Get the picture about spiders and insects at Helen Schuler

The Helen Schuler Nature Centre is hosting a photography exhibit this summer on the mysterious world of insects and spiders.

“At Our Fingertips: The Hidden World of Insects and Spiders” is a collection of photographs by local artist Lesley Roy featuring various insects and a small assortment of spiders (as well as a common relative, the spider mite), which hopes to bring a more artistic view and understanding of their habitat and day-to-day lives.

“It is estimated that insects and spiders comprise over 80 per cent of all animals on Earth,” said Roy in a press release.

“There are almost 1.5 million species already identified and nearly 100,000 living in North America. And yet, even though they are found everywhere, we hardly notice them because they are so tiny.”

While some insects cause serious damage to livelihood and health by destroying crops and spreading disease, the vast majority are beneficial. Insects pollinate flowering plants, control other pest insects such as mosquitoes, provide products like honey and silk, and are a food source to other animals. Some insects even help to determine the time of death of murder victims.

Many native insects and spiders have become endangered due to human encroachment into their natural habitat by way of pollution, direct destruction of their environment or by introduction of non-native species.

The exhibit aims to have viewers considering all of the benefits of these tiny creatures and have a better understanding the role they play in our ecosystem.

The new community art gallery exhibit will be on display daily at the Nature Centre from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in July and August.