweeping social media thanks to the mega pop star proved a particular hit.

Calli makes a Tik Tok comeback

乌鸦传媒淲e did that with a bunch of bugs and people really liked that which I thought was absolutely hilarious.乌鸦传媒�

The Swifty kitty trend prompted debate over whether critters outside the cat kingdom qualify. The more than 350 comments weigh in favour of any animal 乌鸦传媒� bunny, bug or even the occasional dad.

It also scored 50,000 likes so far, not the account乌鸦传媒檚 biggest draw, but up there.

Friesen乌鸦传媒檚 take on a papa乌鸦传媒檚 party doubled that in likes. A papa乌鸦传媒檚 party is a TikTok trend where users pick up the front paws of their cat for a little dance. Friesen recreated it with a Victoria Bug Zoo resident Eurycantha calcarata, commonly called the thorny devil stick insect.

乌鸦传媒淓veryone loved the papa乌鸦传媒檚 party which I think is adorable,乌鸦传媒� she said.

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乌鸦传媒淚 really do enjoy teaching and educating people, especially about bugs and how they乌鸦传媒檙e not these big scary monsters we need to worry about,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淵ou shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 squish them all. Insects are really important for our ecosystem. Without them, it would be a really gross world.乌鸦传媒�

The Victoria Bug Zoo saw some rapid growth on the platform this year, the first she really focused on it.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 just another fun thing I get to do for the zoo. I still do all the boring admin stuff. I make some time for TikToks. When they乌鸦传媒檙e only a minute long it乌鸦传媒檚 pretty easy to get it into a day,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Called Karl by her coworkers, Friesen marks five years at the bug zoo come November. She got the job not long after arriving from Kelowna with a bachelor of science in zoology and previous work in entomology on her resume.

She started as a regular employee and educator/guide which can run the gamut from front desk to animal care to tours. It乌鸦传媒檚 standard stuff for staff to take on all the roles.

She became assistant manager early in the 乌鸦传媒渨ild rollercoaster乌鸦传媒� that was 2020 and now works under the title outreach manager.

乌鸦传媒淚 do all the communications for school visits, private tours, birthday parties and adding on social media.乌鸦传媒�

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She乌鸦传媒檇 done some low-key small business social media work previously, and went to Instagram almost as soon as she started at the downtown Victoria tourist attraction.

Friesen embarked on TikTok last summer.

乌鸦传媒淔or what we do here, TikTok is better,乌鸦传媒� she said, pointing to the format of fun facts and funny videos. 乌鸦传媒淪tuff that乌鸦传媒檚 just fun about being at the bug zoo, TikTok really loves that stuff.乌鸦传媒�

Friesen still promotes on other platforms 乌鸦传媒� each platform curated to its audience 乌鸦传媒� but embarked on TikTok last summer and found a good fit.

She really started the push early this year at around 12,000 followers.

乌鸦传媒淲e had more and more likes, and more and more follows and all of a sudden we had 50,000,乌鸦传媒� she said.

Among the top performers is one that hit 5.1 million views late last year, shortly before she really started to focus on the platform. It乌鸦传媒檚 shot from the perspective of a coworker walking in holding a phone and saying 乌鸦传媒渨elcome to the bug zoo you handling things OK over there Karl?乌鸦传媒�

乌鸦传媒淚t was me with a stick insect on my face. We were just having a morning, it was pretty funny though,乌鸦传媒� Friesen said.

Im out of breath after that one

乌鸦传媒淚 try to make it as positive as I can because bugs are great and some people just really need to be reminded.乌鸦传媒�

She乌鸦传媒檚 guilty of laughing at her own jokes, and can be spotted rolling on the floor cackling with laughter when things go well 乌鸦传媒� or not.

That personality shines through, perhaps because she乌鸦传媒檚 the kind of person who shares fun facts about themselves such as: 乌鸦传媒淚 am one person away from David Attenborough 乌鸦传媒� I would love to make that zero people away but we乌鸦传媒檒l see.乌鸦传媒�

Among her favourite in the more than 50 different species are the ghost mantis 乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒渢hey乌鸦传媒檙e just so spooky looking乌鸦传媒� 乌鸦传媒� and the 乌鸦传媒渏ust so cute乌鸦传媒� herbivores such as leaf insects.

While Friesen feels the following is too small to inspire spontaneous recognition on this street, it has happened. She乌鸦传媒檚 not ready to break out the wigs and sunglasses just yet 乌鸦传媒� so far it乌鸦传媒檚 a good thing.

乌鸦传媒淚 really do enjoy teaching and educating people, especially about bugs and how they乌鸦传媒檙e not these big scary monsters we need to worry about,乌鸦传媒� she said. 乌鸦传媒淵ou shouldn乌鸦传媒檛 squish them all. Insects are really important for our ecosystem. Without them it would be a really gross world.乌鸦传媒�

The leans into the creepy aspect of this month with a Halloween market featuring local creators as well as a spooky bug zoo at night on Oct. 29. Tickets for the event are available on the night in-person only. The market is from 5:30 to 8 p.m. with the zoo will be open from 6 to 8.