Insectarium

In November of 2001 I attended a conference in Montreal, Canada. One of the highlights of the trip was a visit to the Insectarium. The above photograph shows an interesting use of beetles.

Needless to say there was an excellent display of all the various orders in the Class Insecta. Terraria were present showing a number of the camouflaged insects.

In the "Ugly Bug Contest" I received three examples of the largest bug found in New England. The Giant Water Bug.

The Insectarium had a large aquaria with a number of these insects in it.

On the left is an example of an adult water bug. (This photograph like the rest of the images were shot through the wall of the glass tank.) The water surface is at the top of this photograph. The bug breathes through a snorkel like device that is made-up of twin tubes extending from the base of it's abdomen.

The slightly flattened hind legs are used for propulsion. The clawed forelegs are designed to grasp invertebrates as well as vertebrates. (The larger water beetles ~ 2 inches (50 mm.) of the genus Lethocerus lays its eggs. It is the slightly smaller genus Belostoma that has a fascinating egg-laying procedure. The females lay their eggs on the backs of the males rather than on vegetation. The males carry them around until they hatch. This allows the eggs to be aerated as well as protected. The bottom image shows a very heavily loaded down male.

 

Some of the adults will leave the water at night and fly around. Their attraction to light causes them to be found - on occasion - inside buildings.

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In addition to the Insectarium, there is an extensive series of nature biomes - Marine Ecosystem, Laurentian Forest, Tropical Forest and a Polar World located in the biodome.

 

Adjoining the Insectarium and the Biodome is a Botanical Garden that is second only to Kew Gardens in London.

 

 

Last updated: November 15, 2001

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