The Insectarium in Montreal is the largest deliberate collection of bugs in North America, with over a quarter-million insects, from butterflies to cockroaches, from scarabs to centipedes. Some are dead and mounted for study, while others are alive and on display for observation. There are even hands-on exhibits! Mike Powell and Jeurgen Horn went on a cold weekend, when the Insectarium was full of children. Even so, they had a wonderful time.
Perhaps I liked the stick-bug village best; I had been searching through this big enclosure, trying to locate the bugs, until realizing I had been staring at them the entire time. And then, I was able to see dozens. I also had the chance to hold an Orchid Mantis, which, when it stands still, resembles a flower petal almost exactly.
There were so many bugs… big ones, small ones, cute ones, ugly ones, coughing and sneezing ones, some that were crying, and one that cleverly dodged all my attempts to smash it underfoot… oh wait, I’m talking about the kids again. Actually, the truth is that the exhibits are so engaging that we were able to ignore the chaos and concentrate on the insects. And it was fun to watch kids interact with them. I waited by the tarantula cage while one little girl searched for its hiding spot. When she finally found the monster, she nearly jumped out of her skin
To get up close and personal with these insects, you can visit the Insectarium in Montreal, or see pictures and video at For 91 Days.