Many museums are still closed to in-person visits, but the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County is open online with this fascinating exhibit highlighting the insects of Los Angeles. The name of the exhibit is Spiky, Hairy, Shiny. That enough made me want to look.
While many exhibits of this type feature exotic insects from faraway lands, this one spotlights creatures that live closer to home.
Scientists and volunteers from the museum have collected and cataloged the insects of Los Angeles for the past eight years as part of their BioSCAN (Biodiversity Science: City and Nature) project.
This site features strangely beautiful close-up photos of lifeforms many of us take for granted. You can also listen to the soothing sounds of insects, take a virtual tour of the museum’s nature gardens and get ideas for educational activities for you and your kids to try.
Click here to check it out: https://nhm.org/spiky-hairy-shiny-insects-la