India, May 10 -- Leaf insects are masters of disguise, staying hidden while they feed and rest. Cactus longhorn beetles are food specialists, surviving (both as larvae and adults) solely on cactus. The desert ironclad beetle defends itself by playing dead when startled.

These are just some of the astonishingly varied insects, critical to life on Earth, that one may encounter and come to appreciate at the Audubon Aquarium and Insectarium in New Orleans, Louisiana.

This stellar living museum underwent a $41-million redesign and reopened in 2023.

As one journeys through the insectarium, entomologists help one experience insects through all five senses. The sense of sight is deployed in the viewing of live specimens in glass chambers, wher...