More than one million species of insects populate the Earth. Studying bugs is difficult because they are tiny. In response, the Tulsa Zoo developed an idea to blow up the proportions of the insects to an enormous size. By doing so, the oversized models have been attractive to visitors who attend the “BUGS” exhibit at the zoo.
Several of the 19 animatronic insects featured in the exhibition are the size of a car. The giant bugs move and produce specific sounds and odors. The jewel beetle makes a cracking noise while moving its antennas. The katydid raises its green wings and squeals. A monarch butterfly gracefully flutters its wings, creating gentle air vibrations. Besides, the exhibition includes huge moving sculptures of a spider, cockroaches, bees, and other bugs.
The gigantic size and loud sounds of the moving bug sculptures leave a deep trace in someone’s imagination. It is like being inside a Halloween festival or a thriller. It is surreal. The entire “BUGS” show is an attempt to make the public learn about the world of insects and raise awareness about the reducing in population of some species. For instance, bees and monarch butterflies are in danger of extinction.
Scientists have classified monarch butterflies in the United States into western and eastern types. The western population has declined dramatically since the 1980s. There were about 10 million monarchs back then, and now about 2,000 are counted. It is a crucial, 99.9 percent decline!
The eastern population diminished by 84 percent from 1996 to 2014. According to www.nrdc.org, bees are also dying at a rapid rate (42 percent of bee colonies collapsed in the United States alone in 2015), and our food supply is at serious risk.
Tulsa Zoo’s “BUGS” show is smartly equipped with field guides, which include interesting information about the species, maps of the habitat, ecosystems around them, etc. For example, katydids are nocturnal and navigate well in the dark. The loud noises of katydids that one hears at night in Oklahoma are mating calls.
A tent store selling insect-themed t-shirts, stuffed toys, cups, and other souvenirs is in the corner of the “BUGS” exhibit. Tables and benches are available for a snack break next to the shop.
The “BUGS” show at the zoo runs daily from March 14 to Sept. 2, 2024. Visiting the exhibition is one opportunity in life that an Oklahoman should not miss.
For more information, visit https://tulsazoo.org/bugs/