Insect House

Despite the forecast of rain, we returned to Tai Po Waterfront Park today  in order to visit the Insect House. I expected to see lots of live insects in terrariums or aquariums but all of the 130 specimens of beetles, flies, wasps, butterflies and moths on display were dead. Frankly, I think our children were relieved; no budding entomologists in our family, I'm afraid. 

 

 

Actually we did see some live water beetles in a fish tank.

The Insect House had numerous displays with scientific facts about insects. Some of it was even in English.

Keegan finds out what it's like to have fly vision.

Through the view finder.

Lauren, these pinned insects gave me a flashback to Kent Academy. Was it the medical dispensary that had display cases of dead butterflies with pins through their bodies for us to ponder over while we were waiting to be treated?

Tirzah is doing the sign for Dorothy the Dinosaur who happens to dance to a song about butterflies.

Just in case you were curious about complete versus incomplete metamorphosis...

Craig was amused that this display featured  insects in their natural Hong Kong habitats: skyscrapers.

Outside the Insect House we discovered lots of colourful fibreglass models of insects.

These two are mating.

There was a beautiful fish pond with plenty of hungry koi.

We watched the kite-flying for a little while.

Looks like a spider has caught two strange insects in her web!

Can you see Tirzah enjoying the playground all to herself?

Jemilla completed the puzzle with a bit of help...

...as did Keegan, although we're not too sure of the picture.

Tirzah was scared of this toothy dinosaur until we assured her that it was a friend of Dorothy's.

Keegan is pretending to do a Twenty20 swing to hit the ball off the sculpture.

We walked (or danced in Tirzah's case) for a kilometre along the waterfront. It never actually rained and we were home in time for lunch and a well-deserved rest.