This Montreal Park Will Morph Into A Playful Open-Air Insectarium

A massive Montreal park will soon be abuzz with giant bug sculptures. This summer, Frédéric-Back is transforming into an open-air insectarium as part of a spectacle that places six- and eight-legged friends in the limelight.

Three larger-than-life installations will pay tribute to the stars of the insect world at Saint-Michel park as of May 18, in a celebration that's anything but garden variety.

A pair of towering antennae — courtesy of Architecturama — break through the grass, while translucent "sails," crafted by Collectif Escargo, will evoke the beauty of butterfly wings. Created from reused sails and masts, the glittering wings will glint in the sun and flutter in the wind to highlight the natural elements that impact bugs in flight.

Giant antennae sculptures.Courtesy of Espace pour la Vie

Nearby, an organic masterpiece by Frédéric Saia will replicate the complex structure of an anthill.

The Montreal Insectarium will also host events at the park to educate and inspire dialogue about protecting tiny superheroes and their habitats. The program promises the most fun you've had since you last played in the dirt.

On June 9, you can hunt moths with the Insectarium director and photograph them for the Atlas des papillons de nuit du Québec, a participatory science project. On June 30 and July 28, you can learn about the monarch butterfly's habitat, lifecycle and migration patterns.

So, if you're ready to explore the world from an insect's perspective, be sure to check out the Boisé Est sector of Frédéric-Back Park this summer.