Brother Firmin Laliberté was a member of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, just like Brother Marie-Victorin, one of the founders of the Jardin botanique. He devoted 62 years of his life to observing, categorizing and educating others about insects.
A pioneer of entomology in Québec
Self-taught, a pioneer of entomology in Québec, he managed to put together an international collection of insects from 80 countries, through his assiduous correspondence with colleagues in his community throughout the world — without ever leaving Canada!
Brother Firmin Laliberté co-founded the Association des entomologistes amateurs du Québec, in 1973. In 1982, he prepared a glossary of entomology for students and amateur entomologists, and founded a magazine, “Fabreries”, in 1975.
An impressive collection
His prestigious collection comprised over 100,000 insects, 50,000 of them from Québec. Many of the species he conserved and described are quite rare, making his collection all the more valuable.
Two months before his death at age 83, Brother Firmin Laliberté bequeathed his impeccably preserved collection to the Montréal Insectarium. It was his dearest wish to introduce future generations to the wonders of entomology.
