Which insect is bred to make cochineal? Just how deadly is the funnel-web spider?This exhibition answers these questions and displays a great diversity of insects including beetles, cockroaches, moths and butterflies. The exhibition includes other invertebrates such as spiders, snails, yabbies, sponges, jellyfish, centipedes, millipedes and slaters. Get up close to a European Wasp, a scorpion or a funnel-web spider.
The exhibition explains the vital role of insects in the food chain as well as exploring insect ecology, flight, evolution and the fascinating diversity of insect reproduction. Find out some ways insects avoid predators - by deception, camouflage, mimicry or envenomation.
See the Australian Upside-down Fly and the Hairy Cicada. Enjoy the visual beauty of the butterfly display and view the inside of an ant colony.
Just like insects, other land and freshwater invertebrates have evolved some special features in order to survive and cope with their environments. For example, did you know Australia's arid regions have more than 300 different kinds of snails? You can see land slugs, forest-dwelling snails, freshwater mussels, and enlarged models of worms and blood-sucking leeches.
Spiders, mites, ticks, scorpions are all arachnids - animals with eight legs. Arachnids are major predators in the invertebrate world. To be efficient predators, arachnids have evolved a number of features, which are explored in the exhibition: piercing and tearing mouthparts, strong claws, spiny limbs, stinging tails and venom glands.
There are a number of activities relating to Insects and other invertebrates that you can be involved in. Find out more:
Enter the Australian Museum's Invertebrate Photographic Competition sponsored by Nature Australia and win one of 4 Kodak DX - 3500 Digital Cameras.
Links and resources
Insect Gallery. Photography, Australian MuseumFind out more about insects and other invertebrates:
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