TAMPA, Fla. — Chris Pino is responsible for the shrink machine at Zoo Tampa’s Bugtopia, currently open until April 30.

What You Need To Know

  • Bugtopia at ZooTampa through April 30th

  • 13 Anamatronic super-sized insects

  • Chris Pino, owner of Wood Valley Group, made everything else

  • Shrink machines allow little ones to experience insect life

It’s the only way to get small enough to see these insects up close.

“We have an unshrinking machine as well,” Pino said, smiling.

Pino is the owner of Wood Valley Group in Tampa, and he can fabricate pretty much whatever you could imagine, size-changing machines included.

So when the 13 massive insects of Bugtopia came to life at Zoo Tampa, Pino and his crew went to work — from making a super-sized soup can to a huge shoe.

Children will literally be walking through these giant facades into little learning centers.

Pino has created these and other fanciful objects to further immerse children into a bug’s world.

It’s his form of magic.

“I love it. That’s the best part about my job, to see the reaction of all the guests,” said Pino.

And Pino isn’t handling these pieces for just any zoo. This is the zoo of his childhood.

It’s where he first experienced what would become his career — making kids believe in magic a little longer.

“It’s awesome. I loved doing these events because I loved them as a kid, and now I get to produce them,” said Pino.