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Giant Roving Bugs

Client: Melbourne Museum

Date: 2017

The Melbourne Museum commissioned a collection of giant roving bugs to promote the opening of the “Bug Lab: Little Bugs, Super Powers” exhibition. The 3 giant bug puppets we created included the highly venomous Australian Redback Spider, the Jewell Wasp who has very unusual reproductive behaviour and the hardy Cockroach. 

The bugs were made from sculpted foam coated with a special membrane which when dries hardens and provides a durable bug exoskeleton. The bugs were then scenic painted with multiple layers to achieve a realistic look including the beautiful pearlescent sheen of the Jewell Wasp. 

Each suit puppet is operated by one puppeteer and the cockroach and wasp designs utilise hand stilts. Children as well as adults didn’t know if they should run away or pat the bugs as they performed at the Melbourne Museum and other sites for several months.

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