Pablo Valero Riquelme was born in Orihuela, Spain, in 1986. He grew up with a profound interest in nature, particularly arthropods. At the age of 8, his mother introduced him to a family friend who was an amateur entomologist. This encounter sparked a deeper interest in entomology and taxonomy. By the age of 9, Pablo had obtained his first permits to collect insects and began sampling in the surrounding Mediterranean forests, accompanied by his father and his entomologist mentor. Over time, he assembled a small entomological collection, which he would donate to the Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology at the University of Murcia when he started his biology studies, several years later.
A year later, his mentor gifted him specimens of Eurycantha calcarata and Sipyloidea sipylus, initiating his fascination with phasmids—a passion that would only grow. To date, he has successfully bred over 100 different species of stick insects in captivity.
In 2004, Pablo began studying Industrial Technical Engineering with a specialisation in Electronics at the University of Cartagena. He later supplemented his education with additional studies in electronic product development. Despite this, he continued to breed stick insects and maintained a keen interest in their taxonomy, leading to contact and friendship with Oskar Conle.
Years later, an opportunity arose for him to study Biology at the University of Murcia, allowing him to focus on entomology more professionally. From the start of his biology studies, he applied for an internship position at the Department of Zoology and Physical Anthropology, where he began collaborating with a research team specialising in the taxonomy of Iberian Lepidoptera.
During Lepidoptera surveys in Sierra Nevada (Granada, Spain), Pablo discovered specimens of Pijnackeria with notable morphological differences from known species. Shortly thereafter, he confirmed that these represented a new species to science. With the support of his department colleagues, he published his first scientific discovery: Pijnackeria recondita Valero & Ortiz, 2015.
In 2016, Oskar Conle invited him to join an expedition in Brazil, where Pablo had his first encounter with Neotropical phasmids in their natural habitat. A year later, Oskar Conle offered him a position managing his private laboratory in Germany. Since then, Pablo has worked full-time, overseeing insect breeding, managing the scientific collection, organizing expeditions, conducting research, and writing scientific articles and books for Oskar Conle, with a special focus on New World phasmids.
As of 2024, he has described three genera and 25 new species to science. He currently leads official projects studying the diversity of phasmids in Panama, Costa Rica, and Ecuador, in collaboration with national universities.