Small creatures essential to the balance of life and to a thousand hidden talents. Grasshoppers, dragonflies and other insects can be seen in large format on the gates of the Palais Longchamp in Marseille. The exhibition Little stage beasts is visible in free access until the end of June.

This photography exhibition is one of the events surrounding the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the creation of the Calanques Natural Park. Photos taken by park agents to highlight the richness of the biodiversity and the ingenuity of these little beasts, which we do not take the time to observe. An example with this grasshopper, called the jagged magician, which knows how to preserve its species despite the absence of males. “There is no male of this species in France”, explains Maud Thomas, Project Manager at the Calanques National Park, “so how does she survive? Well, she has a rather particular mode of reproduction, she clones herself!”.

The exhibition highlights the park’s missions and also allows hardened city dwellers to discover the riches of nature. “Installing this exhibition in the heart of the city is important.”, says François Bland, director of the Calanques National Park. “It also means showing biodiversity in all its forms, and here we show the one that is the least obvious, a little hidden, but on a daily basis it is also this nature that we protect”.

After Marseille, this exhibition will be presented all summer long in Cassis then next fall in La Ciotat.