The outdoor macrophotography exhibition “LIFE BEETLES:Little Big Ones” was opened on April 26, 2024, in the Municipal Garden of São Roque do Pico.
The Director of the Environment and Climate Change Service – Vanda Serpa, Councilor Susana Vasconcelos, and the Assistant to Project Manager – Sónia Manso were present.
On the island of Pico, nature conservation actions include the control of invasive species in Mistério da Prainha (Caminho dos Burros) and in the protected area of Caiado (from where more than 11 tons of rattlesnake have already been removed) . It is also intended to renaturalize an old pasture adjacent to Lagoa do Caiado, where around 5700 endemic trees have already been planted.
This exhibition aims to show the public a different side of insects, to try to change the negative perception normally associated with these living beings. The exhibition focuses not only on the 3 target species of the project, but also on other endemic insects that are unique to the Azores and some of them unique to the islands where they are found.
The objective is also to raise awareness of the importance insects have in nature, whether through pollination, seed dispersal, decomposition of organic matter, or for humans through food, clothing or even our health. Any significant disturbance can cause imbalances with ecological, environmental, and economic consequences. Through the different roles they play in ecosystems, these beings are essential to maintaining their balance.
These types of macro photography exhibitions, in the context of entomology, are rare internationally. In the Azores this is only the second time that it has appeared, and on the island of Pico it is the first time that photographs of insects at this level of detail and quality have been displayed. This exhibition will be on view at the Municipal Garden until the beginning of June, and can also be visited at night, as it has its own lighting, which also gives it a very attractive appearance!
At the end of your visit to the exhibition, you can leave your opinion about it by answering a short survey, which can be accessed via a QR code on the exhibition’s main totem or via the link https://forms.gle/RDdUSBtp6UizqDej9
