BUGS AND SLUGS!
Now crawling at
McKee BUGtanical Garden
Imagine a dragonfly as big as a hawk. Or imagine a millipede the size of a human crawling across a forest floor. You would see those things for real if you could transport yourself back in time 400 million years.
Want to learn more about how insects of today differ from their prehistoric ancestors? Gigantic arachnids, millipedes, insects and slugs are now crawling throughout McKee Botanical Garden from January 12 –April 13, 2008. Created by the artist who brought the Dinosaur Invasion to McKee, Guy Darrough of Lost World Studios is unveiling for the first time his Bugs & Slugs - Prehistoric Insects exhibit.
“Prehistoric insects inhabited Earth since before the time of dinosaurs. The difference in size is thought to be due to higher oxygen levels in the Earth’s atmosphere back then,” says Darrough. “After dinosaurs, I became intrigued by insects and the number of ancient varieties which still exist today.”
According to Darrough, each insect takes several months to create and he is putting enormous care into ensuring that each replica is scientifically accurate. He begins by sculpting a clay model of the insect, then makes a mold of the model which is used for the fiberglass finished product.
Guy Darrough is a self-taught and highly accomplished fossil collector, fossil preparation expert, and illustrator who has worked in paleontology for 40 years. He has collected and studied fossils in Canada, Morocco, and many parts of the United States. Specimens from his private collection are routinely loaned to museums for exhibitions and scientific studies.
Bugs & Slugs is generously underwritten by The Kahle Foundation and Maitland Farm Preschool. Contributing sponsors include Quail Valley Charity Cup, Scripps Treasure Coast News, and AT&T The Real Yellow Pages.
The mission of McKee Botanical Garden is to nurture and enhance a historic garden in a unique tropical setting for the education, enjoyment and enrichment of all.
The Garden is located at 350 US Highway 1 in Vero Beach. Hours of operation are Tuesday-Saturday, 10am-5pm; Sunday, noon-5pm. Closed Mondays. Admission is $6 adults, $5 seniors, $3.50 children ages 5-12 (under 5 free). For more information contact us at 772.794-0601 or email info@mckeegarden.org.
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