Whimsical 'Bug Memorials' In Minneapolis Draw Attention To The Deaths Of Billions Of Insects

According to a study by Dutch biologist Arnold van Vliet, approximately 133 billion insects are killed every month by cars in the Netherlands.

But cars are, of course, not the only culprits.

Everyday -- mostly without thought or intention -- we all kill dozens, if not hundreds, of bugs.

Swatting at mosquitos, stepping on ants and drinking beetles in our Frappucinos -- the fatalities are endless.

Yet, as Treehugger puts it, despite the shared mortality that binds us all as living beings, few ever stop to consider these tiny deaths.

Now, with their ongoing public art project called "Bug Memorials," the Minneapolis-based creative agency Carmichael Lynch is trying to change that.

By whimsically calling attention to the world's most unmourned deaths with a series of itty-bitty commemorative shrines, the collective hopes to encourage city folk to be more aware of their surroundings, PSFK reports.

To see the agency's other creative endeavors, visit the Carmichael Collective.

Check out images of the shrines below: