Entomica Insectarium is an

insectarium An insectarium is a live insect zoo, or a museum or exhibit of live insects. Insectariums often display a variety of insects and similar arthropods, such as spiders, beetles, cockroaches, ants, bees, millipedes, centipedes, crickets, grasshopp ...

and

natural history museum A natural history museum or museum of natural history is a scientific institution with natural history scientific collection, collections that include current and historical records of animals, plants, Fungus, fungi, ecosystems, geology, paleo ...

located in

Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in northern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of the St. Mary's River directly across from its "twin city," Sault Ste. Marie, in the state of Michigan. The city's population was 72,051 at the 2021 census, makin ...

. First established in the Mill Market in 2014, Entomica is now located in the

Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre (CBHC), located on the north bank of the St. Marys River (Michigan–Ontario), St. Marys River in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, is dedicated to preserving the history of bush flyin ...

. Entomica Insectarium is a charitable organization, and the first insectarium in Canada to be federally-approved to move their exotic insects off-site. As such, they have been delivering hands-on programs to schools, outreach programs, retirement residences and community events. Entomica received funding from the Ontario government, through the provincial Community Building Fund to build their online outreach activities. They have collaborated with local and regional partners, including the

Art Gallery of Algoma The Art Gallery of Algoma (AGA) is an art museum in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada. The museum occupies a facility, situated near the shoreline of St. Marys River. The museum was formally incorporated on 7 July 1975, and in 1980, moved to it ...

, Clean North, Ermatinger Clergue National Historic Site, the

Great Lakes Forestry Centre The Great Lakes Forestry Centre is a federal forestry research institute in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Sault Ste. Marie ( ) is a city in northern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of the St. Mary's River directly across from its "twin city," ...

, the Ontario Forest Research Institute, Outspoken Brewery, and

Science North Science North is an interactive science museum in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.Helga Loverseed, "Impressive science museum symbolizes the new Sudbury". ''The Globe and Mail'', May 9, 1987. The science centre, which is Northern Ontario's most popula ...

. __TOC__ In 2007, Entomica and its bugs were invited to the Earth Day Weekend at the

Royal Ontario Museum The Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) is a museum of art, world culture and natural history in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is one of the largest museums in North America and the largest in Canada. It attracts more than one million visitors every year ...

in Toronto. Entomica has been involved with

for the Sault Ste. Marie Science Festival since 2017, and in 2022, brought their insects and arachnids across Northern Ontario alongside the Great Northern Ontario Roadshow. Entomica Insectarium was host to '' The Amazing Race Canada 5'', with contestants subjected to the 'Cockroach Cranium', where multiple species of cockroaches were dropped on contestants' heads in a Plexiglass enclosure. The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre took a larger role in the operation of the museum in 2024.

Exhibits

Entomica Insectarium has many insects and arachnids, as well as amphibians, reptiles, and freshwater and saltwater fishes. File:Leaf insect (Phyllium sp.), Entomica 1.jpg, Leaf insect File:Goliath beetle (Goliathus goliatus), Entomica.jpg, Goliath beetle File:Emerald cockroach (Pseudoglomeris magnifica), Entomica.jpg, Emerald cockroach File:Frog-legged beetle (Sagra longicollis), Entomica 2.jpg, Frog-legged beetle File:Question mark cockroach (Therea olegrandjeani), Entomica.jpg, Question mark cockroach File:Giant African millipede (Archispirostreptus gigas), Entomica 3.jpg, Giant African millipede File:Asian forest scorpion (Heterometrus spinifer), Entomica 2.jpg, Asian forest scorpion, under blacklight File:Brazilian jewel tarantula (Typhochlaena seladonia), Entomica 2.jpg, Brazilian jewel tarantula File:Tailless whip scorpion (Phrynus whitei), Entomica.jpg, Tailless whip scorpion File:Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula (Lasiodora parahybana), Entomica 1.jpg, Brazilian salmon pink bird-eating tarantula File:Red-eyed tree frog (Agalychnis callidryas), Entomica 1.jpg, Red-eyed tree frog File:Powdered glass frog (Teratohyla pulverata), Entomica.jpg, Powdered glass frog File:Leopard gecko (Eublepharis macularius), Entomica 2.jpg, Leopard gecko File:Veiled chameleon (Chamaeleo calyptratus), Entomica 4.jpg, Veiled chameleon File:Panther chameleon (Furcifer pardalis), Entomica 1.jpg, Panther chameleon File:Senegal chameleon (Chamaeleo senegalensis), Entomica 2.jpg, Senegal chameleon

Awards

Entomica Insectarium has been awarded a number of awards for its work, including a “Making a Difference” Award and "CASCADE for Best Program – Small Institution" award for its Science for Seniors program from the Canadian Association of Science Centres. They were also awarded the 2019 Tourism Ambassador Award from Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, and the Sault Ste. Marie Innovation Centre's 2016 SSMARt Innovation Award in Social Entrepreneurship.

External links

Official Website

References

{{SaultOntario Insectariums Museums in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Natural history museums in Ontario 2014 establishments in Ontario Zoos established in 2014